The Data Diversity Lab is seeking traditionally underrepresented undergraduates at UArizona’s College of Information Science to take part in the project: “The Historical Biogeography and Extinction Risk Assessment of Recently Extinct Chordates”
In this role, you will assist in the compilation of a comprehensive list of recently extinct animals, approximate their ancestral living environments and their changes throughout history, and use this information to assess implication for future conservation efforts.
From collecting distribution data, testing Species Distribution Models (SDMs), and synthesizing information on natural history to utilizing Geographical Information System (GIS) tools; you will visualize and reconstruct historical landscapes and ranges of extinct species, incorporating the influence of human impact and geographical changes. You will learn about phylogenetic methods and expand on your comparative analysis skills to help identify distribution changes between extinct species and their sister taxa. The results of this research will aim to add to the global collaboration efforts on biodiversity conservation and action. If you are interested in evolutionary biology, ecology, information sciences, and climate change we invite you to apply for this opportunity.
Benefits:
1. Research experience in a supportive environment on a team-based project
2. Opportunity to get paid for your work via a Federal Work Study position (if student is eligible via FAFSA).
3. Opportunity to earn academic credit units.
4. Opportunity to earn an additional $1,000 stipend for your research contributions.
Student eligibility:
1. Be enrolled at UArizona as an undergraduate student.
2. US individual/national.
3. Self-identified under traditionally underrepresented in STEM areas as defined by NSF (i.e. Hispanic, African American, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Native Pacific Islanders, or Alaskan Natives).
About the team:
The Data Diversity Lab, established in 2023 and located in the main campus of the University of Arizona, is led by Dr. Cristian Román-Palacios, an Ecologist and Evolutionary biologist interested in solving long-standing questions in biology using bioinformatic and machine learning methods applied to big datasets. Some of our papers in evolutionary biology, conservation biology, ecology, biostatistics, and climate change, among other fields have been published in the journals PNAS, Proceedings B, Evolution, Journal of Biogeography, Evolution Letters, Global Ecology and Biogeography, among others. The Data Diversity Lab team presents itself as a continuation of a strong source of high-quality and world-impactful research. We are interested in collaborating with students and researchers interested in using large datasets to answer a varied number of questions in different fields. We welcome individuals interested in using various methods to answer questions in biology and related fields, to those particularly interested in developing tools and algorithms to be used more transversally. More information on the team: https://datadiversitylab.github.io/
Location: University of Arizona/Remote
Contact Information: Cristian Román-Palacios: cromanpa@arizona.edu Hector Garcia: hdg1@arizona.edu
Why Join Us:
· Expand your set of skills and networking.
· Collaborative and creative work environment.
· Opportunity to work on challenging projects.
· Form part of a research lab.
· Professional research development opportunities.
· Flexible work arrangements, including remote options.
Application Steps:
1. Review the position description
2. Check eligibility
3. Prepare application materials:
a. Submit your Resume/CV and optionally a short letter of intent.
4. Interview Process:
a. Potential candidates will be selected for an interview with the PI and lab manager.
5. Selection and Notification:
a. Selected candidates will be notified via email and onboarded into the lab.
The project is part of a collaboration with the University of Arizona’s VIP (Vertically Integrated Projects), which aims at enhancing higher education by engaging undergraduate and graduate students in ambitious, long-term, large-scale, multidisciplinary project teams that are led by faculty.
For more information on VIP: https://uavip.arizona.edu/students/what-is-vip