Much of the work of the Forest Ecology Lab at The Morton Arboretum relies on the contributions of others, including volunteers and students.
A willingness to learn and an interest in trees is all that is required to be involved. Opportunities listed here are suitable for individuals with a non-science background, but those with specific skills or interests are always welcome to contact me to discuss additional ideas for involvement or collaboration. If you have a specific interest that falls outside of the below links, please reach out to Christy.
Please note that funds are available for paid opportunities are limited and most are for student internships. We are committed to providing pathways and mentorship for underserved communities and underrepresented groups in ecology. Priority and preference for paid student opportunities will be given to individuals who help advance our mission of increasing diversity and inclusion at the Arboretum and the field of ecology.
I highly encourage those interested in working with me in a mentor-mentee style relationship to read this document about what I look for in students and employees. My expectations for these two groups are different and my approach to research and supervision may not work well with everyone and that is okay. I strongly believe that students in particular should identify mentors who are best able to meet their individual needs and no one person is the ideal mentor for everyone.
Volunteer
You do not need a degree in science to contribute to research. Many of the observations and day-to-day work of the Forest Ecology lab is performed by individuals who haven’t taken biology since high school. All volunteers at The Morton Arboretum need to register with our Volunteer Office.
Student Research
(High School, Undergraduate)
We often have lingering questions from our main research efforts that are suitable for student research. Opportunities listed here are designed to provide a background in forest ecology concepts and skills.
Employment
On occasion, I may have funds available to hire full-, part-, and seasonal time positions. At the moment, these opportunities are unfortunately rare. Opportunities will be posted here as well as on The Morton Arboretum’s open positions page.