PhD opportunity in coral reef fisheries ecology and modeling

Background: Gear-based fisheries restrictions are an effective alternative to marine protected areas that may be tailored to the local social-ecological context, thus allowing a design that is more tolerable for fishers. To properly manage a multi-gear fishery, however, there must be an understanding of the social motivations and ecological impacts of different harvesting strategies. This research seeks to examine how different fishing gears influence social-ecological interactions through the synthesis and modeling of existing data from coral reef fisheries in Indonesia.

Opportunity: We have a funded PhD position available in the Humphries Lab at the University of Rhode Island (URI) for an excellent student to undertake the proposed research on coral reef fisheries in Indonesia. The candidate will be expected to start September 2016. The salary is based on a research assistantship and is approximately $22,000 per year with benefits. The application deadline is January 15, 2016. The ideal candidate will be highly self-motivated and have a strong academic background in ecology and/or fisheries (e.g., MS degree) with an emphasis on modeling. The project is funded for three years; however, the successful student will be competitive for, and encouraged to apply for, additional internal and external funding sources.

To apply for this position, please email Austin Humphries at humphries ‘at’ uri.edu with ‘PhD opportunity’ in the subject line. Please include a cover letter with a statement about your research interests and goals for graduate school, as well as a copy of your CV, unofficial transcripts with GRE scores, and contact information for your references, all as one PDF file. The funding is available to local and international applicants, and those from traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM fields are encouraged to apply.

http://ahumphrieslab.com/phd-opportunity