The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is the land-grant university of the Nation’s Capital. The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) embodies the land-grant tradition of UDC and offers academic programs in urban agriculture, urban sustainability, water resources management, nutrition and dietetics, urban architecture and community planning.
CAUSES seeks a graduate assistant to join its Professional Science Master’s Program in Urban Sustainability. The graduate assistant will work with a group of researchers to assess the current condition and survival of oak trees in the District of Columbia. Work will include evaluation of the presence of pests and pathogens, and measurement of abiotic factors that may negatively impact urban trees. Oak trees experiencing decline will be identified, mapped and sampled for pathogens and insect pests. Field work will be coordinated with public, private, institutional, and federal property owners across the District. The graduate assistant will collaborate with federal and District government agencies on the analysis, summary, and interpretation of data for publication in peer-reviewed journals, and for the general public in the form of blog posts and other publicly-available formats.
Applicants should first apply for the graduate assistantship through the Principal Investigator (PI) listed below. The successful applicant will then need to apply for the PSM in Urban Sustainability Program through UDC Admissions. Applicants should submit via email:
1) a letter of interest detailing their qualifications for the position (two-page maximum);
2) a curriculum vitae;
3) unofficial undergraduate transcripts; and
4) contact information for three professional references (institution, email address, and phone number).
Application deadline: Open until filled. Priority deadline is October 9, 2020.
Starting date: Spring semester, January 2021. Please note that the start date is not flexible.
Duration: One year, renewable for a second year with successful completion of expectations.
Contact: Please apply via email to Dr. Simon Bird at urbansustainabilityudc@gmail.com