Phd Student In Ecological Forecasting Of Everglades Wading Birds

Ethan White’s lab at the University of Florida has an opening for a PhD student starting in Fall 2025 to study ecological forecasting of wading birds in the Everglades. This position is funded by an NSF grant to study ecological forecasting across scales using data from a combination of long-term monitoring and drone-based surveys.

The student will work as part of a team of researchers including a field crew collecting data in the Everglades, research scientists managing automated workflows for making forecasts and processing remote sensing, and Dr. Morgan Ernest, who leads the Everglades monitoring work and co-leads the forecasting research. The student will have the opportunity to develop their own research interests in ecological forecasting and community dynamics using the extensive data from the study system. The student will not be expected to lead any field work, but will have the opportunity to participate in field work and drone surveys to gain experience in the ecosystem. This position will be most rewarding for someone who is looking for a PhD experience that focuses on computational training in spatiotemporal data science and modeling, while also providing opportunities for field work and engagement with remote sensing.

The lab is part of the Weecology research group. Weecology is a partnership between Morgan Ernest’s lab, with expertise in field ecology and community dynamics, and Ethan White’s lab, with expertise in environmental data science. The Weecology group supports and encourages students interested in a variety of career paths. Former weecologists are currently employed as data scientists in tech companies and academic research centers, as scientists with NGOs, and as faculty at both research and teaching-focused institutions. We are committed to supporting and training a diverse scientific workforce. Current and former group members encompass a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds from the U.S. and other countries, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, military veterans, people with disabilities, and students who are the first generation in their family to go to college. We work hard to create a supportive and inclusive lab environment grounded in the lab code of conduct.

Salary starts at $29,500/year (0.5 FTE), with full tuition waivers and health insurance. More information about the group is available through: 1) the Weecology website; 2) the Everglades project website; 3) our GitHub organization; 4) our wiki; 5) our blog. 

Preliminary review will begin October 1st, 2024. Interested students should email Dr. Ethan White (ethanwhite@ufl.edu) with 1) a CV and 2) a personal statement containing information on your past research experience (what types of experiences have you had and what you enjoyed about them), your future research interests (what topics really excite you and make you want to learn more?), and what you are hoping your graduate experience will provide you? A paragraph on each is sufficient!