Motivated PhD or MS-level students are sought for a research assistantship to study the chemical character and bioavailability of organic matter in atmospheric deposition and its influence on alpine environments. There is an urgency to improve our understanding of how biogeochemical cycling and surface water quality in high-elevation catchments are responding to climatic changes. The combination of increasing temperatures and dust emissions, melting glaciers, and surprisingly high amounts of microbial activity in recently deglaciated soils, suggest atmospheric inputs of carbon and nutrients to barren alpine catchments are important.
Applicants are expected to have a strong background in environmental science or engineering or related discipline and interest in conducting fieldwork, designing experiments, and using analytical equipment. Interested students should be able to meet GRE and TOEFL (if international student) requirements of the Department of Civil Engineering at Kansas State University (http://www.ce.ksu.edu/grad/apply). Additional desired qualifications: - Laboratory and analytical experience - Interest in K-12 educational outreach - Ability to travel within US or abroad Please send your CV, a list of three references (along with contact phone and email), and a cover letter summarizing qualifications and research interests to Dr. Natalie Mladenov, currently at mlade...@colorado.edu. Please refer to Research assistantship in alpine environmental science. Preferred start date is January 2012. Application review is currently underway and will continue until candidates are selected. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Also visit www.ce.ksu.edu/jobs for more information.
