Two Graduate Research Assistant Positions Available in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University Graduate Research Assistant #1 -- Application of GIS to the analysis of regional and community level social and economic impacts As part of a multi-year, interdisciplinary project, the student will participate in the design and conduct of a GIS based spatial analysis of the interdependence among socio-cultural, economic, and ecological systems in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula. Investigators seek to explore the spatial relationships among these systems and the decision makers who influence and are influenced by spatially and temporally distinct landscape factors. For example, analogous to cumulative effects analysis that has been carried out on bio-physical systems (e.g., to assess sediment and nutrient pollution in watersheds), we will investigate cumulative social impacts via spatial aggregation of household survey data and assessment of the dependency of values, perceptions, and preferences on location (e.g., environmental setting, proximity to locations with extreme amenity values), and how these relate to the formation and expression of shared community values. The ideal candidate will have experience using workstation Arc/Info and database software, interest in applying GIS towards environmental analysis of economic and social survey data, and have the objective of a Ph.D. or M.S. degree. Graduate Research Assistant #2 -- Non-market valuation of risk in a wildland setting The student will be responsible for completing an interview-based contingent valuation study of fire risk in a rural-wildland interface setting. A novel aspect of this research is the extension of risk valuation to a high familiarity risk with subjects having a known range of risk experience. This research involves in-person interviews of rural-wildland interface homeowners and the design and implementation of a mail survey. The student may also participate in other research on choice modeling, decision theory, environmental psychology, and incorporating non-market values into decision-making. The ideal candidate will have will have completed graduate study in one of the areas listed above or have experience in conducting surveys, be computer literate, be interested in non-market valuation, risk, and/or choice modeling, and have the objective of a Ph.D. or M.S. degree. Terms of Both Positions Degrees may be earned in the Department of Forestry with the option of completing MSU's multi-disciplinary, multi-departmenal graduate program in Resource Economics. Benefits include salary ($1188-$1318/month, depending on degree program), partial tuition waiver and health insurance. Each position initially covers one year, with renewal contingent on performance and availability of funding. Starting date is somewhat flexible, but summer/fall, 1995 is preferred. Interested students should send vitae, copies of their transcripts (unofficial ones are OK, initially), GRE scores, and names, addresses and phone numbers of three references to: Professor Jeremy Fried Michigan State University Department of Forestry 126 Natural Resources East Lansing, MI 48824 Internet: jeremy@msu.edu Tel. 517-432-3352 FAX 517-432-1143 Please feel free to call or write for more information about the positions, to receive application materials for MSU, or to receive brochures describing the Department of Forestry and its graduate programs. Note: This announcement was posted to multiple lists so some of you may received duplicate copies-- my apologies for the inbox clutter.
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