The Hines lab is recruiting a Masters student through the Rachel Carson Applied Conservation Graduate Training and Fellowship Program. This student should be interested in careers in applied conservation and a training experience that integrates research with field research, policy, outreach, and engagement with conservation agencies. Research projects could include projects such as optimized pollinator plantings for bees, management strategies to supporting bee nesting, and land management to mitigate climate and pathogen stress for native bees. There could be also be opportunities for studying the conservation of other insects as well. This student could start anytime from Spring 2026 through to Fall 2026, with a preference of a Summer 2026 start date. More information about this Fellowship program below. To apply, please email Dr. Hines with your interests in the program.

The Rachel Carson Applied Conservation Graduate Training Program will fund 3 graduate students pursuing Master’s degrees in the area of Applied Conservation involving entomological research. Many students are keen on engaging the public in conservation and to help declining insect populations. Many organizations that address such declines are looking to hire individuals with graduate degrees for obtaining field data, land management, policy, and/or public education initiatives in their programs, but jobs are competitive. The goal of this program is two-fold: to provide an opportunity for students interested in these careers to obtain an education that maximizes their success for securing these jobs and, in the process, to improve faculty mentor education on how to train these students. 

To optimize student training, students will pursue a graduate research project with direct-to-application benefits for insect conservation. This will be done with internship-style engagement with an agency that performs this applied work. This includes organizations such as the EPA, forest service, fish and wildlife, pollinator protection programs like Xerces, local organizations like Penn State Master Gardeners, or corporations with conservation agendas. Students will also be more engaged than a typical student in the myriad outreach opportunities the PSU Entomology program engages with yearly. Students will focus on obtaining coursework in outreach, policy, conservation, and management here at PSU and will have a thesis that integrates their training and educational experience with their research experience. In addition, the department will develop a seminar course on Applied Conservation for these, and other interested students, that will further engage opportunities and career prospects with these organizations. Projects may be diverse, but example projects would likely involve managing land for conservation.