[APWG] Graduate opportunity in invasive plant management in Alaska

[Tricia Wurtz]

              Graduate research (M.S.) opportunity to develop
          an invasive plant management plan for the campus of the
                      University of Alaska Fairbanks

We are offering a two-year research assistant position in Natural Resources
Planning at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  The successful applicant
will earn a master’s degree as they work with a wide range of publics and
University entities to develop a long-term invasive plant management plan
for the University campus.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks campus is located about 5 miles west of
Fairbanks. The region has about 80,000 people.  Fairbanks is the largest
town in interior Alaska, an expansive area of very few roads, little
development, and pristine boreal ecosystems.  Approximately forty invasive
plant species now occur on campus lands at UAF. One of the incentives for
the project is to prevent the spread of invasive plants from the UAF campus
to the surrounding natural ecosystems of interior Alaska.

Throughout the US and Canada, communities, states and provinces have found
the best way to deal with invasive species is to develop a comprehensive
plan that tackles the problem from a number of angles and that considers
the underlying causes of the weed infestation.  The most successful plans
are developed in collaborative processes by a team of stakeholders.  We
propose to follow this model at UAF.  A UAF Invasive Plant Task Force has
been established which includes invasive plant experts, campus landscaping
staff, faculty, students, and members of the public. A map of the current
distribution of the 14 most common invasive plants on campus was produced
in summer, 2008.  These two steps provide the groundwork for this planning
effort.

The successful candidate must be energetic and outgoing, and work well with
a wide variety of people and administrative groups.  Groups that will be
involved in the development of the invasive plant plan include many
University departments, faculty, administrators, students, the University
Facilities Services, and the Cooperative Extension Service.  In addition,
the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Alaska Department of
Transportation, the Alaska Railroad, the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Agricultural Research
Service and the U.S. Forest Service will also be involved.

Strong academic training, excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
and ability to work in team and individual settings are essential.  Skills
in GIS, collaborative processes, planning, meeting facilitation and
knowledge of plant biology, invasive plants, or weed science are desirable.

Stipend will be $23,900 for each of two years, in addition, tuition will be
covered and health benefits offered.  To learn more about the position or
project, contact Susan Todd (susan.todd at uaf.edu) or Trish Wurtz (
twurtz at fs.fed.us). To begin the application process, submit (preferably by
e-mail) a cover letter that includes a brief review of your research
experience, interests and goals (2 page max), resume, transcripts, GRE
scores, and three letters of reference to:

Dr. Susan Todd
Box 757140, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775
susan.todd at uaf.edu

To learn more about graduate studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
visit www.uaf.edu/gradsch
Applications will be evaluated in early February, 2009