Title: MS Research Assistantship to study risk of collision between boats and marine mammals. We are recruiting a MS student for the fall of 2014 to study risk of collision between boats and marine mammals. The student would join the department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, and would be co-advised by Dr. Julien Martin (Research Scientist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)) and Dr. Robert Fletcher (Associate Professor, University of Florida). This partnership between the University of Florida and FWC provides a unique opportunity for a student interested in contributing to the integration of science and management. The student will spend time at both the University of Florida in Gainesville and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St Petersburg, FL. The student would contribute to the development of a quantitative decision support tool to link the effects of potential management actions on 2 species of endangered marine mammals: manatees and North Atlantic right whales. Examples of analyses include: (1) statistical modeling (including spatial analysis) using Bayesian methods; (2) agent based modeling. In addition to being technically challenging, this project could have useful policy implications for management. Existing datasets available for analysis include: spatial databases of vessel traffic, GPS and radio telemetry data of manatees, time-depth recorders, capture mark recapture information, and aerial survey data of whales and manatees. Qualifications: We are looking for students who are interested in developing an expertise in quantitative ecology and decision making for conservation. Candidates with some knowledge of programming such as: R, MATLAB, Scilab, or Python will be given preference. Knowledge of Geographic Information System software (e.g., ArcGIS) desired, but not required. Ability to work in a team environment is required. Please, also check admission requirements at: http://graduateschool.ufl.edu/admission/requirements-for-all-applicants Stipend and benefits: The successful applicant will receive two years of research assistantship stipend ($19,660/year), tuition waiver (~$11,400/year), and fringe benefits including health insurance. Funds are also available for the student to participate at a scientific conference. To apply: Please submit a letter of interest, CV, transcripts and GRE scores, and the contact of three references to: Julien Martin: julien.martin@myfwc.com Review of applications will begin March 28th and will continue until a suitable applicant is selected.