CNR Graduate Student Funding

The College of Natural Resources in partnership with the Forest Biometrics Research Institute (FBRI) hosts a competitive fellowship program.  The goal of this program is to increase the number of qualified M.S. and Ph.D. graduates proficient in advanced biometrics and silvicultural practices. As part of this program, PhD students will complete 27 credits of statistics, biometrics, and silviculture courses.   

FBRI Fellowship Information and Topics

FBRI scholarships (to partially or fully cover resident tuition) also exist for self- or privately- funded students to also participate in this program. These students will be located with the FBRI cohort and potential exists to also receive funds to support related research. If interested, please contact the program for more information. 

For information on the faculty engaged in the FBRI Fellowship program, see the Core FBRI Faculty page.

The purpose of the Forest Biometrics Research Institute (FBRI) Doctoral Fellowship is to facilitate the education of forestry professionals toward an advanced understanding and application of forest biometric principals and methods. Fellows are expected to become proficient in nonparametric statistical methods as related to forestry and forest management technologies. FBRI supports and provides the Forest Projection & Planning System (FPS), which is the industry standard for managing forest ownerships. In addition to providing financial assistance, FBRI is offering access to a large database of field research installations and felled-tree measurements encompassing six western States and over two dozen tree species.

The FBRI Fellowship is a three-year commitment to the selected student. The student is expected to complete all coursework and a dissertation leading to a PhD in the three-year time frame. The candidate must hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from an SAF-accredited forestry program and be operationally familiar with the silviculture and tree species of the western United States. The selected FBRI Fellow will join a larger cohort of Masters and Doctoral graduate students pursing advanced knowledge in the fields of Forest Biometrics and Silviculture. FBRI Students will be located in graduate student space within the College of Natural Resources. The FBRI Fellow’s doctoral committee will include one Ph.D. FBRI Biometrician.

FBRI Fellowship Funds Available: $20,800 research assistant stipend and coverage of resident fees* and student medical insurance for 3 years. The College of Natural Resources will provide each FBRI Fellow with $3,000 per year to cover research costs such as computer, field equipment, and travel.

* A full-time RA includes a waiver of non-resident fees.

Options and resources also exist for MS FBRI Fellows and for externally funded students to join in on the FBRI program.

Please apply to the University of Idaho’s College of Graduate Studies (COGS) via the standard application process:  Apply Now
Within your letter of application, please specifically highlight why you are interesting becoming a FBRI Fellow. Also on the CNR Area of Emphasis Form please write “FBRI Fellowship” where it asks you to highlight a CNR Faculty member you have been corresponding with.

Applications Due/Start Date: The FBRI Fellowship ideally begins with the start of the Fall Semester. The student is expected to select a dissertation research topic within the scope of the FBRI field of applied technologies (nonparametric methods, quantitative aspects of tree site capacity, tree form, or tree growth dynamics. 

Overview

The Curt Berklund Graduate Research Scholar Award supports graduate research in an applied field of natural resources. Berklund awards may be used to fund a variety of master’s or doctoral-level research endeavors. All students enrolled in any M.S. or Ph.D. program conducting original research supervised by a major professor and his/her committee are eligible to compete for this award. Students are eligible to receive this award for research occurring in either the fall, spring, or summer semesters. One award of $10,000 will be granted annually; the student must be enrolled in at least one credit to receive funds.

After identifying a research project, the student must submit a research proposal as outlined below. Students will work with faculty to determine a budget of $10,000 to include salary, travel, research supplies, and analysis costs; the supervising faculty member must approve the budget prior to proposal submission. Recipients will be announced annually in March.

Application Materials

1) Original Research Proposal that includes the following sections:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction and background
• Research objectives
• Methods and data analysis
• Relevance of research to profession and/or society
• Timeline (not to exceed 12 months)
• Proposed budget (faculty approved)
• Literature cited
  Proposals should be original student compositions, not exceed 5 pages (excluding title page) and should be written using scientific formatting.

2) Resume (include current GPA)

3) 1 page letter of support from supervising faculty member should address how the additional funding would be related to student's thesis/dissertation. 

4) Submit all materials as a single PDF.

Awarding Process

A Berklund Research Scholar Selection Committee composed of one CNR faculty member from each department will review the applications and select scholars based on the quality of the research proposal, qualifications of the student investigator, and faculty mentor support. The professional backgrounds of the Selection Committee should represent a cross-section of the research disciplines in CNR. To qualify, proposals should be no more than 5 pages in length and follow the template format provided. Awards will be based on:

1. Students’ academic performance.
2. Quality of proposal.
3. Novelty of research topic.
4. Scope of research impact.

If funded, appropriate ACUC and IRB approvals will be required before the funds are distributed. Funding may impact existing financial aid packages.

Requirements of Student Awardees

Student Awardees Are Required To:

#1. Submit a Personal Thank-You to the Berklund Foundation, not less than a half-page explaining student background, interests, and importance of award in his/her development (template will be provided). Including a photo is preferred. This should be completed within two weeks of the award announcement.

#2. Extend an Invitation to Student Defense:
- At the conclusion of the research project, the student is asked to invite members of the Berklund Foundation to his/her thesis/dissertation defense.

#3. Post-Defense Responsibilities:
Student will submit to donor:
- Hard copy of thesis or dissertation
- Final thank-you note or card

Materials listed above should be sent to Stephanie Perez at stephaniep@uidaho.edu.

Submission Deadlines

Proposal and application documents should be submitted in a single PDF to the Graduate Studies Office during the first week of March.

Contact the Graduate Studies Office (cnr-grad-studies@uidaho.edu) for the submission template, due date, and further information. 

The Environmental Science Program at the University of Idaho is accepting applications for potential Ph.D. graduate research and teaching assistants. Competitive stipend and tuition packages are available. We are looking for highly motivated candidates committed to pursue research related to the intersection of biological, physical, and social sciences. Topics could include: biodiversity and evolution, climate and land use change, community and human dimensions, earth sciences, economics, ecology, energy, education, policy and regulations, food and fiber, human health, remote sensing and GIS, waste management, water resources, among others. For more details, please contact cnr-grad-studies@uidaho.edu.

ENVS Research Themes and Project Opportunities Page

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences at the University of Idaho is accepting applications for potential Ph.D. graduate research and teaching assistants. Competitive stipend and tuition packages are available. We are looking for highly motivated candidates committed to pursue research that may include fieldwork, laboratory research, computer modeling, and/or stakeholder engagement. Topics could include: avian ecology, animal and fish ecology, conservation biology, endangered species, fisheries sciences and aquaculture, limnology, molecular genetics, tribal and traditional knowledge, wildlife sciences, among others. For more details, please contact cnr-grad-studies@uidaho.edu.

The Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences at the University of Idaho is accepting applications for potential Ph.D. graduate research and teaching assistants. Competitive stipend and tuition packages are available. We are looking for highly motivated candidates committed to pursue research that may include fieldwork, laboratory research, computer modeling, and/or stakeholder engagement. Topics could include: biogeochemical cycling, ecology, fire sciences, forest biometrics, silviculture, forest operations, forest entomology and pathology, forest policy, hydrology, rangeland sciences, restoration and regeneration, remote sensing and GIS, renewable materials, tribal and traditional knowledge, among others. For more details, please contact cnr-grad-studies@uidaho.edu.

1. Investigating Legacies of Land Use Change
(Faculty advisor: Mary Engels)

Projects seek to elucidate the legacies of human caused land-use change on natural resources. Examples include:

• Investigating the relationship between urbanization and plastic pollution of Inland Northwest waters.
• Examining coconut legacies in tropical island ecosystems using remote sensing techniques.

2. Human Dimensions of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
(Faculty Advisor: Kenneth Wallen)

• Use social and behavioral science theory and methods to examine (a) norms, rules, and institutions; (b) cognitive, social, and policy processes; (c) individual and group dynamics; or (d) behavior change and behavior-centered design in the context of game management and wildlife conservation (potentially in collaboration with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game).

3. Services and Tradeoffs in the Human Dimensions of Agroecosystems
(Faculty advisor: J.D. Wulfhorst)

Projects examine the ecosystem service challenges to provision resources need for food and forage production while attending to resource conservation and sustainability needs. Research designs may have case sites as well as connectivity within LTAR – the Long Term Agroecosystem Research network. Examples include:

• Investigating trends of rural community stability and cohesion in food production landscapes grappling with challenges of emigration, climate fluctuation, and new social risks (e.g., opioids).
• Examining core indicators of rural prosperity and community well-being tied to risks and sustainability within the U.S. food production system. Focal areas may concentrate on rangelands or crop production aspects of food and fiber demands.
• Design of secondary data analyses to construct an ‘atlas’ of human dimensions aspects within services and tradeoffs of agroecosystems. Outcomes of this approach will concentrate on measurable impacts within sustainable intensification as the long-term network evolves.

4. Climate Change and Natural Resource Resilience
(Faculty advisor: Mary Engels)

Projects look at factors impacting of natural resource resilience to changing climate. Examples include:

• Investigating the resilience and vulnerability of island ecosystems (both physical and ecological islands, etc.) to climate change.
• Examining the saline soil remediation potential of coconut and date palms and their suitability for long-term soil salinity management.

5. Climate Change and Community Resilience
(Faculty advisors: Jaap Vos, Karla Eitel)

• Fifty years ago, Ian McHarg published “Design with Nature”. In this book McHarg argued that communities should be developed based on an understanding of the local environment rather than the individual whims and desires of local property owners. According to McHarg planners needed a solid background in the natural sciences and use ecological knowledge as way of thinking and goal setting. According to McHarg, everything connected to everything. With the increasing impacts of climate change, McHarg’s ideas are now even more relevant to planning but they are oddly enough still not at the center of either planning theory or education. In fact, the vast majority of planning schools are still teaching comprehensive planning, permitting and zoning with sidelines in urban design or public policy.
• We are looking for a student to do applied research to help us create a graduate certificate for planning professionals that is based on a strong foundation in ecology and connects natural resources and environmental change to community values, social needs and aspirations.

6. Air Quality and Outdoor Recreation
(Faculty advisor: Chris Zajchowski)

• The Department of Natural Resources and Society at University of Idaho is seeking one Ph.D. graduate research assistant with interest in pursuing coursework and research focused on air quality and outdoor recreation. The successful applicant will assist Dr. Chris Zajchowski in pursuing environmental social science research related to the complex affective, cognitive, and behavioral relationships of humans with varying air quality conditions. This funded graduate assistantship will allow the successful applicant to participate in research design, data collection and analysis, reporting and dissemination, grant applications, as well as opportunities to support visitor use and park management research. Specific potential areas of focus include but are not limited to shifting baselines for air quality conditions in the Intermountain West, wildfire smoke impacts to Idaho’s river recreation industry, risk perceptions related to outdoor recreation during wildfire smoke events, and air resource management and policy in parks and protected areas.

7. Graduate Assistantship in Land-based STEM Education
(Faculty advisor: Karla Eitel)

• Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education, or the CIRCLES Alliance, seeks to advance educational opportunities for Indigenous students in partnership with universities and research institutions in Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
• We seek team members as graduate research assistants on the project. The graduate research assistantship includes tuition, fees and health insurance valued at approximately $24,000, and a living stipend of approximately $23,400 over one year. The project will fund graduate education for 12 students seeking natural resources or STEM education degrees and help prepare Indigenous students to work in natural resources and community learning settings.
• Research assistants will assist project leaders in various Indigenous STEM education initiatives at the University of Idaho. We seek team members who have experience with Indigenous STEM, land-based education, and/or working with young people in learning outside of school contexts. Positions are located in McCall, Idaho, at the University of Idaho McCall Field Campus. Successful candidates will join a cohort of graduate students to complete a one-year Master of Natural Resources (MNR) in Environmental Education and Science Communication (www.uidaho.edu/moss) or they may choose to extend their studies by one semester to complete an MS in Environmental Science.
• To inquire about this position, send your resume and a 1-page letter describing your interest in the position to Dr. Karla Eitel (keitel@uidaho.edu). Applicants may also discuss the position with Philip Stevens (pstevens@uidaho.edu) and Vanessa Anthony-Stevens (vstevens@uidaho.edu). After initial inquiries, full applications should be completed on the University of Idaho Graduate Admissions website. Positions start in August 2023. Applications will be reviewed as received.

8. Graduate Research Assistant in Indigenous-led Climate Adaptation Planning in Youth-Serving Land Education Programs
(Faculty advisor: Karla Eitel)

• The Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), alongside the Blues to Bitterroots Coalition (B2B) and the University of Idaho, seeks a graduate student to support a National Science Foundation funded grant that will provide scientific training, on-the-ground work experience, culturally relevant STEM learning, and mentorship to Indigenous young adults.
• We seek a team member as a graduate research assistant on the project. The graduate research assistantship includes tuition, fees and health insurance valued at approximately $24,000, and a living stipend of approximately $23,400 over one year.
• The position will assist project leaders in developing and implementing a summer-long curriculum for high school students and young adults to gain practical skills in Tribally-led adaptive management practices with the Nez Perce Tribe. We seek a team member who has experience with Nimiipuu cultural traditions and practices. Preference for those with experience working with Indigenous young adults. This position is preferably located in McCall, Idaho, at the University of Idaho McCall Field Campus, but the location can be negotiated. Successful applicants will join a cohort of graduate students to complete a Master of Natural Resources (MNR) in Environmental Education and Science Communication in one year (three semesters) (www.uidaho.edu/moss). Alternatively, a successful candidate may choose to extend their studies by one semester to complete an MS in Environmental Science.
• To inquire about this position, send your resume and a 1-page letter describing your interest in the position to Dr. Karla Eitel (keitel@uidaho.edu). Applicants may also discuss the position with Josiah Pinkham (josiahp@nezperce.org) and Tiyana Casey (tiyana@kinepuu.org). After initial inquiries, full applications should be completed on the University of Idaho Graduate Admissions website.  Positions start in August 2023.  Applications will be reviewed as received.

9. Wildfire Adaptation Program Evaluation and Development of Fire Adapted Communities
(Faculty advisor: Travis Paveglio)

• Funding is available to support M.S. or Ph.D. students interested in the assessment of wildfire adaptation programs or the development of fire adapted human communities. Successful candidates will work with Dr. Travis Paveglio in the Department of Natural Resources and Society at the University of Idaho. Projects will involve field work and extensive interaction with a variety of human populations (e.g. residents, land management or conservation professionals, policymakers, emergency managers, firefighters, etc.) spanning case studies in multiple states, including California, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. The successful applicant(s) will help design, conduct, and publish research on the following topics: (1) human community adaptation to or planning for wildfire; (2) evaluation of policies, programs or organizations focused on tailored adaptation to wildfire among diverse human communities; and (3) how conservation and land management agencies collaborate to advance wildfire adaptation across land ownerships, including the implementation of fuels treatments. Research efforts will likely include interviews, focus groups and surveys with human populations surrounding wildfire management actions.
• Preferred qualifications:
1. Knowledge of or experience with a variety of social science research methods
2. Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of non-academic or academic audiences
3. Experience conducting social science as it applies to wildfire, resource management, hazards or other environmental issues
4. An interest in applying social or policy theories to resource management or hazard management actions
5. A willingness to recruit for and conduct field work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including in-person interviews, drop-off surveys, focus groups, or workshops
• Other desirable attributes include:
1. Existing experience with wildfire management or wildfire/hazard planning and mitigation
2. Ability to travel and stay at various research locations throughout the year
3. Documented experience with qualitative, quantitative, or spatial analysis techniques
4. Working knowledge of programs and platforms such as SPSS, NVivo, Qualtrics, and/or ArcMap
• Successful candidates would start in Summer or Fall of 2023. They would work from the primary University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho. To apply please send the following to Dr. Travis Paveglio at tpaveglio@uidaho.edu: (1) a short statement of interest clearly stating experience, qualifications and research interests as they relate to this project; and (2) a current curriculum vitae (CV). Qualified applicants may be contacted for additional information. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until positions are filled. However, initial review of applications will begin on April 14.
• If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Dr. Paveglio at tpaveglio@uidaho.edu or 509-595-1607. For more information about the University of Idaho M.S. and Ph.D. graduate degrees, including eligibility requirements, visit the graduate programs webpage for the College of Natural Resources. 

10. Wildfire Recovery
(Faculty advisor: Travis Paveglio)

• Funding is available to support a Ph.D. student interested in wildfire social science and human community recovery following wildfire impacts. Successful candidates will work directly with Dr. Travis Paveglio in the Department of Natural Resources and Society at the University of Idaho and in conjunction with Dr. Catrin Edgeley in the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University. The funded project supporting the assistantship will involve: (1) interviews and interaction with a variety of human populations (e.g. residents, land management or conservation professionals, policymakers, emergency managers, firefighters, etc.) involved in wildfire recovery across multiple states, including California, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Idaho and Washington; (2) collection and evaluation of information about diverse wildfire recovery programs available to impacted populations; and (3) development of a database designed to help organize and provide resources for human populations or agencies facilitating recovery following wildfire. The successful applicant will contribute to and lead various components of the project, including but not limited to content analyses, interviews and mixed-mode surveys. The student will work directly with local governments and community organizations across several study areas to produce and communicate research findings that can support local needs related to wildfire recovery and inform the use of federal- and state-level disaster assistance programs.
• The successful candidate will be based at the University of Idaho’s Moscow campus. They will receive a stipend that covers 20 hours a week as a research assistant, health insurance, and a tuition waiver.
• Preferred qualifications:
1. Knowledge of or experience with a variety of social science research methods
2. Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of non-academic or academic audiences
3. Experience conducting social science as it applies to wildfire, resource management, hazards or other environmental issues
4. An interest in applying social or policy theories to resource management or hazard management actions
5. A willingness to recruit for and conduct field work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including in-person interviews, drop-off surveys, focus groups, or workshops
• Other desirable attributes include:
1. Existing experience with wildfire management, wildfire/hazard planning and mitigation or disaster/hazard recovery
2. Ability to travel and stay at various research locations throughout the year
3. Documented experience with qualitative, quantitative, or spatial analysis techniques
4. Working knowledge of programs and platforms such as SPSS, NVivo, Qualtrics, and/or ArcMap
• Successful candidates would start in Summer or Fall of 2023. To apply please send the following to Dr. Travis Paveglio at tpaveglio@uidaho.edu: (1) a short statement of interest clearly stating experience, qualifications and research interests as they relate to this project; and (2) a current curriculum vitae (CV). Qualified applicants may be contacted for additional information. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
• If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Dr. Paveglio at tpaveglio@uidaho.edu. For more information about the University of Idaho Ph.D. graduate degrees, including eligibility requirements, visit the graduate programs webpage for the College of Natural Resources.

The College of Natural Resources at the University of Idaho is accepting applications for potential Ph.D. and M.S. graduate research and teaching assistants. Competitive stipend and tuition packages are available. We are looking for highly motivated candidates committed to pursue research related to remote sensing and spatial analysis of natural science disciplines that may include geographic information systems, landscape ecology, remote sensing, spatial ecology, etc. Disciplinary areas can cover disturbance ecology, forestry, fire sciences, rangeland sciences, fish and wildlife sciences, environmental sciences, land use policy and planning, among others. For more details, please contact cnr-grad-studies@uidaho.edu.