Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI) at the University of Maine offers unprecedented opportunities for graduate students to experience a truly interdisciplinary learning experience through a $20 million, 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR program. The SSI’s mission is to create integrative research and strong stakeholder partnerships that generate improved solutions to intersecting ecological, social and economic challenges in and beyond Maine.
The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to maintaining an intellectually and culturally diverse faculty and staff.
Doctoral Research Assistantship in Sustainability focusing on Watershed Processes
Water resources research activity in the SSI involves participation of professors and research scientists from the Senator George J. Mitchell Center , School of Biology and Ecology, and the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Earth Sciences, Wildlife Ecology, and Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences in interdisciplinary projects focused on watershed planning and management. Projects in the SSI portfolio that will benefit from a better understanding of watershed processes include: Mapping a Sustainable Future, Safeguarding a Vulnerable Watershed, and Sustaining and Restoring Urban Stream Resources in Maine…descriptions of which can be found here. Specifically, this doctoral degree candidate will study headwater drainage basins flowing into Maine’s famously productive rivers and coastal estuaries. The work will focus on the physical characteristics of landforms and tributary networks in small watersheds influenced by varied geomorphic histories and land uses. This research is intended to describe how human-induced changes to the landscape affect processes that govern water quality and habitat in streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries. Results from the work will be integrated with concurrent research related to land-use planning, impaired streams, and lake watersheds. The information and products derived from this work will assist government and NGO efforts to protect or restore aquatic systems while considering the socio-economic needs of Maine citizens.
Qualifications: A Master’s degree related to watershed science, competitive academic record and an interest in collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. Preferred skills include: field experience related to geomorphology, coursework in hydrology, working knowledge of ARCGIS software and familiarity with LIDAR data analysis. Support includes an assistantship stipend ($20-25,000/yr), a tuition waiver, a partial subsidy for health insurance and funds for field research and spatial data analyses.
Application Procedures: Please submit the following information to Dr. Sean Smith at sean.m.smith@maine.edu with subject line “SSI assistantship.”
1. A letter detailing your interest in this position and the goals of the SSI in general;
2. A resume;
3. Photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts; and
4. Name, phone number, and email address of three references familiar with your academic, research history.
Deadline: Review of applications will begin February 20, 2012 and continue until the position is filled. On campus interviews are required. Travel stipends are available.
Doctoral Research Assistantship in Sustainability Science focusing on tidal power
One SSI project is an interdisciplinary research program focused on the social and ecological aspects of tidal power development. We seek a Social Science doctoral research assistant interested in working on sustainability science research focused on understanding how to effectively link knowledge to action for the responsible development of tidal power. Some key research areas on this project are (1) stakeholder perceptions related to tidal energy development, (2) data collection on the potential social and economic impacts of tidal power development, and (3) the development of stakeholder and community engagement models to effectively link scientific and community knowledge for improved decision-making related to tidal power development. This research is ongoing and a student is needed immediately.
Qualifications:
A degree (preference given to individuals with a Master’s) in anthropology, human ecology, sociology, geography, communication, or a related social science field; excellent GPA and GRE scores; strong communication and writing skills; and the ability to work collaboratively with a large and diverse group of researchers and stakeholders. Candidates should also have some experience collecting and analyzing social science data. Some background in a natural science is preferred, but not required. Support includes a stipend of $22,500/year, a tuition waiver, subsidy for health insurance, and funds for field research.
Application Procedures:
Please submit the following information to Teresa Johnson, Assistant Professor, University of Maine, teresa.johnson@maine.edu with subject line “SSI Tidal Power Research Assistantship.”
- A letter detailing your interest in this position specifically and the goals of the SSI in general;
- A resume;
- Scanned GRE scores and transcripts; and
- Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references familiar with your academic and research history.
Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Doctoral Research Assistantship in Sustainability Science - Knowledge to Action
SSI is committed to linking academic knowledge with action in partnership with communities to produce meaningful scientific outcomes. SSI’s Knowledge-to-Action (K↔A) Team studies the range of ways that researchers collaborate with diverse stakeholders and communities to create improved linkages between knowledge and action. The K↔A Team seeks a doctoral Research Assistant beginning in September 2012 to help advance our research on collaboration and stakeholder engagement, in particular in the area of water resource management. The doctoral student will supplement a dynamic, engaging team of faculty, post-doctoral researchers and graduate students with expertise in communication, community engagement, social psychology, human dimensions of natural resources, and economics.
Qualifications:
A master’s degree (preferably in a social science field); excellent GPA and GRE scores; an interest in collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving, and an interest in collaborative grant writing and research. Support will include an assistantship stipend, a tuition waiver, subsidy for health insurance, and operating funds for research.
Application Procedures:
Please submit the following information to laura.lindenfeld@umit.maine.edu with subject line “SSI K-A Fellowship”.
1. a letter detailing your interest in this position and the goals of the SSI in general;
2. a resume;
3. photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts; and
4. names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references familiar with your academic and research history.
Review of materials will begin in late December and continue until the position is filled.
Doctoral Research Assistantship in Forest Ecosystem/Human Systems Modeling
The SSI supports a wide range of interdisciplinary research projects that target coupled social-ecological systems. This particular project focuses on the development and evaluation of models that integrate forest management, climate change, ecological disturbances, and landowner behavior. The core research team consists of faculty in the School of Forest Resources with specializations in human dimensions and forest biometrics. The student will develop a dissertation project that contributes to the larger project with components that meet their research interests and those of the project PIs.
Qualifications include an M.S. degree in forestry, ecology, biology, biostatistics, natural resource management, environmental policy or related field; excellent GPA and GRE scores; and an interest in collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving. Strong preference will be given to students with a background in quantitative techniques, familiarity with statistical software (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS), and a willingness to deal with large, complex datasets.
Support includes a stipend of $22,500/year, a full tuition waiver, a partial health insurance waiver, operating funds, office and lab space, and faculty parking privileges.
A flexible start date between January-September 2012 is possible.
Application Procedures:
Please submit the following information to jessica.leahy@maine.edu and aaron.weiskittel@maine.edu with subject line “SSI Forest-Human Systems Modeling Doctoral Research Assistantship."
- A letter detailing your interest in this position specifically and the goals of the SSI in general;
- A CV;
- Photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts; and
- Contact information or three references familiar with your academic and research history.
Deadline: Review of applications will begin December 15th, 2011 and continue until the position is filled. On campus interviews are required. A travel stipend of $500 is available.
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Leahy – Assoc. Prof. of Human Dimensions
jessica.leahy@maine.edu
Aaron Weiskittel – Asst. Prof. of Forest Biometrics
aaron.weiskittel@maine.edu
Doctoral Research Assistantship in Science and ESL Education (SSI-related research position)
Project Reach at the University of Maine has an opening for a Ph.D. graduate research assistantship. The project seeks to understand how we can better prepare teachers to help students with English as a Second Language (ESL) to succeed in STEM areas. The Ph.D. student’s research will study the impact of the project’s teacher training efforts and contribute to a growing body of scholarship on STEM and ESL education.
Details: The student will enroll in a Ph.D. program from the following list, depending on his/her interests: Communication, Forest Resources, Ecology and Environmental Science, or Interdisciplinary Studies. The assistantship provides a stipend to support living expenses, tuition, and fees. The position will be renewed annually. The student will join a team of dynamic researchers at the University of Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative. SSI offers unprecedented opportunities for graduate students to experience a truly interdisciplinary learning experience. The SSI’s mission is to create an integrative research program and strong stakeholder partnerships to generate improved solutions to intersecting ecological, social, and economic challenges in and beyond Maine.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a M.S. or M.A. in communication, natural resources management, environmental science, environmental education, science education, ESL education, or a related field; GPA of 3.0 or better; strong GRE scores; solid writing skills; and an interest in collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to research. Strong preference will be given to students with a background in quantitative techniques, familiarity with statistical software (e.g., SPSS), and a willingness to deal with large, complex datasets.
The University of Maine, the flagship research institution in the state, is located in Orono. In a small college town bounded by the Stillwater and Penobscot Rivers, the campus is just eight miles north of Bangor, and four hours from Boston. The Bangor region is centrally located in the state, providing nearby access to numerous outdoor recreation areas including Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, and the Appalachian Trail. Detailed information about the University of Maine can be found at: http://www.umaine.edu.
Application Procedures: Please submit the following information to laura.lindenfeld@maine.edu and jessica.leahy@maine.edu with subject line “Project Reach Graduate Research Assistantship":
- A letter detailing your interest in this position specifically and the goals of Project Reach in general;
- A CV;
- Photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts; and
- Contact information for three references familiar with your academic and research history.
Deadline: Review of applications will begin January 15th, 2012 and continue until the position is filled. On campus interviews are required, with travel stipends available.
The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to maintaining an intellectually and culturally diverse faculty and staff.
