Graduate Research Position: Urban Forestry & Community Wellbeing

Grow With Us: Graduate Research Positions in Urban Forestry & Community Wellbeing

Are you passionate about making cities greener and healthier? We are looking for two motivated students to join the Agroecology and Resilient Food Systems Program as a graduate student in the MS degree in Agricultural, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences! You’ll become part of a lively, student-focused research team that’s measuring the real-world impact of a regional urban tree planting campaign.

In this hands-on position, you’ll help contribute to a regional tree planting campaign across the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where most municipalities are considered crucial greening communities—cities that desperately could benefit from the ecosystem services of trees, which can improve air quality by filtering pollutants, reduce heat through shade and microclimate regulation, better manage stormwater and floods, and improve public health. Through a partnership among the Texas Trees Foundation, UTRGV Agroecology, and local area schools, we will embark on an ambitious project to plant schoolyard forests across 14 campuses in the region. In order to best inform these efforts, we are recruiting two students who will help collect and analyze data on how urban trees cool the ground, clean the air, and positively influence students’ social and emotional wellness. You’ll use traditional forestry techniques and i-Tree Eco software to quantify trees’ ecosystem services, work outside on field research, and connect with community members and local schools.

If you’re excited about sustainability, curious about urban ecosystems, and want to combine science with direct community impact, we want to hear from you! Previous experience with fieldwork or environmental research is awesome, but enthusiasm, collaborative spirit, and interest in learning are most important!

Eligible students will receive a full tuition waiver and a living stipend of $18,500/year, as well as travel support to present at conferences. We are looking for students to start as early as January 2026!

Ready to apply? Send your resume, cover letter, and contact info for two references to alexis.racelis@utrgv.edu. Reach out if you have any questions—we encourage inquiries from students of all backgrounds!

Let’s work together to build resilient, thriving urban landscapes while you grow your skills and career.