Dear Colleagues,
Please see below and attached a position announcement for an Assistant Professor in Landscape Conservation Genetics at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, USA, and share with anyone who may be interested. The candidate can be working on any taxonomic group, which means that we welcome researchers in the field of forest health. The application deadline is September 24, 2021.
Best regards,
Caterina
Position Announcement
Landscape Conservation Genetics
POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES: This is a 9-month tenure track appointment with both research and teaching responsibilities at the Assistant Professor level in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. We are seeking candidates committed to excellence in research and instruction in the area of conservation genetics applied on a landscape level. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an innovative research program by developing grant proposals, securing research funding, publishing in reputable scientific journals, mentoring graduate students, and actively participating in professional scientific societies. Teaching responsibilities will depend on the selected candidate’s interests and areas of expertise but will include developing and teaching a course in landscape conservation genetics. Allocation of appointment responsibilities will be: 53% research, 40% teaching, and 7% professional service.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have at the time of hire a Ph.D. in genetics, natural resources, ecology or a related field. Candidates should have a publication record commensurate with career stage. Preference will be given to candidates with two or more years of research experience in conservation and management of wild populations of any taxonomic group. We are particularly interested in research foci on wild populations that will complement Warnell’s existing research strengths listed below. A record of
teaching effectiveness at the university level is preferred. Applicants should demonstrate the ability for multidisciplinary collaborative research and a desire for continued collaboration with faculty in Warnell and across the University.
STATE AND UNIVERSITY: Georgia is well-known for its quality of life, both in terms of outdoor and urban activities (www.georgia.gov<http://www.georgia.gov/>). The University of Georgia (www.uga.edu<http://www.uga.edu/>) is a land/sea/space grant institution comprised of 17 schools and colleges. Athens is a diverse community of approximately 150,000 people located less than 75 miles from Atlanta. UGA enrolls about 39,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
ABOUT WARNELL: The Warnell School (www.warnell.uga.edu<http://www.warnell.uga.edu/>) is an internationally-acclaimed professional school with a proud history of producing leaders in natural resource management. The program has strengths in applied ecology, game and nongame management, forest management, forest health, quantitative and decision sciences, and spatial analysis. Faculty members collaborate extensively with affiliated programs including the Savannah River Ecology Lab, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, as well as with a host of state and federal agencies and NGOs. Collaborative opportunities are encouraged with disciplines within the
School and across the UGA campus. Some Warnell faculty and graduate students also participate in UGA's pioneering Integrative Conservation PhD Program (http://icon.uga.edu/) which trains students in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research to address complex social-ecological problems.
APPLICATION: To ensure full consideration, please apply by September 24, 2021. All applicants MUST apply online through the UGAJobs system (https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/213865<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ugajo…>). Candidates must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts of all college-level work, and names and contact information for three references. In the application, please include a summary of your research scholarship, including your core research questions and approaches, and abilities to secure funding and publish in high quality journals. Please also include a statement of your teaching philosophy, including your experiences with teaching and mentoring students. For those individuals invited for interviews, the chair of the search committee will request letters from the three references, to be sent directly to the chair. A background investigation and request of official transcripts will be conducted on a post-offer/preemployment basis. The starting date is negotiable but will be no later than August 1, 2022. For additional information, please contact Dr. Scott Merkle (smerkle(a)uga.edu<mailto:smerkle@uga.edu>), chair of the search committee. We encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans, and underrepresented minorities.
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (https://hr.uga.edu<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhr.uga.ed…>). Please do not contact the department or search committee with such requests.
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Caterina Villari (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Co-Director - Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative
706-389-5031 Office
706-542-0119 Lab
cvillari(a)uga.edu
villarilab.com<http://villarilab.com/>
southernpinehealth.org<https://southernpinehealth.org/>
D.B. Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
University of Georgia
180 E Green Street
Athens, GA 30602
Integrated Plant Sciences: ips.uga.edu<https://ips.uga.edu/>
Education is a key lifeline for world's forests
New survey points out that forest education must be strengthened to meet global challenges [Ein Bild, das Baum, draußen, Pflanze, Boden enthält. Automatisch generierte Beschreibung]
22 June 2021, Rome - Forest education at all levels – from primary schools to universities – is insufficient in many countries of the world, according to the results of a global survey led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Organizations (ITTO) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) with the support of other international and regional partners.
According to the survey, more must be done to improve forest education in many parts of the world. While forest education has evolved and the number, diversity and qualifications of graduates have increased in most regions, forest education resources are insufficient or limited in large parts of the global South.
The survey also found that, in most regions, primary and secondary schools are not effectively educating students about forests and trees, or motivating them to pursue forest-related studies and careers. Graduates' understanding of cultural and social aspects of forest and tree management is often limited. Innovative teaching approaches, digital tools and online learning resources are not adequately employed in many regions, and forest education in entrepreneurship and for the preparation of students for the growing green jobs sector is not sufficient in most regions.
"The sustainable management of forests and trees is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We must reverse deforestation and forest degradation and manage forest resources sustainably," said FAO Deputy-Director General Maria-Helena Semedo in her opening speech at the event. "To do this, we need a well-trained cadre of forest managers, workers, policy makers, scientists and educators. We also need the rich and valuable forest knowledge and skills of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
We urgently need to strengthen all levels of formal education - the forest workforce of the future."
International Conference on Forest Education
Key findings of the survey were unveiled at the International Conference on Forest Education, a three-day event running from 22 – 24 June to shine a light on the important role forest education plays in maximizing the contributions of forests and trees to the Sustainable Development Goals, and for overcoming the growing disconnect between people, nature and forests. The conference is organized by FAO, ITTO and IUFRO, and is supported by the Government of Germany.
During the event, participants<http://www.fao.org/3/cb4723en/cb4723en.pdf> discussed the current state of forest education, sharing their experiences and perspectives through discussions of key challenges, needs, opportunities and initiatives to strengthen forest education. It was agreed that robust forest education and training programmes are vital if we are to reduce the rate of deforestation and forest degradation, protect and restore ecosystems, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and realise the full contributions of forests and trees to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants took advantage of the event to endorse a global Call to Action on forest education. The aim is to raise awareness of the need to strengthen policies and strategies to improve forest learning at all levels of education, heighten awareness of the societal importance of careers in forestry, and improve understanding of traditional and indigenous forest-related knowledge.
Steve Johnson, ITTO's Officer-in-charge, endorsed the Call to Action saying that "forests are where most of us learn about the importance of nature in our lives."
"Education and training on forest management is also crucial to ensure forest sustainability and productivity into the future, as well as for developing an informed population that appreciates the many complexities of Sustainable Forest Management. ITTO will continue to contribute to forest education and training throughout the tropics, including through our ground-breaking fellowship program that commenced making awards nearly 30 years ago" he added.
IUFRO President John Parrotta also confirmed the need to strengthen forest education globally. "IUFRO seeks to advance updating of forestry related curriculums, promote innovative and improved teaching approaches and techniques, and help address key gaps in forest education worldwide," he said.
The Call to Action will be open online for a short period after the event to encourage other stakeholders and actors to endorse the message.
Launch of Forest Education Partnership
The three-day event concluded with the launch by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests<http://www.fao.org/policy-support/mechanisms/mechanisms-details/en/c/428692/> of a Joint Initiative on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/98724/en/>, which aims to catalyse action, generate increased awareness and support, and foster partnerships for forest education. In doing so, it plans to establish a Forest Education Partnership, launch an online platform to facilitate information dissemination and networking on forest education, work to improve forest education curricula and training systems and run a global communications campaign to encourage young people to pursue forest-related careers.
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News article by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1413180/
Dear Participants,
We are delighted to invite you to the final day of the International Conference on Forest Education, beginning at 08.30AM Central European Summer Time (CEST) on Thursday 24 June.
For more information on the conference and to view the programme, head here<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/conference/en/>.
Zoom event link: https://fao.zoom.us/j/98324579662
Meeting ID: 983 2457 9662
Passcode: 26537142
We are also pleased to release the Call to Action on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/>.
It urges immediate action to strengthen forest education, capacity development and knowledge sharing worldwide.
It focuses on eight key actions that are needed to improve formal and informal forest education and training programmes around the world.
Endorse the Call to Action at the link here:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/
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Please feel free to distribute this invitation to your wider networks.
We look forward to your participation at the conference tomorrow.
Kind regards,
Global Forest Education Project Secretariat
