Research Group
Erica Gies’ article in Hakai Magazine on how (and whether) marine conservation can keep up with climate change, with quotes from Will White (Oregon State) and Malin:
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/designing-marine-protected-areas-in-a-changing-climate/
Diving is well underway here in the Philippines – we (Michelle, Joyce, and Allison) are back for another season studying metapopulation dynamics of reef fish. So far we’ve been visiting the northern sites in our study area in the Albuera municipality and have caught (and released) almost 200 clownfish. See the boat we’re using and the fish we’re looking for below!
It is May, and we have a larger-than-usual team this year headed to Visayas State University in the Philippines to continue our research on metapopulation dynamics in coral reef fish. Michelle is leading the tagging and sample collection, Katrina is trying new oceanographic measurement sand field experiments, Allison is getting her first introduction to the system in preparation for modeling efforts, and Malin is helping out all around and catching fish (thanks to training from Tony Nahacky last year). We also have the indispensable help of local assistants Gerry Sucano and Rodney Silvano, plus Apollo Lizano (visiting student from U. Philippines Marine Science Institute). It’s great to be in the water again!
The Pinsky Lab in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources is searching for an organized, enthusiastic, and skilled individual to work as a data science technician on a three-year project modeling the future of coral reefs and the potential for evolutionary rescue. The project is in collaboration with the Coral Reef Alliance, Dr. Daniel Schindler at the University of Washington, and other collaborators. The project is funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
The technician will assist the PI, a postdoc, and our collaborators by identifying, assembling, and synthesizing existing, region-specific data on coral reefs and their oceanography, ecological communities, population dynamics, evolutionary parameters, and climate in the Pacific and Caribbean. These data will contribute to regional and/or global models of coral adaptation and the potential for conservation over the coming centuries across realistically complex landscapes. Important questions to be studied include the relative role of ecological vs. evolutionary change in rapid coral adaptation, the interaction between oceanography and evolutionary processes, and the potential for conservation actions to facilitate rapid adaptation. Other duties will include assisting with data visualizations as well as project and lab logistics such as training students, preparing materials for grant reports and applications, maintaining a website, and organizing events.
The technician will be part of a dynamic research team with opportunities for professional development, presentations, co-authorship on scientific manuscripts, and collaboration with colleagues at Rutgers, U. Washington, the Coral Reef Alliance, and beyond. Rutgers offers many opportunities to interact with biologists, oceanographers, climate scientists, and other scholars in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, the Rutgers Climate Institute, the Institute for Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, and the many other institutions in the New York region.
Minimum Qualifications
– A bachelor’s degree in ecology & evolution, marine biology, oceanography, climate, or a related scientific field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
– Exceptional organizational and data management skills
– Strong ability to accomplish tasks independently
– Excellent communication skills with professional colleagues
– Demonstrable skill with a scientific computing language (e.g., R, MATLAB, or Python) and with data science applications
Preferred Qualifications
– Experience with data management, including spatial data
– Knowledge of coral reef biology, ecology, or oceanography
– Experience with computer clusters and scientific computing
– Start date in summer 2017
– Experience on the Meso-American Reef or in Fiji or Indonesia
To apply, please please send a cover letter that describes your interest in the position, a curriculum vitae, and the contact information for three references to Malin Pinsky (malin.pinsky@rutgers.edu). Please combine all components of the application into a single file, and include “CORAL tech position” in the subject line. Review of applications will begin on April 14, 2017 and continue until the position is filled.
This is a full-time position, initially appointed for a period of 12 months at an annual salary of $30,860-$35,000 (depending on qualifications), plus health insurance, retirement contributions, and other benefits. The position can be extended for at least one year depending on performance.
More information about the Pinsky lab can be found at http://pinsky.marine.rutgers.edu. Please contact Malin Pinsky (malin.pinsky@rutgers.edu) if you have any questions.
It is tempting to try to guess which species will be the winners of climate change, and which the losers. But our new paper in Trends in Ecology and Evolution suggests that we should avoid doing that when we design management and conservation measures. Instead, we propose harnessing the diversity and evolutionary capacity of the natural world as a climate adaptation strategy by designing “adaptation networks.” We focus on coral reefs as a particularly salient example.
Took a while to get through all the photos from May/June fieldwork in Leyte, Philippines, but Michelle just posted a few highlights on the Photos page!
PhD and postdoctoral positions in metapopulation dynamics and population genomics
One postdoctoral position and one PhD position are available in the Pinsky Lab at Rutgers University to study demography and metapopulation dynamics in clownfishes. The research is based in the Philippines and builds from six years of demographic and population genomic data. Key themes across both positions include understanding mechanisms of persistence in ecological networks by integrating massively parrallel DNA sequencing with ecological field studies. Both positions will also work closely with Will White at U. North Carolina – Wilmington on theoretical and modeling aspects of the research. Research in the Pinsky Lab broadly uses empirical data, mathematical models, and population genomics to study global change in the coastal ocean.
One (1) postdoc position is open:
1) Metapopulation dynamics postdoc: The postdoc will lead data analysis, integration, and modeling to test hypotheses about self-persistence and network-persistence in coral reef fishes. The research will be based primarily around existing data from mark-recapture studies, parentage studies, ecological surveys, and other sources, though opportunities also exist to collect new data. This position has two years of funding.
One (1) graduate assistant position is open, preferably for a Ph.D. degree:
1) Metapopulation dynamics graduate assistant: The GA will lead research on marine demography using field observations and experiments combined with population genomics. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, dispersal, density-dependence, reproduction, survival, thermal physiology, species interactions, and landscape ecology. Projects could involve a mix of field work, genomic wet lab work, bioinformatics, and ecological modeling. This position has five (5) years of guaranteed funding.
Across both positions, the ideal candidates will be skilled with data analysis, statistics, ecological modeling, and databases (or a strong aptitude for learning these skills, in the case of the GA). Applicants with evidence of creativity, productivity, strong oral and written communication abilities, and enthusiasm are especially encouraged to apply, particularly those that bring a new perspective, new ideas, or a new skillset to the team. For postdoctoral applications, a promising record of publication is highly valued. The successful applicants will be independent, motivated problem solvers who communicate well and enjoy working in a collaborative setting. Rutgers and the surrounding area provide an exciting intellectual environment, including the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources; the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences; the Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; the Genome Cooperative; the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab; the Princeton Environmental Institute; the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science; and beyond.
**Application process**
The postdoc start date is flexible and the position is open until filled. The GA will begin in summer or fall 2017. Review of postdoc applications will begin on October 1, 2016 and will continue on a rolling basis. Review of GA applications will continue on a rolling basis until December 2016.
Interested postdoc candidates should submit: 1) a one-page cover letter that describes which position(s) they are applying for (and preferred position if applying to more than one) and their preferred start date, 2) a two-page research statement describing their relevant background and anticipated research approach to the problem they would be addressing, 3) a CV, and 4) the names and contact information of three other scientists familiar with their work.
GA applicants should include a 1-2 page cover letter describing their interests, CV, a recent transcript, GRE scores, and contact information for three references. Qualified GA candidates will be contacted and encouraged to apply to the graduate program in either Ecology & Evolution (http://ecoevo.rutgers.edu/) or Oceanography (http://marine.rutgers.edu/main/IMCS-Academics/Graduate-Program-in-Oceanography.html), depending on student interests. Ph.D. applications to Rutgers are due in December.
Please submit all materials to malin.pinsky@rutgers.edu with “Postdoc application 2016” or “Graduate application 2016” as the subject.
Malin Pinsky
Assistant Professor
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources
Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
USA
Multiple PhD and postdoctoral positions in climate change ecology and evolution
Three postdoctoral positions and one PhD position are available in the Pinsky Lab at Rutgers University to work on climate change ecology and evolution in marine ecosystems. The positions represent an exciting expansion of research efforts in this area. Broadly, research in the Pinsky Lab uses empirical data, mathematical models, and population genomics to study global change in the coastal ocean.
Key themes across all new positions include understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine how climate variability and climate change filter through ocean communities to affect human behavior and the success or failure of conservation efforts. Postdocs and students will join an international network of collaborators across conservation, marine science, climate science, economics, sociology, and policy, including Josh Abbott (Arizona State U.), Daniel Schindler and Andre Punt (U. Washington), Dan Holland and Melissa Poe (NOAA), William Cheung and Daniel Pauly (U. British Columbia), Jorge Sarmiento (Princeton), Carl Folke (Stockholm U.), and Pat Halpin (Duke).
Three (3) postdoc positions are open:
1) Coupled Natural Human (CNH) systems postdoc: The postdoc will take the lead on a research project investigating the causes and consequences of ecological synchrony in the California Current large marine ecosystem. Key questions include how portfolio effects emerge in open systems and how oceanographic processes and fishing interact to affect population dynamics. The postdoc will also be part of a broader NSF-funded team studying coupled social-ecological dynamics and feedbacks from physics to fish to people.
2) Nereus Fellow: As part of the Nereus Program (http://www.nereusprogram.org), the Fellow will design and lead empirical research to understand the consequences of climate change and shifting species distributions for human behavior and adaptation in marine ecosystems. Resources for the research include large datasets of fishing vessel behavior over decadal time-scales, as well as other datasets on environmental changes and ecological states.
3) Eco-evolutionary dynamics postdoc: The postdoc will develop models and theory to understand the extent to which ecological turnover and evolutionary rescue could preserve coral reef function over the coming centuries, and whether conservation efforts can facilititate the adaptation process at the landscape scale. Application of the theory to case studies in three geographies will also be part of the research.
All postdoc positions are two years.
One (1) graduate assistant position is open, preferably for a Ph.D. degree:
1) CNH Graduate Assistant: The GA will use statistical and process-based models to understand the mechanisms linking climate variability to marine animal population dynamics in the California Current large marine ecosystem, including recruitment and distribution. The GA will also be part of a broader NSF-funded team studying coupled social-ecological dynamics and feedbacks from physics to fish to people.
Across all positions, the ideal candidates will be skilled with data analysis, statistics, and ecological modeling (or a strong aptitude for learning these skills, in the case of the GA). Applicants with evidence of creativity, productivity, strong oral and written communication abilities, and enthusiasm are especially encouraged to apply, particularly those that bring a new perspective, new ideas, or a new skillset to the team. For postdoctoral applications, a promising record of publication is highly valued. The successful applicants will be independent, motivated problem solvers who communicate well and enjoy working in a collaborative setting.
The positions will be based at Rutgers with extensive opportunities for research visits across campuses, including U. Washington, U. British Columbia, and NOAA offices. Additional opportunities are available to interact with scientists at the Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab; the Princeton Environmental Institute; the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science; and beyond.
**Application process**
The postdoc start dates are flexible and the positions are open until filled. The GA will begin in summer or fall 2017. Review of postdoc applications will begin on October 1, 2016 and will continue on a rolling basis. Review of GA applications will continue until December 2016, when applications to Rutgers graduate programs are due.
Interested postdoc candidates should submit: 1) a one-page cover letter that describes which position(s) they are applying for (and preferred position if applying to more than one) and their preferred start date, 2) a two-page research statement describing their relevant background and anticipated research approach to the problem they would be addressing, 3) a CV, and 4) the names and contact information of three other scientists familiar with their work.
GA applicants should include a 1-2 page cover letter describing their interests, CV, a recent transcript, GRE scores, and contact information for three references. Qualified GA candidates will be contacted and encouraged to apply to the graduate program in either Ecology & Evolution (http://ecoevo.rutgers.edu/) or Oceanography (http://marine.rutgers.edu/main/IMCS-Academics/Graduate-Program-in-Oceanography.html), depending on student interests. Ph.D. applications to Rutgers are due in December.
Please submit all materials to malin.pinsky@rutgers.edu with “Postdoc application 2016” or “Graduate application 2016” as the subject.
Malin Pinsky
Assistant Professor
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources
Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
USA
We’re looking for good Ph.D. applicants! We have a Ph.D. position open to research marine metapopulation dynamics using field work combined with population genomics. Our research group has interests in marine ecology, population genetics/genomics, climate change, biogeography, dispersal, and fisheries. Student projects will generally overlap with these areas, but independent thinking and new ideas are strongly encouraged.
Potential projects include (but are not limited to) questions of metapopulation dynamics, demography, dispersal, local adaptation, thermal physiology, and implications for marine reserve design. We do extensive fieldwork in the Philippines with clownfish, and excellent opportunities exist to build from four years of existing data. Projects would likely involve a mix of field work, genomic wet lab work, bioinformatics, and ecological modeling. Enthusiasm, drive, excellent written and oral communication abilities, and strong quantitative skills are necessary. Scientific diving certification is encouraged, but training can occur during the graduate program.
Interested candidates should send an email to malin.pinsky@rutgers.edu describing their motivation and research interests along with a CV, GPA, GRE scores (if available), and three references. In-progress applications to external fellowships are viewed favorably. Qualified candidates will be contacted and encouraged to apply to the graduate program in either Ecology & Evolution or Oceanography, depending on student interests. This is a funded position, though Ph.D. students will be encouraged to apply for external fellowships.
Malin is off to the Ecological Society of America meeting in Sacramento, CA next week, in part to run a special symposium on Thursday afternoon, “Climate and Beyond: Cumulative Impacts and Species Range Shifts” with Adam Wolf and Morgan Tingley. They have a great line-up of speakers, so come check it out! Malin will be presenting some of the lab’s new work on the interaction between climate velocity, fishing, and marine protected areas.