Students
Current opening: We are seeking an outstanding student to pursue a PhD in either (student’s choice): the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences or the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Idaho. The project will evaluate effects of livestock grazing of riparian habitats on ecological services including provisioning of resources for greater sage-grouse. The student will evaluate responses of plants important to sage-grouse, but will be expected to develop additional questions related to wildlife habitat provisioning or other ecological services and livestock grazing management. The successful applicant will be responsible for: (1) conducting three field seasons of field survey work at public lands grazing allotments in southern Idaho and western Wyoming; (2) analyzing and interpreting data collected from the field; and (3) publishing results from the study in peer-reviewed journals. Fieldwork involves plant species identification in riparian habitats and working around livestock. The position offers a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary training and excellent preparation for a career in rangeland ecology.
The successful applicant will be funded through a combination of research and teaching assistantships. The student will be co-advised by Drs. Tracey Johnson and Melinda Ellison (https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/animal-and-veterinary-science/our-people/melinda-ellison).
Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in range science, wildlife science, animal science, or related field; minimum GPA 3.0; competitive GRE scores. Applicants with strong quantitative skills, a background in habitat ecology, and experience conducting research in riparia, sagebrush steppe, or western grasslands will be given preference. The successful applicant must be capable of collecting data under adverse field conditions (heat, rattlesnakes, etc.) and of successfully and safely supervising field technicians in remote locations; must have a strong work ethic, strong verbal communication and writing skills, and the ability to work well independently and with permittees and state and federal agency personnel; must have a driving record that will allow use of state vehicles.
Preferred qualifications: Master’s degree in range science, wildlife science, animal science, or related field; background in spatial ecology, familiarity with GIS, and riparian ecology; experience publishing in the primary literature.
To apply: Email the following information to traceyj@uidaho.edu
Personal statement – this should describe your research interests and career goals, and explain how your skills and experience make you a strong candidate for this position. (2 pp. max)
CV
transcripts (unofficial okay)
GRE scores (unofficial okay)
Contact information for three references
The selected student is expected to enroll at the University of Idaho in the fall semester of 2020, but competitive students may be able to start before or after that date as an hourly employee on the project. Applicants can find additional details on the graduate programs at:
http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/students/graduate-students
https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/majors-and-degrees
Prospective Students
I am happy to hear from prospective students! I am excited to have the opportunity to train talented young biologists and help them move to the next stage in their careers. The best prospects will be curious, self-motivated, highly conscientious, and will have goals for achievement after graduate school. I seek students with an interest in contributing to the development of wildlife science through both the primary literature and by considering the practical applications of their work to conservation and management. Prospective masters students should have experience from multiple field positions and ideally, have completed an undergraduate thesis. Prospective doctoral students should have produced at least one peer-reviewed publication. I gladly receive inquiries from prospective students that have secured their own project funding, or are pursuing external fellowships or grants.
If you are interested in working with me, keep an eye on this site for funded projects for which I'm seeking a graduate student, or email me at traceyj@uidaho.edu to see if I have upcoming opportunities.
Prospective Students
I am happy to hear from prospective students! I am excited to have the opportunity to train talented young biologists and help them move to the next stage in their careers. The best prospects will be curious, self-motivated, highly conscientious, and will have goals for achievement after graduate school. I seek students with an interest in contributing to the development of wildlife science through both the primary literature and by considering the practical applications of their work to conservation and management. Prospective masters students should have experience from multiple field positions and ideally, have completed an undergraduate thesis. Prospective doctoral students should have produced at least one peer-reviewed publication. I gladly receive inquiries from prospective students that have secured their own project funding, or are pursuing external fellowships or grants.
If you are interested in working with me, keep an eye on this site for funded projects for which I'm seeking a graduate student, or email me at traceyj@uidaho.edu to see if I have upcoming opportunities.
Current Students
Aaron Young
Aaron graduated from Western Michigan University with B.S. degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies. Following undergrad, he worked various field research positions around the country, primarily examining the effects of management and human altered ecosystems on songbird populations. For his Master’s work at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he examined post-fledging survival, habitat selection, and seasonal fecundity of Henslow’s Sparrow in southwest Missouri. Aaron is interested in applying current statistical and modeling approaches to understand how management of imperiled or multi-use ecosystems affects populations at multiple levels. He also really likes sparrows. For his Ph.D. research, Aaron is studying the bird and small mammal community response to juniper management in a southwest Idaho sagebrush ecosystem. He will investigate changes in abundance and community composition with juniper removal at multiple scales, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving any changes at the site level through altered habitat quality or species interactions.
Aaron graduated from Western Michigan University with B.S. degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies. Following undergrad, he worked various field research positions around the country, primarily examining the effects of management and human altered ecosystems on songbird populations. For his Master’s work at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he examined post-fledging survival, habitat selection, and seasonal fecundity of Henslow’s Sparrow in southwest Missouri. Aaron is interested in applying current statistical and modeling approaches to understand how management of imperiled or multi-use ecosystems affects populations at multiple levels. He also really likes sparrows. For his Ph.D. research, Aaron is studying the bird and small mammal community response to juniper management in a southwest Idaho sagebrush ecosystem. He will investigate changes in abundance and community composition with juniper removal at multiple scales, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving any changes at the site level through altered habitat quality or species interactions.
Sarah McIntire
Sarah graduated from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science. After completing her degree, she spent the next few years traveling around the country working on different temporary research projects. Starting out with point count and nest-searching passerine jobs, she quickly realized a desire for a more hands-on line of work and shifted her focus to galliforms. She has had the pleasure of working on demographic studies involving northern bobwhites, lesser and Attwater prairie chickens, eastern wild turkeys, and greater sage-grouse. Sarah is interested in how juniper expansion affects greater sage-grouse. When not running around at all hours of the night catching sage-grouse, she enjoys camping, hiking, and getting lost in a good book.
Sarah graduated from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science. After completing her degree, she spent the next few years traveling around the country working on different temporary research projects. Starting out with point count and nest-searching passerine jobs, she quickly realized a desire for a more hands-on line of work and shifted her focus to galliforms. She has had the pleasure of working on demographic studies involving northern bobwhites, lesser and Attwater prairie chickens, eastern wild turkeys, and greater sage-grouse. Sarah is interested in how juniper expansion affects greater sage-grouse. When not running around at all hours of the night catching sage-grouse, she enjoys camping, hiking, and getting lost in a good book.
Kenneth Randall
Kenny graduated from the University of Idaho in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Fishery Resources. During his undergraduate degree, he worked as a rangeland technician for the University of Idaho and as a wildlife biologist student trainee for the Bureau of Land Management. His seasonal work centered on rangelands, grazing, and greater sage-grouse habitat monitoring. This work sparked his interest in the interactions between livestock grazing activities and sage-grouse. His project will evaluate how changes in intensity, timing, and duration of grazing influence plant and sage-grouse preferred forb communities, the hydrologic function of soils, and growth of yearling cattle. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors hiking, hunting, fishing, and looking for shed antlers.
Kenny graduated from the University of Idaho in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Fishery Resources. During his undergraduate degree, he worked as a rangeland technician for the University of Idaho and as a wildlife biologist student trainee for the Bureau of Land Management. His seasonal work centered on rangelands, grazing, and greater sage-grouse habitat monitoring. This work sparked his interest in the interactions between livestock grazing activities and sage-grouse. His project will evaluate how changes in intensity, timing, and duration of grazing influence plant and sage-grouse preferred forb communities, the hydrologic function of soils, and growth of yearling cattle. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors hiking, hunting, fishing, and looking for shed antlers.
Past Students
Jordan Rabon
Thesis title: Habitat selection and physiological condition of female greater sage-grouse in relation to western juniper.
Jordan graduated May 2020 and now works for Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc.
Thesis title: Habitat selection and physiological condition of female greater sage-grouse in relation to western juniper.
Jordan graduated May 2020 and now works for Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc.
