This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2005. The goal of the fellowship is to increase the participation of minority scientists at the postdoctoral level and to prepare them for positions of scientific leadership in US science. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training and research of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. It is expected that Fellows supported through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce.
The research and training plan is entitled "Landscape ecology and metapopulation dynamics of mountain lions and black bears in the Chihuahuan desert." The preservation of large carnivores is one of the most important and difficult challenges facing conservationists today. The research objectives are to evaluate the effects of landscape changes on the metapopulation dynamics of mountain lions and black bears in the Chihuahuan Desert. This research also addresses broader issues associated with conservation across international boundaries.
The training goals are to enhance the Fellow's abilities as a conservation biologist and improve her skills in ecological modeling and spatial analysis.
