Summer Research Internship in Fire Ecology

Summer Research Internship in Fire Ecology
Assist with field work in the Rocky Mountains!

The PaleoEcology and Fire Ecology Lab at
the University of Montana is seeking an enthusiastic, hard-working student to assist
with ecological research. The student would
participate in and contribute to the Big
Burns Project, an interdisciplinary study
funded by the National Science Foundation
focused on understanding the history and
ecological impacts of wildfires in the Rocky
Mountains. We are using lake-sediment
cores to develop records of ecological change over the past 2500 years in high-elevation forests in Montana
and Idaho. In addition, the student will contribute to ongoing research studying the effects of microclimate,
soil nutrient availability, and burn severity on post-fire tree regeneration in large wildfires from 2017. The
student will learn about the fire and forest ecology of the Rocky Mountains, and gain experience with field
data collection and laboratory techniques for processing soil samples and
lake-sediment records.
Qualifications: Enthusiasm for ecological research and field work. Previous research experience is helpful but not required. Experience with hiking
and backpacking strongly preferred.
Location: Missoula, MT. We will be travelling locally in
Montana and Idaho for field work, and camping part of the
time.
Dates: Flexible. Ideally the student would start in early- to
mid-June and stay for 10 weeks.
Housing and transportation: Affordable summer housing is available on campus. We provide all transportation
for field work, and Missoula has a free public bus system
for getting around the city.
To apply: Send the following to Kyra Wolf
([email protected]): (1) a cover letter describing your interests in the position, previous outdoor and
research experiences, and relevant coursework (including GPA); (2) a resume no longer than two pages; and
(3) contact information (name, e-mail, phone) for two references with knowledge of your work experience.
For questions or more information, please contact
Kyra Wolf at the e-mail above.