[IUFRO RG 7.03 FORENT] MSc or PhD Position available – Bark beetle pheromone ecology

MSc or PhD Position available – Bark beetle pheromone ecology This position is open until filled. The successful candidate will work on a research project evaluating regional variation in pheromone production and response in bark beetle populations (e.g. spruce beetle, western pine beetle, southern pine beetle) across North America. The student will be co-supervised by Dr. Dezene Huber of UNBC and Dr. Deepa Pureswaran of the Canadian Forest Service (Adjunct Professor at the University of New Brunswick). The student will conduct field and laboratory experiments in both western and eastern Canada in collaboration with Canadian and US partners including provincial entomologists, USDA Forest Service scientists and industry to better understand the ecology and evolution of inter-population pheromone variation in tree-killing bark beetles. The project will involve chemical ecology techniques, analytical chemistry and could involve molecular techniques. The work aims to identify lure formulations for pest management that reflect regional variation in pheromone profiles. Interested candidates should have experience in data collection and analysis, be willing to travel and do fieldwork in forests. The University of Northern British Columbia is fully committed to creating and maintaining an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment that is accessible to all. We are devoted to ensuring a welcoming, safe, and inclusive campus free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination. This commitment is woven into our motto and mission. In the Dakelh language, UNBC’s motto ‘En Cha Huná translates to “he/she/they also live” and means respect for all living things. Through the respect for all living things, we are able to grow and learn better together, each bringing our own unique individual differences and contributions to inspire leaders for tomorrow by influencing the world today. Educational equity requires that we remove barriers and overcome both direct and indirect discrimination. In this way, the pool of excellent candidates increases substantially. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for this position without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, place of origin, age, physical disability, mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any other prohibited grounds of discrimination as outlined in the BC Human Rights Code. Interested candidates are invited to send a letter of interest, CV and transcripts to: Dezene.Huber@unbc.ca<mailto:Dezene.Huber@unbc.ca> or deepa.pureswaran@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca<mailto:deepa.pureswaran@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca>. Deepa Pureswaran, PhD Research Scientist, Forest Insect Ecology Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre Scientifique, Écologie des insectes forestiers Ressources naturelles Canada Service canadien des forêts, Centre de foresterie de l’Atlantique 1350, Regent Street Fredericton, NB E3C 2G6 Canada Websites: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Deepa_Pureswaran/research http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/employees/read/dpureswa