Work on projectwith Dr. Maggie Holland, Dept. of Geography and Environmental Systems (GES), evaluating conservation and development projects in Central America. 

Position description:

This undergraduate research assistant would become part of a project focused on evaluating the impact of trans-boundary conservation efforts related to the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) in Central America.  I am conducting this research in collaboration with colleagues from Conservation International (CI) and the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) of the World Bank.  In the fall semester, the student will assist in the dissemination of an on-line survey of Central American civil society groups.  Under my guidance, the research assistant will compile survey responses into a database format and assist in basic analysis of those responses.  The student would also communicate with universities and research centers within Central America to compile an inventory of academic research and programs that were developed as a result of the MBC.  During the spring semester, I will work closely with the research assistant to develop a geospatial analysis of conservation and development funding flows related to the MBC.  Each of these activities will contribute to a publication on the MBC, and I expect that this student will have the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to these final products.    

I am looking for an undergraduate student in her/his first four semesters at UMBC, with a strong interest in applied conservation, international research, and geospatial analysis.  She/he must have strong Spanish language skills (ability to read text and write short e-mail communications), and the ability to search on-line databases and compile data within simply spreadsheet programs.  Experience using GIS software is an added bonus.  This is a paid research assistantship, and would represent approximately 5-6 hours/week for the remainder of the fall semester, and 3-5 hours/week in the spring.

If interested, please send an e-mail to Dr. Maggie Holland, at: mholland@umbc.edu, no later than Thursday, October 27^th, 2011.  Please include in your e-mail a statement of your current status at UMBC (confirm that you are within your first four semesters), your interest in this project, and your experience/background.  I welcome GES majors to apply, but will also give consideration to non-GES majors who otherwise fulfill the required skillset.