A M.S. assistantship is available at the University of Idaho to study how seedling handling practices from the time of propagation through packing through transport and planting affects seedling quality and performance of seedling once planted in the field. The student will join the Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research (CFNSR) and supervised by Dr. Andrew Nelson. The assistantship includes a competitive stipend, waiver of out-of-state tuition, full coverage of in-state tuition and student health insurance. Additional funds are available for research supplies and travel. Initial funding is available for 2 years as a research assistantship.

The student will work on a project examining how seedling handling practices influence successful reforestation. There is anecdotal evidence that improper handling of seedlings such as excessive moisture stress, root damage during packing, improper storage temperatures, improper transportation conditions, and improper treatment on planting sites ahead of planting can negatively affect initial seedling survival and growth once planted. Improper management of seedlings across this chain-of-command can compound ill effects, but it is still unclear which steps of the handling process most influence outplanting success or how different intensities of mishandling affect success. The student working on this project will work with the major professor and USDA Forest Service collaborators to design rigorous manipulative research trials where seedlings are mishandled at different stages of the handling process and evaluate the effects on seedling establishment in the field and physiological responses to manipulative disturbances. The student will work closely with USDA Forest Service nurseries to obtain seedling stock and USDA Forest Service managers to install field trials. This broad engagement will help the student build collaborations for future opportunities in the nursery and reforestation field.

The student will have the opportunity to present their research at scientific conferences and management workshops in the western United States. The student is expected to publish their results in peer-reviewed journals.

The student will have access to laboratories, field sites, and greenhouses at the University of Idaho and across North-Central Idaho, as well as USDA Forest Service nurseries and field sites throughout the Interior West. The lab is fully outfitted with equipment to measure plant physiology and morphology.

Required qualifications include a B.S. degree in forestry, plant ecophysiology, botany, or closely related discipline and an interest in working in reforestation or forestry in the future. The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to work both independently and as a team member and be comfortable traveling and working in the greenhouse, lab, and field. The student must be able to pass a criminal background check.

The student is expected to begin January 2027. The position is based in Moscow, Idaho, home to the University of Idaho. Moscow is in northern Idaho on the border with Washington in a region known as the Palouse. The area offers ample outdoor recreational opportunities within a short distance from Moscow.