We are seeking proposals from early career researchers (completed PhD or soon to be completed) who wish to develop and address their own basic or applied research questions on fish ecology and/or fisheries on Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain harbors a diverse aquatic fauna and comprises five regions varying in trophic state, lake morphometry, and food-web communities. As such, Lake Champlain has a natural, experimental gradient on which to ask questions about fisheries, physical and chemical habitat, and food-web structure and function, and address how systems may respond to multiple stressors (e.g., climate change, invasive species, land use) and fisheries management actions. The successful applicant will be supported by mentors at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory but will enjoy much liberty to run their own research program using the resources available at the lab. Teaching may be incorporated into the position for those interested in developing their pedagogical skills. We welcome proposals from candidates from outside the country and welcome unique contributions that candidates may bring in terms of education, culture, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, age, languages spoken, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. The funding will include salary and benefits for up to 3 years and a research budget up to $100,000.

Some examples of resources available at the Rubenstein Laboratory include: a 20-m electric-diesel hybrid catamaran equipped for bottom and midwater trawling, gillnet sampling, plankton and water sampling, and sediment sampling; 24-bottle Rosette sampler with real-time CTD data transmission; a Hydro-Bios midi multinet sampler; assorted plankton nets including 1-m2 Mysis nets; ponar grabs up to 0.25-m2 area; two autonomous up-looking hydroacoustic platforms with a Kongsberg (Simrad) WBAT with 70- and 200-kHZ transducers; BioSonics echosounder with 120 kHz transducer on towed body; an adaptable array of 55 acoustic telemetry receivers for passive and active fish tracking; several small trailered vessels including a 6-m Henley aluminum workskiff with 60-HP outboard and 6-m Smith-Root electroshocking boat with 50-HP outboard; trucks capable of towing trailered vessels; well-equipped plankton laboratory with compound and dissecting scopes; a variety of nutrient analyzers; a new molecular lab that will be equipped with centrifuge, thermocyclers, pipets, etc.; a flexible wet laboratory plumbed with DI water, compressed air, floor drainage, light controls, and environmental chambers; walk-in freezer and refrigerator; -80°C freezer. RESL also works closely with state, federal, and provincial partners.

Proposals must address basic or applied fish ecology/fisheries research questions on Lake Champlain with relevance to the Laurentian Great Lakes. All topics within this framework are welcome. Some examples are provided here, but we are open to all ideas including natural and/or social sciences:

• Economics and human dimensions of fisheries

• Anthropogenic impacts on fish communities, food webs, and fisheries, including effects of shoreline development, flooding, and contaminants.

• Current or anticipated impacts of invasive species on the Lake Champlain fish communities and food webs and approaches to preventing, mitigating or adapting to those impacts

• Ecology and management of coregonines

To apply, complete and submit the one-page pre-proposal (PDF)/one-page pre-proposal (MSWord) by November 30, 2024. Pre-proposals will be reviewed, and a subset will be selected to submit a full proposal. The anticipated start date is late spring or summer 2025, but starting date can be flexible.

Select resources and publications about institutions and completed/ongoing research on Lake Champlain fisheries (PDF) are available to help applicants better understand the research landscape.

The Lake Champlain Fisheries Research Program (LCFRP) is a competitive grant program on Lake Champlain, funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC), to support research that (1) addresses basic or applied questions on fish ecology and/or fisheries on Lake Champlain and (2) is relevant to the Laurentian Great Lakes and/or other large lakes of the world. The due date for pre-proposals is November 30, 2024.

Lake Champlain Fisheries Research Program RFP (MSWord)