Graduate School, Spatial Autocorrelation, and the Landscape Ecology Conf in Texas

[dberger]

I am relatively new to this newsgroup, however, this one appealed to me 
to a good place to start with a few random questions:

1)  Does anyone have any information regarding a Landscape Ecology 
Conference in Texas at the end of March?  Or where I could look for such 
info.  I am on my way upstairs to the Journals....

2)  I am trying to write my first research paper (I am an undergrad at 
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; majors wildlife and biology) and 
am having a difficult time finding people who are familiar with the 
application of spatial autocorrelation.  The project works with the 
endangered Karner Blue Butterfly and lupine.  Any extra sources or advice 
would be very helpful.

3)  I accepted a 2 year position working for the Journal of Wildlife 
Management which will give me the opportunity to stay in Stevens Point 
and start my graduate coursework here.  I then hope to transfer to a 
school (hopefully in the west; I am from Idaho and miss it dearly) to 
complete my degree.  I visited Utah State this past week to meet with 
professors about graduate school.  Although, it went extremely well, I 
still feel confused about the whole process.  I think that my biggest 
problem is that I am interested in studying a wide variety of topics from 
modeling, working with GIS Landscape type issues, sustainable 
development issues, to very physical work (working with fire/mt. goats). 
How does someone narrow down what they want to spend a 2 year chunk of 
their life studying?  and can anyone give me advice on how they found 
their way to their masters degree.

Thanks,

Steph Gripne
sgrip196 at student1.uwsp.edu
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point