PhD Student Recruitment: The University of Minnesota, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, is offering Graduate Student Assistantships for 1-2 students interested in pursuing a funded PhD in the Natural Resource Science and Management Program. This unique opportunity focuses on policies and political advocacy related to the management of urban nature in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Students will be supported with a partial research assistantship, supplemented by TA positions, including a tuition waiver and student health benefits.
Summary Table:
| Position Type | Support | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Student Assistantship | Partial research assistantship, TA positions, tuition waiver, student health benefits | Rolling basis, review begins on November 20 |
Study Area: The research program focuses on urban nature management in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, exploring the impact of political advocacy on local planning and zoning decisions, and how these decisions influence urban nature, climate adaptation, and environmental justice.
Scholarship Description:
PhD Student Recruitment/Graduate Student Assistantship at University of Minnesota
Selected students will be affiliated with the newly established Minneapolis-St. Paul Long-Term Ecological (LTER) research program, delving into the dynamics and relationships between people, policy, and nature. This position offers a unique opportunity to join a diverse network of researchers across disciplines, schools, and federal agencies. Students will be co-advised by Dr. Forrest Fleischman (University of Minnesota) and Dr. Meghan Klasic (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). They will have the flexibility to explore various research aspects within the scope of urban nature, environmental justice, planning, and climate adaptation. Successful candidates will have excellent organization skills and a commitment to diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion.
Eligibility: Minimum qualifications for applicants include being organized, self-motivated, and having an interest in social science research related to urban planning, urban nature, environmental justice, and climate adaptation. Excellent writing skills and a commitment to diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion are also required.
Preferred qualifications include an MS or MA degree in related fields, skills and experience in quantitative or qualitative data collection/analysis, and experience in writing research reports, papers, or other media.
Required Documents: To apply, submit a single PDF document in the following order:
- Cover letter: Summarize your interest in the position, qualifications, and experience, providing evidence of how you meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications. Indicate the research question(s) and/or topics you are interested in examining, how, and why.
- CV or resume
- Academic transcripts: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
- Names, contact information, and short descriptions of relationship for two professional or academic references: Select individuals who can speak to your ability to meet the minimum and preferred qualifications.
How to Apply: Submit your application materials via this Google Form. Note that a free Google account is required if you don’t already have one. While the review of applications will begin on November 20, applications will continue to be reviewed as they are received. The top candidate(s) will later need to apply to and be accepted by the University of Minnesota Graduate School.
Last Date: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the review process starts on November 20. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a dynamic research team exploring urban nature governance and its impact on environmental justice and climate adaptation. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Forrest Fleischman at ffleisch@umn.edu and Dr. Meghan Klasic at klasic.meghan@epa.gov with the subject “PhD student inquiry.”
