Dear Colleagues and Friends,
 
It is my pleasure to announce the start of our NSF International Research Experience for Students (IRES) grant “IRES: Cross-cutting interdisciplinary research and integration of ecology and biocultural conservation in the world’s southernmost forests.”
 
The first step we are faced with is to recruit the best, highly motivated, and most promising students. We need to recruit 6 students (graduates or undergraduates) for each of the 3 years of the duration of the grant. We aim to have 50% students from UNT and 50% from other US institutions, and we would like to especially encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply.
 
All the expenses for the students' participation will be covered (including room, board, airfare, Spanish training if needed, presentation of their results, etc.), and each will get in additional US$450/week stipend! During the Fall term, selected students will be required to participate in several “pre-trip” introductory seminars in which students will select their research topics and questions, be partnered with mentors, and familiarize themselves with the logistics of traveling and expectations and realities of conducting field work in the far south. 
 
It is strongly suggested that students enroll in the UNT Fall term course, "Introduction to Biocultural Conservation," as selected students will be required to attend several of the included sessions in preparation for their trip and research experiences. Students are encouraged and will have the opportunity to also receive simultaneous UNT course credit hours for their IRES experience by enrolling in the Tracing Darwin's Path study abroad course. Interested students should inquire about how these options are compatible with their IRES experience and academic schedules.

Selected students will depart to Chile immediately following the Fall semester on December 15 or 16 and return to the US by the beginning of the Spring semester. Some students may opt to stay beyond the official IRES program in order to conduct approved dissertation or thesis research (students must show how they will fund their extended stay). 
 
Students interested in applying for IRES should visit the website for more information (http://chile.unt.edu/get-involved/international-research-experience-students-nsf), and complete the online application at http://chile.unt.edu/forms/application-unt-international-research-experience-students-ires.
 
This will be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many students to have an overseas research experience in a unique setting conducting cutting-edge research with leading researchers in their fields. 
 
I would like to ask each of you to help us spread the word among your colleagues and students and encourage them to apply ASAP. We plan to select our candidates during the first half of September. 
 
Thank you for your help and support,
 

Jaime E. Jiménez, Ph.D.

SUB-ANTARCTIC BIOCULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM, EESAT 310AB, www.chile.unt.edu

Department of Biological Sciences, www.biol.unt.edu

Department of Philosophy and Religion, www.phil.unt.edu

Office: 940-369-5346 (EESAT 310V); 940-369-5077 (Biol)

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS, USA

Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity www.ieb-chile.cl/

UNIVERSIDAD DE MAGALLANES, CHILE

http://www.umag.cl/facultades/williams/

[log in to unmask]

http://www.jaimeejimenez.com/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jaime_E_Jimenez

Nikki Roach

PhD Student, Applied Biodiversity Sciences