MS Graduate Student Assistantship in Forest Ecology at Tennessee State University, USA

Tennessee State University’s Department of Environmental Sciences is pleased to announce a graduate research assistantship to support a M.S. student in conducting research in Forest Ecology. The students will be advised by Dr. Sarah McCarthy-Neumann (sneumann@tnstate.edu) whose research lab investigates the role of plant-soil feedback (PSF) on forest community dynamics (see lab website at https://www.mccarthy-neumannlab.com).

The research project focuses on PSF legacies (e.g., how long PSF persists after tree mortality or harvesting) and the effect of fire on plant-soil feedback dynamics. Research will comprise field and greenhouse experiments. The assistantship begins with Fall 2024 enrollment and is a 12-month GRA positions for 2 year ($26,400 per year).
We seek applicants with a high level of enthusiasm for field and greenhouse research that contributes to understanding plant-soil feedback as an important mechanism underlying forest community dynamics.

The student will have access to field sites with large scale thinning and prescribed fire treatments in an oak-hickory dominated plateau forest. Successful applicants will be expected to work independently as well as collaboratively as a member of the research group, develop independent research questions related to the overall project goals, conduct field work sometimes in remote locations, perform detailed laboratory analyses with a high level of precision, and publish research results.

Qualifications:

B.S. degree in plant/forest ecology, forestry, environmental science, botany or related field.
Strong communication skills (verbal and written)
Experience in report-writing or drafting research articles
A self-motivated, well-organized, adaptive to collaborative work
Preference will be given to applicants with:
Experience with running experiments and advanced statistical analysis

How to Apply:
If interested, please submit the following documents in a single PDF file to Dr. Sarah McCarthy-Neumann (Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology) at sneumann@tnstate.edu
letter of interest (maximum 2 pages),
Curriculum vitae;
Unofficial copies of transcripts (undergraduate);
Unofficial GRE scores;
List of three references (name, title, affiliation, email address, and phone number);

Review of the applications will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled. To be accepted into the graduate program, potential students must also apply through the TSU Graduate School at https://lnkd.in/gzJa2tN8. When applying, please indicate an interest in the Forest Ecology Graduate Assistantship in the required Statement of Interests. Applications must be completed by June 21, 2024.

Please visit for specific information regarding the Environmental Sciences graduate program.

Feature photo credit: Wikipedia

If you have any inquiries or concerns about the content posted on our website, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email (gradassistantship team).