Funded M.S. graduate research opportunity in Environmental Education at Virginia Tech

The Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech is pleased to announce two fully funded M.S. graduate research opportunities starting in Jan. 2020. The students will become part of a team conducting ongoing research (funded by the National Science Foundation) designed to investigate what techniques work best in environmental education (EE) with diverse audiences. The cutting-edge study, funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted in collaboration with Dr. Robert Powell at Clemson University, involves considerable travel to National Parks, nature centers, and other EE locations across the United States and employs novel methods of observation and survey administration at field trip programs for adolescent youth. Other collaborators include Dr. Troy Frensley at UNC-Wilmington and Dr. Ryan Gagnon at Clemson University.

• Full tuition and living stipend provided.
• Start date: January 2020
• Expected completion of degree: May 2022.
• Applications due October 31, 2019

Graduate students will:

• Assist in planning and logistical support for national research effort
• Observe diverse environmental education field trips provided by a wide range of organizations
• Actively participate in data collection
• Learn and perform quantitative data analysis
• Present at conferences and other professional meetings
• Co-author peer-reviewed publications

Minimum qualifications:

• A undergraduate degree in environmental education, environmental sciences, social sciences, or other relevant fields.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Willingness to travel for extended periods (up to 12 weeks)
• Attention to detail
• Flexibility
• Ability to work on a team
• A strong desire to learn
• A strong work ethic
• Prior experience with environmental education.

Supervisor: Dr. Marc J. Stern: https://frec.vt.edu/people/Stern.html

Departmental website: https://frec.vt.edu

To apply: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/how-to-apply.html

The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech is one of four departments within the College of Natural Resources and Environment and is one of the top programs in natural resource management in North America.  Our top-flight education and research focus on the latest applications to uncover the science needed to manage natural resources sustainably. Our programs are diverse and approach critical natural resource issues from many disciplinary perspectives. From protected areas management and economic policy to forest soil productivity, urbanization, and genomics, we seek to discover new knowledge and technology to address the global challenges to come.

Virginia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information.

Initial questions should be directed Dr. Marc Stern at mjstern@vt.edu and 540-231-7418.