Research Opportunity at Northern Illinois University

The following information was submitted to the Sustainability Office on behalf of Dr. Holly Jones of Northern Illinois University:

We seek a motivated Ph.D. student to develop a dissertation research project utilizing data from the Lake County Forest Preserve District (LCFPD) Long-Term Wildlife Monitoring Program to assess outcomes and identify successful strategies for meeting restoration and management targets. The LCFPD has substantial data on wildlife populations (especially small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians), land cover, and management history, which will allow the student to pursue unique and important questions about restoration ecology and habitat management.

The student will work under the guidance of ecologists and restoration biologists at Northern Illinois University, Dr. Nick Barber (http://niu.edu/biology/about/faculty/barber/Barber_Lab/Home.html), Dr. Holly Jones (http://niu.edu/biology/about/faculty/jones/jones_lab/index.html), and Dr. Rich King (http://niu.edu/biology/about/faculty/rking/index.shtml), and with managers at LCFPD.

Prospective students should be comfortable working during inclement weather, possess a valid driver’s license, and be willing to oversee a small team of field technicians. Competitive candidates will have a Master’s degree and strong GRE scores. Experience with mark-recapture methods, occupancy modeling, and wildlife management is desirable. The position will include stipend and tuition remission, with a starting date of August 2016 or January 2017.

Northern Illinois University is a 20,000-student research university in DeKalb, Illinois, a diverse community of 50,000 with a low cost of living. The Department of Biological Sciences includes faculty with a wide range of research interests, including an active Ecology, Evolution, Behavior, and Conservation research concentration.

Details of the graduate program are available at http://niu.edu/biology/academics/graduate-studies/index.shtml. Interested students should email Nick Barber (nbarber[at]niu[dot]edu) by May 15, 2015, with a cover letter that explains your research background and interests and why you want to pursue a Ph.D. Please also include a CV with GPA and GRE scores.

Put a Lid on It: Protecting Wildlife and Rainwater on Campus

Did you know? Every time a dumpster or garbage bin is left open outside, it affects wildlife and the quality of water in our tributaries and streams. Animals such as squirrels, raccoons, and various little critters climb into dumpsters looking for food only to find themselves trapped inside. When waste management comes to take the trash to the dump, they unknowingly take these trapped creatures as well. Noticed only at the dumping site, these animals are often severely injured or injured past the point of survival.

Also, rainwater collects in these dumpsters. The collected rainwater mixes with the garbage in the dumpster and leaks out into our environment in the form of runoff.

Because much of this runoff is only treated through the interaction with vegetation and soil media it is important for us to make sure the runoff is free of contaminants before it is discharged to the environment.

What can you do about it? You can help to preserve wildlife and increase rainwater quality on campus by remembering to Put A Lid On It! Always double check when throwing your waste away that the receptacle is properly closed. And do your part to close those that others have left open. 

Get Involved! Volunteer or intern with Storm Water Management Program. Questions or Comments? Contact UCSC Storm Water Manger at (831) 459 – 4520 or visit cleanwater.ucsc.edu