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8-9 PM ET: Cold Blooded Chat - 10-11 PM ET: Fish & Pond Chat |
Posted by RMB on March 13, 2003 at 23:09:52:
Well I recently found out today that after a grueling interview process through many qualified University Student candidates I was selected to be a part of a small research team studying the evolutionary genetics of the five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus).
I am not trying to blow my own horn but I am rather excited and thought I would share where it would be appreciated.
This is the outline for this paid position:
1. Conservation Biology Field Assistant (April 28 - June 27)
-contacting, and interacting with various academic contacts, as well as state and regional wildlife officers during field work throughout the mid-eastern States (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut)
-obtaining and applying general natural history knowledge as well as more taxa-specific knowledge during data collection in the field
-maintaining a field data collection database with information including GPS data, meteorological data (ambient temperature, humidity level, barometer measurements, and dewpoint measurements)
-collecting habitat, morphology and genetic data for populations of the five-lined skink (a small-bodied, provincially endangered lizard) through use of digital calipers, and surgical instruments for non-destructive tissue sampling of captured individuals
2. Biodiversity Survey Coordinator (June 30 - July 25)
-planning and implementing a herpetofaunal biodiversity field survey in Pinery Provincial Park (southwestern Ontario) alongside park ecologist and employees; this provincial park contains a multitude of at-risk amphibian and reptile species and desperately requires knowledge of basic species occurrences and estimates of population sizes
-communicating between academic supervisors and park officials will be of key importance and will involve a written report summarizing results of the biodiversity survey (e.g. species occurrences and monitoring trends)
3. Conservation Genetics/Molecular Laboratory Assistant (July 28 - August 18)
-learning and performing a variety of molecular techniques in a conservation genetics laboratory
-extracting DNA from tissue samples collected during field work using standard phenol/chloroform methods
-amplifying regions of DNA with species-specific primers using standard PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique
-performing manual (radioactive-labeled primers) and automated (dye-labeled primers used with high-tech equipment) DNA microsatellite genotyping
So that's the proposal! I worked very hard to attain the academic qualifications over the last few years and I also fought hard for this position. So it just goes to show you that if you focus on specific goals than anything is possible, even landing a job in herpetology.
Thanks for reading. I plan to keep my fellow Canadians apprised of our research.
Cheers,
Ryan M Bolton