Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Portal

The Lake States Fire Science Consortium (LSFSC) is committed to ensuring that the ‘best available science’ is available for planning and managing northern fire-dependent ecosystems of the Lake States. Where there are current gaps in the science, the goal of the LSFSC is to assist in filling those gaps so that science informs practice and vice-versa. Unfortunately, for many local fire management issues, there are few resources available to bring managers and scientists together to solve these important issues.

In an effort to enhance the opportunities for managers and scientists to work together, and to expose future professionals to opportunities of management and research collaborations, the LSFSC requests proposals to fund research internships that address relevant fire science and management issues associated with northern fire-dependent ecosystems of the Lake States region (See our Ecosystems page for a description of fire-dependent ecosystems that are the focus of the Lake States Fire Science Consortium). Proposals must be developed by joint manager-scientist teams (i.e. both must be listed as co-PIs and equally contribute to proposal development) and outline how the research internship will address a critical need that will help improve management of fire-dependent ecosystems locally. Preference will be given to partnerships that have not yet received funding from the program.

The LSFSC anticipates awarding several $4,000 research internship awards. It is expected that 100% of the funds should go to support the undergraduate internship experience (preferably for salary, though a limited amount of funds may be used to purchase materials and supplies needed to complete the project - funds should not be used as a supplement or summer salary for graduate students). All proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM Eastern / 4:00 PM Central on Monday, December 9, 2019 by email to Jack McGowan-Stinski. There will be no exceptions to this closing date and time.

Climate change is occurring more rapidly in the Arctic than any region on Earth. Its impacts are being felt by Indigenous peoples as well as throughout a range of societal sectors, including wildfire management. Recent scholarship suggests that boundary spanning, translational ecology, and the process of knowledge co-production are effective in bridging the gap between science and decision-making and calls for building capacity by developing processes for effective evaluation and for training boundary spanning professionals.

We seek a post-doctoral research fellow to explore one or more of these inter-related research areas of knowledge co-production and boundary spanning assessment related to climate change in Alaska.

• Actions, processes, and mechanisms for use-inspired science.
• Metrics of success in knowledge co-production.
• Scientist and practitioner training in knowledge co-production and boundary spanning.

Requirements: experience and/or demonstrated capacity to contribute in one or more of the following topical areas:

• Indigenous evaluation, indigenous knowledge, cross-cultural communication
• Climate change science, application, communication, and knowledge co-production
• Wildfire science and boundary spanning
• Mixed-subsistence economies and community development

The post-doctoral research fellow will work closely in an interdisciplinary team environment that includes senior scientists, junior scientists, graduate students, and research professionals. Collaborating organizations include the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (a NOAA Regional Integrated Science and Assessment team), the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (a member of the Joint Fire Science Program Fire Science Exchange Network), and the USDA Pacific Northwest Climate Hub.

• Desired start date: September 2019
• Duration: 2 year, term funded
• Location: International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks
• Open until filled.  

How to apply: please submit CV, contact information for three references, and a cover letter to Sarah Trainor, ACCAP Director with “Post-Doc Application” in the subject line.  The cover letter should include:

• A description of the candidate’s PhD research;
• A discussion of the candidate’s research interests and experience relevant to one or more of the numbered research areas listed above;
• A discussion of the candidate’s research interests and experience relevant to one or more of the bulleted topical areas listed above;
• A brief proposed plan for investigating one or more of the research areas listed above. This should include the data collection and analysis methods with which you are experienced and familiar as well as possible additional methods you have an interest in learning.

Nominations are now open for new members of the International Association of Wildland Fires' (IAWF) Board of Directors. Nominations will be accepted through September 30, 2019 and successful candidates will begin their 3-year term on January 1, 2020. Individuals meeting the requirements may self-nominate.