https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/egg/positions-open?authuser=0

 

I have 3 years of funding available for a PhD student who will work with me to study the politics of forest planning in Minnesota. In particular, the student will work as my research assistant to understand the interactions between scientific & local knowledge, citizen engagement, and bureaucratic politics in producing forest plans across Minnesota’s diverse forest tenure systems, with a focus on understanding the forest & environmental justice implications of these plans. Minnesota has an unusual level of institutional diversity in its forest management, encompassing nearly all forest tenure systems common in the US, including national forests and parks, one of the largest systems of state forests in the country, extensive county forests, tribal forests, and a mix of industrial and non-industrial private forests. Minnesota forests thus provide an ideal laboratory for the comparative study of how institutions mediate the relationship between science, citizen engagement, and bureaucratic decision-making. Changing politics means that many traditionally underrepresented groups (e.g. immigrants from Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, members of Minnesota’s several tribes) are increasingly making their voices heard, although current forest management & public engagement strategies may not effectively meet their needs.

 

The student will contribute to the comparative study of these institutional arrangements and their effect on forest management decision-making, forest quality, and environmental justice, while working towards their PhD in the highly ranked graduate program In Natural Resource Science & Management at the University of Minnesota (https://www.nrsm.umn.edu/). Funding will be provided through a mixture of Teaching and Research Assistant positions. The PhD student will be expected to develop an independent research project for their PhD dissertation which will connect with the broader interests of the Environmental Governance Group (https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/egg/), either building on work in Minnesota and/or comparing with other sites studied by the Group (e.g. other Lake States, S. Asia, or Latin America).

 

The ideal applicant will hold a masters degree in public policy, public affairs, political science, forestry, environmental studies, or a related field with a substantial background in qualitative and quantitative social science methodology and at least some familiarity with forestry. The candidate will also have experience working with diverse communities including both traditional forest stakeholders and those that have not traditionally been represented in US forestry decision-making. The candidate will have demonstrated their ability to write and implement social science research methodologies, to work independently, and to live and work in remote areas with harsh climates such as those typical of northern Minnesota. I will consider exceptional candidates with only a bachelor’s degree. If you meet most, but not all criteria described above, please be explicit about your strengths in your cover letter.

 

Note that some additional fellowship funding may be available to US citizens and permanent residents who are students of color or who bring diversity to the NRSM graduate program (for details see: https://www.grad.umn.edu/diversity-faculty-staff/dove, https://drive.google.com/file/d/14AnnA5SQU3qUJfbs_NgosTP6AIn2xDQj/view). If you meet these criteria, please mention this in your cover letter.

 

To apply, send the following in a single .pdf file in this order to: ffleisch@umn.edu prior to or on November 26, 2018:

 

  1. Cover letter describing your qualifications for this position, including your academic & professional background, experience working with diverse communities, writing and research abilities, ability to work independently, and experience working in remote areas with harsh climates.

 

  1. CV, including your contact information

 

  1. Transcripts for bachelor’s and master’s degrees (unofficial transcripts are fine for this stage).

 

  1. GRE scores. English language proficiency exam scores if you have not obtained a degree in an English speaking country (for details on this requirement see: https://www.grad.umn.edu/admissions-application-instructions/toefl). Test scores can be unofficial.

 

  1. A list of contact information for 3 professional or academic references who can speak to your abilities as a writer, researcher, and independent worker, as well as your fit to the requirements of this call.

 

Once I have reviewed the applications & interviewed finalists, I will select the student I will accept into the NRSM program, and ask that student to make an official application to the NRSM graduate program (deadline December 15). Official transcripts and test scores will be required for the application.