<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p class="MsoNormal">The East Carolina University (ECU) Fisheries Oceanography Lab run by Dr. Rebecca Asch is currently recruiting new Ph.D. and Masters students to join our research group for the 2019-2020 academic year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>We anticipate accepting 1-2 new graduate students to join our team.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>The Asch Lab’s research program focuses on <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;color:#313132">
interactions between fisheries, plankton ecology, and climate change and climate variability.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Our research approach combines fieldwork, time series analysis, and ecosystem modeling, with different projects spanning local-to-global and subseasonal-to-centennial scales.
<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For more information about the Asch Lab, please see:
</span><a href="http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/Rebecca_Asch.cfm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt">http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/Rebecca_Asch.cfm</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;color:#313132">.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Also the most up-to-date list of Asch Lab publications is available at: </span>
<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebecca_Asch"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt">https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebecca_Asch</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;color:#313132">.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;color:#313132"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We seek students who are highly self-motivated, independent, and creative thinkers that are enthusiastic about pursuing a career in marine ecology, oceanography, and/or fisheries management.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></b>A strong background in quantitative ecology, computer programming (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">e.g</i>., MATLAB, R, Python), and/or multivariate statistics is desired, but not required.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>There are several ongoing and soon to be initiated projects that a prospective student could develop into a dissertation or thesis:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><b>Modeling climate change impacts on mismatches between the timing of fish reproduction and prey availability for larval fishes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></b>The Asch Lab is using Earth System Models (ESMs) to understand how the seasonal timing of plankton blooms will shift under climate change and how such shifts may impact the survival of larval fishes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>We are looking to expand this line of research to gain a more detailed understanding of the climate change responses of different plankton functional types included in ESMs.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:
auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Examining seasonal variations in predator-prey interactions among larval fishes and mesozooplankton in Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>This project will build off existing research in the Asch Lab examining how climate variability affects the seasonal timing of larval fish ingress into Beaufort Inlet, as well as a recently established time series where we are using ZooScan to identify
zooplankton taxa in an automated fashion via a machine learning algorithm.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>The prospective student could expand on this research through either: (1) an examination of prey selectivity among the larvae of commercially and ecologically important fishes, or; (2) investigating how the morphometric condition of larvae varies over
time as a function of seasonality, fish growth, temperature, and zooplankton abundance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Both of these projects will contribute towards understanding how seasonal mismatches between the phenology of zooplankton and larval fishes may affect recruitment to fisheries.
</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><b>Forecasting the seasonal timing of spawning migrations of anadromous fishes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></b>A forecast model for the striped bass population in the Roanoke River will be developed based on historical data on environmental variables and spawning activity.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Forecasts will then be validated and refined through fieldwork, with a final, operational forecast product to be delivered to fisheries managers and the fishing community.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:red"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We also welcome applications from students who are interested in developing their own research ideas into a thesis or dissertation, as long as those ideas are closely connected with the overarching research foci of the Asch Lab.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:red"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Information on graduate programs in the ECU Department of Biology is available at:<span style="color:red">
</span><a href="http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/BiologyGrad/index.cfm">http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/BiologyGrad/index.cfm</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Doctoral students can apply to work in the Asch Lab either through either the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences (IDPBS) or the Coastal Resources Management (CRM) Program.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Graduate students accepted to one of these programs will be funded through either a research or teaching assistantship.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>The priority deadline to apply for graduate admissions in the ECU Department of Biology is January 15, 2019.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>However, prospective students should contact Rebecca Asch by email (<a href="mailto:aschr16@ecu.edu">aschr16@ecu.edu</a>) in advance of this deadline, preferably by mid-December.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>This email should include: (1) a brief statement describing your research interests and career goals; (2) A C.V. or resume, and; (3) an unofficial academic transcript.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Courier New";
panose-1:2 7 3 9 2 2 5 2 4 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:2;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS ??";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
mso-themecolor:hyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS ??";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1473330064;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-2011655982 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:2070155102;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:2056289750 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:?;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Dr. Rebecca G. Asch
Assistant Professor of Fisheries Biology
Sloan Research Fellow in Ocean Sciences
East Carolina University
Department of Biology, Mail Stop 551
Howell Science Complex, Office S408
1000 East 5th Street
Greenville, NC 27858
Office phone: +1 252 328-6307
Email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:aschr16@ecu.edu">aschr16@ecu.edu</a></pre>
</body>
</html>