PH.D RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP ON AVIAN ECOLOGY

BIOENERGETICS OF WATERBIRDS ON GREAT SALT LAKE MARSHES

Millions of ducks and waterbirds stage on Great Salt Lake (GSL) and its marshes during the summer and fall. For some avian species, over half of their total population is on GSL during staging. Survival of these species is dependent on the ability of Great Salt Lake and its marshes to produce the food they require. But with GSL shrinking and becoming more saline, the future of these birds is uncertain. To help ensure that nothing threatens these avian populations, Dr. Michael R. Conover seeks a Ph.D. student to join his lab and to develop a bioenergetic model for Great Salt Lake and its marshes that can compare energy needs of ducks, swans, and other waterbirds populations to energy production by GSL habitat. The ultimate aim is to identify habitat bottlenecks and use the bioenergetic model as a management tool to meet avian population objectives. The student will become part of USU’s Ecology Center (http://ecology.usu.edu/), Department of Wildland Resources, and the Quinney College of Natural Resources (https://qcnr.usu.edu/wild/).

The successful candidate will need a strong resume, undergraduate GPA > 3.5, excellent letters of recommendation, and a U.S. driver’s license. Stipends are competitive with other top-research universities. Ideal starting date is January 1, 2023, but actual starting date is open.

To apply for this well-funded position, please email to mike.conover@usu.edu a cover letter, resume, GRE scores, and college transcripts to Dr. Michael Conover, Wildland Resources Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230.