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PH.D. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP: THERMAL IMAGERY-BASED ANALYSES OF FISH HABITAT—UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, ORONO

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Application Deadline: 12/31/2025

LOCATION: USA

The University of Maine (Orono, Maine) is pleased to offer a Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship: Thermal imagery-based analyses of fish habitat—University of Maine, Orono. The incumbent will develop a research project aimed at understanding the thermal environments experienced by cold-water species such as Atlantic salmon and brook trout in Maine.

ELIGIBILITY:

Qualifications: M.S. in biology, ecology, GIS, or similar; quantitative skills; interest in landscape and aquatic science; and excellent work ethics. Must have a desire to work in a collaborative and supportive graduate student community.  A GPA of 3.2+ is desired. 

Responsibilities: The incumbent will develop a research project aimed at understanding the thermal environments experienced by cold-water species such as Atlantic salmon and brook trout in Maine.  This may include areas of significant restoration importance, such as the Piscataquis River, and other regions with dams. There will be significant flexibility in developing study questions, and approaches using thermal imagery. Work may be collaboratively developed with national, international, and tribal researchers. Experience in field ecology, GIS and database management is desirable—a willingness to learn is a necessity. Good communication skills are essential.  The incumbent will work with many partners (State of Maine, federal, tribal and NGOs), and be responsible for frequent reporting. The student will be advised by both Drs. Christina Murphy and Joe Zydlewski.  One to two semesters of TA support are anticipated. All interested individuals, including non-traditional and underrepresented groups, are encouraged to apply. 

Contact: Please send a cover letter, CV, transcripts, three references (names and contact only) and GRE scores/percentiles (optional). Please direct questions and applications to Joe Zydlewski (email josephz@maine.edu) with the heading “Thermal”. 

Links: https://umaine.edu/mainecoopunit/; https://umaine.edu/graduate/ 

Closing date: Review will begin December 31, 2025, with an anticipated starting date of May 1, 2026, or as arranged. 

BENEFIT:

Salary: $30,000 per year, $3,157 health, and $7,241 tuition (estimated). Funding is renewed annually; 4.5 years is anticipated.  

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master's, Opportunities, Scholarships

NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY (STATE) GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP (MASTER)

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Application Deadline: January 12th, 2026

LOCATION: USA

The energetics lab at Northern Michigan University is recruiting a graduate/master’s student to work on seasonal changes of the Cardiac Proteome and heart functionality during winter hibernation.

ELIGIBILITY:

Project outlines: Many animal species can slow down their metabolism to enter a state of low-energy consumption. This state – characterized by reduced metabolic rate and body temperature—is known as torpor that represents a powerful strategy enabling animals to survive periods of low resource availabilities.

Among the most impressive adaptations during torpor, the heart continues to beat into sinus rhythm, despite a heart rate reduced to single-digits. Under depressed oxygen consumption, the heart has to maintain blood circulation by regular contractions to guarantee sufficient perfusion of the organism. At body temperature below 20°C, non-heterotherms experience severe arrhythmia and ventricular fibrillation that leads to cardiac arrest. In contrast, the heart of hibernators beats in sinus rhythm even if body temperature approaches 0°C. This unique ability of the hibernator’s heart is due to the maintenance of sufficiently fast calcium reuptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum after contraction, despite low body temperatures. The cardiac function has also been described to be regulated by the fatty acid composition of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane phospholipids.

This project will aim at determining the seasonal changes of the cardiac proteome and the heart functionality during winter hibernation in small hibernating species.

Tasks during the project: (i) Review of the literature on the topic ‘Hibernators Cardiac Adaptations’, (ii) Analyses of cardiac proteomic data previously generated on the Garden dormouse, and (iii) Establishment of the Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel as hibernator model for the study of cardiometabolic function.

The applicant should have a good theoretical and practical background in Animal & Cellular/Molecular Physiology and the willingness to learn data analytical software. Previous experience with statistics, including programming using R software, is required. If you are interested, please contact us as soon as possible by sending a letter of interest, CV, unofficial transcript, and contact information for three references via E-mail. All applications received by January 12th, 2026 will receive full consideration.

BENEFIT:

Salary: $11,000 to $12,500 per year

Type & duration of position: Paid Graduate Teaching Assistantship – Support available for up to 2 years (4 semesters).

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