The Kitzes Lab at the University of Pittsburgh (http://kitzeslab.org) is seeking a Ph.D. student to join our lab in the Summer or Fall of 2022 (applications accepted in Fall 2021). Research in our lab broadly seeks to understand how human alteration of natural habitat impacts species abundance and diversity at large spatial scales. Our ongoing projects mainly use bioacoustic methods to investigate the conservation and spatial ecology of temperate bird communities.
The research focus for this student will be somewhat flexible, but will likely focus in part on field surveys of Pennsylvania breeding birds conducted using automated acoustic recorders, with recordings analyzed using our lab’s machine learning classifiers and advanced statistical models. Students with a background in field work involving birds, acoustic surveys, statistics, and/or machine learning models are particularly encouraged to apply.
Our department provides competitive financial support for graduate students that includes a stipend, full tuition remission, health insurance, and free access to public transportation (http://www.biology.pitt.edu/graduate/financial-support). We anticipate that the incoming student will receive a five year support package that includes up to 4 years of research funding.
Although applications are not due until December, interested applicants should contact Dr. Kitzes during the fall term. Please send an email ([email protected]) that includes a few paragraphs describing the type of work that you are hoping to do for your dissertation and why you are interested in our lab in particular, as well as your CV.
Please see our lab website (http://kitzeslab.org) and the website of the Department of Biological Sciences (http://www.biology.pitt.edu/) for more information about our lab, the department, other faculty and students, the university, and the city of Pittsburgh.