UW Madison PhD position in satellite remote sensing of forests
Position Description:
A 3-year PhD research assistantship to study the use of satellite
remote sensing to monitor forests.
Forests are important society because for biodiversity conservation,
and for the ecosystem services and natural resources that they
provide. However, land use change, forest management practices,
invasive species, and climate change are changing forests.
Sustainable use of forests requires monitoring of these changes, and
satellite remote sensing is a key tool for such
monitoring.
Satellite remote sensing excels in monitoring where forests are, and
where forest disturbance occurs. However, the monitoring of forest
attributes, such as species composition and forest structure, is more
challenging. New developments in remote sensing though, including
the analysis of dense time series of Landsat satellite data, and the data
from the recently launched Landsat 8 satellite open new opportunities for
satellite remote sensing of forests, and will be the focus of this PhD
research position. The analysis of Lidar, radar, and hyperspectral
data may complement the Landsat-based forest monitoring, but Landsat
analyses will be central. Geographically, the focus will be on
WisconsinÂ’s forests.
University, Department, Lab:
The University of Wisconsin –Madison is one of the major research
universities in the United States (<http://www.wisc.edu/>www.wisc.edu).
It ranks 2nd in research expenditures among all U.S. universities and
first among public universities. Total student enrollment is
41,500, out of which 8,800 are graduate students. Employees include
2,000 faculty. UW-Madison has a long history of excellence in
ecology, conservation biology, and remote sensing science. This
project will be housed in the SILVIS laboratory
(<http://silvis.forest.wisc.edu>http://silvis.forest.wisc.edu)
in the Department of Forest Ecology and Management
(<http://forest.wisc.edu>http://forest.wisc.edu).
Town:
Madison, Wisconsin consistently ranks as one of the best places in
the United States to live, work, and study. It is Wisconsin's
capital city, with a vibrant population of approximately 200,000 that
combines small town charm with a nice variety of leisure and cultural
opportunities. For more information on campus and town see
<http://www.uc.wisc.edu/profile/>http://www.uc.wisc.edu/profile/
Stipend/Salary:
Current annual stipend levels are $20,808 per year before taxes,
plus tuition remission and health care benefits. Financial support
is provided by NASA and available for three years. A start date of
September of 2014 is envisioned. However, funding is in hand, and
an earlier start date is an option. A later start date may be
negotiable for exceptional
candidates.
Qualifications:
A MS degree in geography, environmental science, forestry, wildlife
ecology, or other related disciplines is highly desired. Applicants
with a BS degree will only be considered if substantial relevant
experience can be
shown.
A solid working knowledge of remote sensing, GIS, and statistics is
required. Good English writing and verbal communication skills, as
well as the ability to work in a team, are
essential.
Application Process:
Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and review will continue
until candidates are chosen. Applications received before January
15th 2014 are guaranteed consideration. The University of
Wisconsin-Madison is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all
qualified individuals to apply. The position to open to both US
citizen and international candidates.
Interested applicants are asked to e-mail the documents listed below
to our Student Services Coordinator Sara Rodock
(<mailto:rod...@wisc.edu>rod...@wisc.edu) (in ONE PDF file please).
- Our departmental graduate application cover sheet
(<http://go.wisc.edu/63u6lc>http://go.wisc.edu/63u6lc)
- Letter outlining research interests, academic and professional backgrounds
- Resume or CV
- Copies of transcripts (unofficial copies acceptable at this point)
- GRE scores if available
- Reprints if available
- Names and contact addresses of three references
Volker Radeloff,
Professor
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
University of Wisconsin
1630 Linden Drive
Russell Laboratories
Madison WI 53706
<mailto:radel...@wisc.edu>radel...@wisc.edu
