As a society, we are standing with The Duke Herbarium and request that Duke University reconsider the decision to divest their herbarium. We ask that you also consider adding your support by signing this petition (https://www.change.org/p/urge-duke-university-to-reconsider-closing-their-herbarium) organized by AIBS, iDigBio, NSCA, and SPNHC with the support of ASPT, ABLS, BSA, and SHC.
Individuals are invited to apply for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Botany/Plant Evolution in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University (NAU).
H. T. Harvey & Associates, an ecological consulting firm, is looking for an experienced senior botanist and/or wetlands ecologist with a background in wetland delineation and experience in regulatory permitting for a full-time managerial position in the botany group in our San Francisco Bay Area office.
Tenure Track Position in Plant Biology (Plant Ecology) at Georgia's Public Liberal Arts Institution.
The Department of Botany and Plant Ecology at Weber State University invites applications for a tenure-track position, with the appointment to begin in July 2024.
The Michigan State University Herbarium is seeking to fill an open position to oversee operations of our dynamic herbarium. Please apply and become a part of an active herbarium in a vibrant department at a university that is nationally recognized in the plant sciences. We’re looking for someone with experience in herbarium collection management and who can collaborate with educators, learners, and researchers to build connections between the herbarium and other units on campus.
The Garden Club of America’s Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany provides at least one grant award of $4,500 annually to support research related to medicinal plants. An important aspect of the award is that it is intended to enable a student to pursue an avenue of research that might otherwise prove closed. Accordingly, the funds may be used to cover direct costs associated with travel, field studies, or laboratory research. However, fellowship funds may not cover indirect costs, overhead, or student stipends and should not be used to pay for lab space or supplies normally provided by universities. In recent years, up to three awards have been made.
Eligible candidates include U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled in PhD programs in U.S.-based institutions, in any field of specialty, or who have received a doctoral degree within the last five years. The fellowship is administered by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Fellowship recipients will be selected by a panel of botanists with expertise in economic botany or ethnobotany, subject to approval by the Garden Club of America Scholarship Committee. Please note that an applicant may only apply to one GCA scholarship, fellowship, or award per year.
Please submit the following:
a brief application letter
an abstract of 200 words or less
a two-page research proposal, single-spaced in 12 pt type, giving the project’s background and purpose and describing activities to be conducted (proposals will be treated as confidential; proposals longer than two pages will be considered ineligible)
a one-page budget that explains how funds would be used
a current curriculum vitae
for graduate students, a letter from an advisor certifying enrollment in a PhD program
copies of permits for field work or studies including animals, research clearances, and permission from governmental agencies for foreign research (if permits are being applied for but have not yet been obtained, please ensure that the proposal explains the situation)
Proposals must be received by January 31.
Mail applications to:
Dr. Wendy Applequist
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63110
Proposals may also be submitted by e-mail to wendy.applequist@mobot.org. Please enquire if you do not receive a response to electronic submissions within two business days.
Fixed-term faculty position for those with expertise and experience in field research and plant identification
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is excited to announce four full-time career-track research positions in Science. We are searching for creative, collaborative thinkers to join us in a multidisciplinary approach to developing effective nature/biodiversity-based solutions to 21st century problems. NYBG scientists leverage the existing strengths of the institution and its staff while building unique and collaborative opportunities. We seek to enhance NYBG’s Science Division by inviting individuals with creative, innovative, synergistic research programs who are interested in joining an accomplished group of researchers to apply for these positions.
NYBG is seeking Biologists and Data Scientists with interdisciplinary experience in biodiversity informatics, data science, systematics, evolutionary biology, genomics, ecology, food security, remote sensing, machine learning, ethnobotany, and/or conservation.
The new hires will join a growing interdisciplinary research and scholarship team at NYBG to build fundamental and applied knowledge that contributes to developing solutions-oriented approaches to biodiversity and urban conservation, climate change mitigation, climate and community resilience, and/or food security. This Cluster Hiring Initiative will help NYBG meet its strategic goals to drive faculty diversity and grow the impact of NYBG research locally, nationally, and internationally. Curators will be expected to leverage the NYBG collections (living, herbarium, library, and/or laboratory) in creative ways to address pressing issues facing the world, while having the opportunity to develop long-term programs ranging from local to international as a primary focus of their responsibilities.
Additionally, this position support, through actions and conduct, NYBG’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility initiatives and actively helps to build and maintain an inclusive organizational culture throughout the institution.
Curator of Plants Overview
Plants are essential to life on Earth, providing the oxygen and food on which all life depends. Plants are the foundation of the world’s biodiversity—and form a Kingdom of more than 250,000 species that define and sustain ecosystems and regulate the planet’s climate. Plants serve as indicators of the effects of global change on Earth’s ecosystems and are essential to sustainability initiatives. Plants and plant-derived products have been fundamental to the development of human societies and cultures; providing housing, clothing, food, and medicine, as well as aesthetic pleasure and inspiration to all peoples.
Developing human understanding of plant diversity, ecology, evolution, and function is critical to addressing the complex challenges facing society today, including rapid biodiversity loss, agricultural sustainability, land use, human health, and climate change. As Canada’s largest museum and most highly visited cultural institution, ROM is ambitious in its unique capacity to facilitate discovery and awareness of the fundamental role of plants in global ecosystems and human culture. The Museum’s botanical collection is world-class and global in scope, comprising more than 1.1 million specimens within ROM’s Green Plant Herbarium, including the largest and most representative collection of Ontario flora available. This diverse trove of specimens of flowering plants, conifers, ferns, mosses, algae, seeds, and pollen from varied habitats and geographic regions is an invaluable resource, used regularly by local and international researchers, naturalists, and biologists seeking to document and understand plant diversity. This unparalleled resource supports ROM public programs, exhibitions, and galleries by bridging the realms of art, culture, and nature.
The Position: Associate Curator, Curator, or Senior Curator of Plants
ROM seeks an innovative and collaborative Curator to build, interpret, and share the Museum’s plants collection and to be an engaging spokesperson for the importance of green plants, including vascular plants, pteridophytes, bryophytes, and algae. The Curator of Plants will initiate and develop transdisciplinary exhibitions and public programs, collaborate with community groups and stakeholders, and demonstrate exceptional leadership, listening, and communication skills. Recognizing multiple voices and types of authority, the position will encourage and educate the public at all levels of interest, as well as train the next generation of plant biologists. The Curator will conduct conceptually driven, collection-based research in botanical systematics, ecology, and evolution in the context of plant conservation and plants’ role in sustainability and human society. Candidates’ collection-based research program will integrate into the highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research of ROM’s Department of Natural History and complement the Museum’s art and cultural disciplines.
The successful candidate will be a high-level, practicing scientist with a graduate degree, who has achievements in the field, has published, embarked on a successful career, and is now interested in having a more public-facing role. There may be opportunities for university cross-appointment as well as eligibility for Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) funding in support of research.
Education & Experience
A graduate degree in plant systematics, plant ecology, or plant conservation biology, and well versed in plant taxonomy and phylogenetic methods for analyzing DNA, knowledge of morphological datasets, phylogenomics, comparative genomics, evolutionary biology, or historical biogeography Two years postdoctoral or equivalent experience within a large museum, university, NGO or government department, or a related environment, including working with internal and external stakeholders and partners Experience proposing and developing museum exhibitions and public programs Interest in science communication and outreach, and eager to engage with the public; a strong public speaker International, cross-cultural and/or Indigenous experience A record of original research and peer-reviewed publications or catalogues and eligibility for university cross-appointment
The ROM Curator will:
Lead collaboratively within multi-disciplinary exhibition teams and with educators, programmers, and designers to integrate plant sciences into current and future development, interpretation, and installation of special exhibitions and permanent galleries involving botany as well as the intersection of art, culture, and nature. Passionately engage the public, fostering understanding and dialog about the importance of plants as fundamental to the well-being and long-term sustainability of the Earth and humankind. Create impactful programs, panels, and publications that engage both experts and broad audiences, and enhance recognition of the central role plants play in ecosystems and human society. Conduct conceptually driven, collection-aligned, original research on the systematics and evolution of green plants with a breadth of interests that may include plant ecology, ethnobotany, conservation biology, global environmental and climate change, pollinator interactions, and sustainability; Develop a program of externally funded scholarly research and publications that is accessible and relevant on multiple levels, including to a broad public audience. Partner with communities to develop exhibitions and programs, recognizing multiple voices and sources of authority; foster collaborative relationships and projects in close collaboration with stakeholders across disciplines and departments, as well as external partners. Establish a vision and five-year plan for continuing to develop ROM’s extraordinary Green Plant Collection. Be a dynamic and effective communicator, and strong spokesperson for the importance of plants. Participate in fundraising activities to support the growth and development of ROM’s strategic initiatives, programming, and research. May engage in university teaching and/or supervision of graduate students and interns. Supervise, train, and monitor contract or part-time staff, volunteers, interns, and students working in the collections and in the laboratory (onsite), and in the field (offsite). Maintain professional affiliations in scholarly, scientific, and museum curatorial organizations, and professional societies.
Additional Assets and Experience may include:
Knowledge of museum ethics standards
Experience in plant conservation and sustainability
Herbarium curation
Digitization of botanical collections
Bioinformatics
Image collections and image banks
Contemporary floristics and phytogeography
Botanical history
Cultural uses of plants
A proven record of successful grant applications and/or donor and sponsor development
To apply, send the following materials to Ida Tomlin, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference at: SearchandRef@museum-search.com:
1) A cover letter expressing interest in this particular position, giving brief examples of past experiences and salary requirement
2) A résumé or curriculum vitae
3) The names and contact information of at least three references and your professional relationship
Application deadline is September 30, 2023.
References will not be contacted without prior permission of the applicant. For additional information, visit: http://museum-search.com/open-searches/. Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide publication samples. Nominations are welcome.