Five qualified and motivated candidates are sought to complete PhD studies at Virginia Tech and Indiana University in an interdisciplinary project on the coupled social-ecological dynamics of freshwater fisheries. With a focus on arapaima fisheries in the Brazilian Amazon, including two decades of community-based management programs, the project addresses four main topics: (i) habitat effects on arapaima movement, (ii) effects of fishers’ perceptions on rule compliance in light of community culture, leadership, and institutional arrangements; (iii) effects of markets, institutions, and government rules on arapaima management, and (iv) effects of habitat and rule compliance on the dynamics of arapaima populations. The research will involve local fishers and decision-makers in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of extensive datasets on floodplain habitat, fish movement, community culture, institutions, and rule compliance. Learn more about the project here.
Funded by NSF, this project is led by four main faculty who will coordinate different aspects of the project: L. Castello (habitat, movement), H. Kindsvater (population dynamics), M. Sorice (social psychology), and E. Brondizio (institutional analysis). Candidates interested in specific aspects of the project should contact the respective faculty by submitting [in one PDF document] a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, transcripts and contact information for three references. Following this process, selected candidates will have to apply for admission to their respective faculty department/university. The letter of interest must specify: (i) your research interests, (ii) why you are interested in this particular position, and (iii) why you feel qualified to successfully complete a PhD in this project. Positions are for a January 2022 start, and are supported by a combination of Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships. Virginia Tech and Indiana University are equal opportunity employers.