MS Project – Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Hiring Organization: Michigan State University
Employment type: Full-Time
Job Location: Adirondack Mountains, New York
Application Due Date: October 15, 2025

I am looking for a student interested in starting a Master’s project this May. This opportunity is part of a larger project studying effects of silvicultural management with the goal of enhancing hemlock health and resilience before arrival of the hemlock woolly adelgid. The research addresses an applied question but will also be expected to incorporate broader ecological frameworks.

The role of the student will be to examine the responses of soil fungi and vegetation. The project includes use of molecular barcoding to examine belowground communities, as well as potentially other methods of interest to assess soil and vegetation responses. Project fieldwork will take place at an experimental site in the Adirondack Mountains, in collaboration with other team members at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, Skidmore College, and the New York Natural Heritage Program.

The student will be supported by a research assistantship, including stipend and tuition.

Interested students should contact Dr. Chris Blackwood (blackw79@msu.edu), preferably by October 15, with a description of their experience, research interests, career goals, coursework, and references.