Concordia is an english-speaking University in the vibrant and diverse city of Montreal. Our lab is based in the Department of Biologyon Loyola Campus - a beautiful green campus in the western part of the city, but within reach of downtown. Students here have numerous opportunities to learn and collaborate outside the lab, especially given the presence of 4 universities in the City of Montreal, as well as affiliations with the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science and Concordia's new hub for Smart, Sustainable, and Resilient Cities and Communities.
I have diverse interests in the fields of landscape ecology, ecosystem services, sustainability, and biodiversity science, and am always happy to discuss opportunities with creative, enthusiastic, and motivated undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate research projects can be developed with close ties to ongoing research in the lab, or based on particular student interests if applicable to our work and expertise. Research in our lab typically combines field work with laboratory and/or computer analysis, with most data collection occurring in the summer in urban or peri-urban areas. Please take a look through the Research and Publications pages to get an idea of our recent and on-going projects. Interested students are encouraged to contact Dr. Carly Ziter directly (carly.ziter@concordia.ca) to discuss available projects, funding opportunities, or specific research ideas they may have. Please include your CV, (unofficial) transcript, and a description of why you want to join the lab.
Opportunities
Graduate Students While the lab sometimes has funding for new graduate students (see current opportunities, bottom of page), eligible candidates are also encouraged to apply for independent research funding (e.g. through NSERC, FRQNT). Carly is happy to help you work through these applications (but be aware that deadlines are often far in advance of admission!). Concordia also offers fellowships for very strong applicants (considered at time of application). You can read more about the Biology graduate program here. Please note that it is rare that I can support international students (and particularly international MSc applicants) due to funding structures.
Postdocs We currently do not have funding for postdocs, but there are provincial (FRQNT), and national (NSERC) funding opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Additional funding opportunities for postdoctoral work in Canada include Liber Ero, and Mitacs. Please contact Carly if you are interested in working on an application together.
Undergraduate Students We often hire undergraduates for summer research, and encourage students to apply for summer research funding through Concordia's Undergraduate Research Opportunities. The best time to contact Carly about summer research is during the Winter semester. Students can also obtain up to 6 credits for independent research done in the lab if you quality and sign up for Concordia's BSc Honours' program. Please contact Ian Ferguson for more information regarding undergraduate research in ecology.
Current Undergraduate Opportunities
We are currently hiring (paid) summer field assistants for two main projects from May-August 2020. Please note that students who meet the eligibility for a Concordia Undergraduate Student Research Award (or NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award) will be given priority for these positions. If you are not sure whether you are eligible for a CUSRA, please check here.
For either job, please contact Dr. Carly Ziter (carly.ziter@concordia.ca) by 3:00pm Tuesday, February 4th, and include your CV and (unofficial) transcript. Please email with any questions.
Current Graduate Opportunities
Fully funded PhD position: the effects of vegetation and built infrastructure on the urban microclimate
Cities worldwide are experiencing record-breaking summer air temperatures, and high levels of pollution, with serious consequences for people. Increased tree cover, green roofs/facades and a transformation of the built infrastructure and transport system are suggested as climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, but there is still limited understanding about how different aspects of this “green” and “grey” infrastructure work together to influence urban microclimates at multiple scales. We are looking for a PhD student to study the effects of vegetation in the built environment on urban microclimate and air quality in Montreal.The student will be co-advised by Dr. Carly Ziter (Biology Department) and Dr. Ursula Eicker (Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering) at Concordia University, and will be part of Concordia’s Next Generation Cities Excellence Research Cluster, which includes faculty and students in engineering, biology, design, and philosophy. Click here for full advertisement.
A note for general applicants:
If you are applying for a specific, advertised graduate or postdoc position, please refer to that position's advertisement for guidance (and mention the opportunity you are applying to in your email). However, if you are applying to the lab generally, read on...
Rather than proposing a specific project, I prefer to work closely with students to develop a project idea they are excited about. Particular project directions may include (but are not limited to):
Characterizing relationships among biodiversity and multiple ES provided by green infrastructure. eg:
Does a variety of urban green space types improve landscape multifunctionality?
Which aspects of biodiversity are most strongly correlated with urban ES?
The role of urban landscape structure in moderating biodiversity and ES provision. eg:
Does configuration of urban green space - especially land sharing vs. sparing approaches to development - drive spatial tradeoffs among biodiversity and ES?
Can we leverage private management to scale up biodiversity and/or ES provision in a high-density city?
Ecosystem services (and particularly climate adaptation) provided by the urban forest. eg:
How will interacting drivers (impervious surfaces, tree canopy, weather conditions) affect urban temperatures in a future warmer climate?
How will direct and indirect changes in biodiversity alter forest-based ecosystem services?
Note: The lab currently has particular expertise in tree/plant biodiversity, and climate and regulating ecosystem services (e.g. those related to soil properties and nutrients, carbon storage, temperature regulation). Studying additional services/taxa may be an option depending on the interests and expertise of the applicant, and funding sources available.
Please note that we do not explicitly study urban agriculture or food systems in the lab.