The following post is going to be a shameless plug to come work as my field assistant in Tiputini. My dissertation data collection begins for real sometime at the end of September/start of October (exact dates to be determined). My project seeks to understand how male development and behavior are related - specifically, how do males reach big adult size and how does size affect dominance rank, access to females, etc... Field assistants for this project will be in charge of collecting photographs of individual males to measure growth, taking group scans, collecting GPS ranging data, and getting fecal samples for hormone analyses.
Working on a project like this is a definite bonus when applying to graduate school and you would receive training in photogrammetry, behavioral data collection methods, radiotelemetry, extraction of hormones from fecal samples, etc... The Tiputini Biodiversity Station is also an amazingly beautiful place to work. It boasts 9 species of primate, many species of cat (including jaguar, pumas, ocelots and jaguarundi), tapir, giant anteaters, and an unimaginable number of bird, snake, lizard and insect species. The work is challenging (we spend around 12 hours following the monkeys on data collection days) but very rewarding.
The site itself is quite remote but more comfortable than you might expect. TBS is located on the Tiputini river (a tributary of the Napo river) in the lowland rainforest of Ecuador. It is jointly run by the Universidad de San Francisco de Quito and Boston University. The primate research being done is headed by Dr. Anthony Di Fiore of UT Austin and there is always exciting work being done on several different species. The site includes office space for researchers, cabins with showers (each room is shared with 1-3 other people) and dining facilities. The field station staff provide meals, laundry and housekeeping services. Electricity is available for a few hours a day in the cabins and nearly all the time in the lab. Limited internet access is available as well. There is a network of trails which we use to get in and out of the forest, as well as a canopy tower where you can get an amazing view of the forest.
Anyone interested in applying to work as a field assistant should contact me with a CV, two contacts for references (at least one of which should be academic) and a brief letter stating why you are interested. Applicants should have a B.S. or a B.A. in Anthropology, Biology, Ecology or a related field. Good physical fitness is essential, as well as being comfortable being outdoors for long periods of time off trail. Previous experience with camera equipment and photography in low light is a huge plus. This is a volunteer position so there is no salary; field assistants will have to pay for their own travel to/from the site and the first two months of their stay. I will pay station fees, which include room and board, for the rest of the stay. I need assistants who are willing to commit to at least 6 months of work. Volunteers will need to get vaccinated for yellow fever prior to fieldwork and will need to have a passport.
Working on a project like this is a definite bonus when applying to graduate school and you would receive training in photogrammetry, behavioral data collection methods, radiotelemetry, extraction of hormones from fecal samples, etc... The Tiputini Biodiversity Station is also an amazingly beautiful place to work. It boasts 9 species of primate, many species of cat (including jaguar, pumas, ocelots and jaguarundi), tapir, giant anteaters, and an unimaginable number of bird, snake, lizard and insect species. The work is challenging (we spend around 12 hours following the monkeys on data collection days) but very rewarding.
The site itself is quite remote but more comfortable than you might expect. TBS is located on the Tiputini river (a tributary of the Napo river) in the lowland rainforest of Ecuador. It is jointly run by the Universidad de San Francisco de Quito and Boston University. The primate research being done is headed by Dr. Anthony Di Fiore of UT Austin and there is always exciting work being done on several different species. The site includes office space for researchers, cabins with showers (each room is shared with 1-3 other people) and dining facilities. The field station staff provide meals, laundry and housekeeping services. Electricity is available for a few hours a day in the cabins and nearly all the time in the lab. Limited internet access is available as well. There is a network of trails which we use to get in and out of the forest, as well as a canopy tower where you can get an amazing view of the forest.
Anyone interested in applying to work as a field assistant should contact me with a CV, two contacts for references (at least one of which should be academic) and a brief letter stating why you are interested. Applicants should have a B.S. or a B.A. in Anthropology, Biology, Ecology or a related field. Good physical fitness is essential, as well as being comfortable being outdoors for long periods of time off trail. Previous experience with camera equipment and photography in low light is a huge plus. This is a volunteer position so there is no salary; field assistants will have to pay for their own travel to/from the site and the first two months of their stay. I will pay station fees, which include room and board, for the rest of the stay. I need assistants who are willing to commit to at least 6 months of work. Volunteers will need to get vaccinated for yellow fever prior to fieldwork and will need to have a passport.