GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS (3 M.S., 1 Ph.D.) AT COOPERATIVE WILDLIFE RESEARCH LABORATORY, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE

Beginning today and until these positions are filled, we are seeking 4 Graduate Research Assistants (3 M.S., 1 Ph.D.) beginning summer 2005 (pending funding). Assistantships are on a 12-month basis and pay $1,255/month plus full tuition waiver and support for research activities. For more information about our graduate program, see http://www.siu.edu/~wildlife.
DESCRIPTION:
White-tailed Deer Ph.D. Assistantship: We are seeking 1 Ph.D. student (pending funding) to study several aspects of deer ecology and harvest efficiency in east-central Illinois. This student will work with another Ph.D. student and a large research team on the project. Primary field activities will include deer capture, radiotelemetry, and population surveys, and preference will be given to those with previous experience with these techniques. Dr. Clay Nielsen will serve as the student’s advisor on this project; please contact him (see below) regarding this opportunity.
Swamp Rabbit M.S. Assistantships (2): Opportunities exist for a team of 2 M.S. students (pending funding) to study swamp rabbits in southern Illinois.
One student will determine potential areas where public-private partnerships could improve habitat and connectivity for swamp rabbits and design management experiments to test population response (student to be advised by Dr. Eric Schauber, see contact information below). The other student will survey sites for swamp rabbits and forecast the potential impacts of land management activities and farm programs on swamp rabbit habitat (student to be advised by Dr. Clay Nielsen, see contact information below). Primary field activities will include pellet surveys and vegetation sampling; computer-based analyses will require extensive use of GIS and multivariate statistics.
Long-tailed Weasel M.S. Assistantship: We are seeking 1 M.S. student (funding secured) to study long-tailed weasels in southern Illinois. The student will study how the distribution and abundance of prey affect weasel abundance and space use at Pyramid State Park. Field experience in mammal trapping and radiotelemetry is beneficial. Dr. Eric Schauber will serve as the student’s advisor on this project; please contact him (see below) regarding this opportunity.
QUALIFICATIONS: Graduate studies will lead to a M.S. or Ph.D. in Zoology (with emphasis in Wildlife Ecology) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. To be considered, an applicant must have (1) completed a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology, Zoology, or related field; (2) achieved a GPA of at least 3.0; and (3) scored more than 1,000 combined on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE.
CONTACTS:
Dr. Clay Nielsen
E-mail: kezo92@siu.edu (preferred)
Phone: 618-453-6930
Dr. Eric Schauber
Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory
Mailcode 6504
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Carbondale, IL 62901
Phone: 618-453-6940
Fax: 618-453-6944
E-mail: schauber@siu.edu
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer