Information on opportunities for undergraduates

Undergraduates who are motivated to gain research experience outside the classroom can find information at the above link.

Information for prospective graduate students

Spring 2023 Ph.D. opportunity:

Do you want to study the social and ecological dimensions of how fisheries become and remain sustainable? Have you always wanted to interpret data from recreational fisheries in light of human behavior and cultural norms? Do you want to learn cutting edge quantitative skills that are transferable to jobs in research in and out of academia? If this sounds like you, we have a cool position for a Ph.D. student coming up soon!

The student will investigate the social factors influencing recreational fisher behavior, including compliance with management, in the summer flounder fishery across the U.S. Mid-Atlantic. This information will be incorporated into an Bayesian population modeling framework to characterize spatio-temporal variation in fishing mortality and inform projections of flounder population dynamics. This project is part of an interdisciplinary collaboration that includes graduate students, postdocs, and scientists. As such, the ability to communicate across disciplines is a critical skill. It is also guaranteed to be demanding, interesting, and fun.

Students with interests in applying transdisciplinary approaches to marine resource management are encouraged to apply. Candidates from backgrounds or identities that are historically underrepresented in marine science or fisheries are welcome in the lab.

Required Qualifications:

• MS in Fisheries, Ecology, or closely related field
• Strong communication skills
• Completed coursework in statistics
• Ability to drive state vehicles

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong quantitative skills, including experience fitting Bayesian models in JAGS or Stan
• Experience with publishing peer-reviewed journal articles

How to Apply:

Interested individuals should send an email to hkindsvater at vt dot edu. Please state “Summer Flounder PhD opportunity” in the email subject line and include: (i) A statement of your research experience and interests (ii) CV. Review of applicants will begin in October 2022 and remain open until filled.

Postdocs

I do not currently have funding for postdoctoral researchers, although that is always subject to change. I am also happy to discuss opportunities to apply for funding with interested candidates. For example, Virginia Tech has the Presidential Postdoctoral fellowship for individuals within three years of completing their doctorate aimed at supporting fellows from diverse backgrounds. The National Science Foundation has a Ocean Science postdoc fellowship. There are also opportunities for foreign postdocs such as the Smith Fellowships and Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program.