A M.S. or a Ph.D. Research Assistantship, Forestry

A M.S. or a Ph.D. Research Assistantship is available in the
School of Forestry (www.for.nau.edu), Northern Arizona University,
Flagstaff, AZ (M.S.:$18,500/y for two years, Ph.D.: $20,500/y for
four years; both include health insurance coverage and
out-of-state tuition waiver).  The successful applicant will join an
interdisciplinary team from NAU and the Universities of Wisconsin,
Tennessee, and Tasmania investigating the heritability of
community and ecosystem traits in cottonwood (Populus)
dominated ecosystems of western North America
(see http://www.poplar.nau.edu/).  This research is funded by a
recently received $5 million Frontiers in Integrative Biological
Research (FIBR) grant from the National Science Foundation,
as well as from other sources (see
http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/newsroom/pr.cfm?ni=15000000000112).
Specifically, the successful applicant will evaluate whether or
not soil microbial communities are heritable "extended phenotypes"
of plants.  The position starts the summer of 2005 and is open
until a suitable candidate is found.  Flagstaff is located at an
elevation of 2,280 m on the southern edge of the Colorado
Plateau and offers exceptional recreational opportunities.
Contact Dr. Stephen C. Hart for application information
(steve.hart@nau.edu; 808-985-6073).