PhD Research Assistantships Physiological Ecology of Western US Mountain Forests University of Utah, Dept. of Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah
We are seeking PhD students to work with an interdisciplinary team studying forest physiology and forest carbon and water cycling in mountains of the western U.S. Current projects are focused on biological and physical factors influencing photosynthesis and transpiration of mountain forests in the context of climate change and drought. The students will have the opportunity to learn and use a wide variety of techniques, including measurement of leaf traits and gas exchange, plant water transport, forest environmental and flux measurement methods, and isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and to work collaboratively with scientists using satellite-based remote sensing observations and Earth system models. The students will be trained in analytical field and laboratory instrumentation and research techniques, experimental design, data analysis, computer programming, ecological modeling and scientific writing. These positions include up to 5 years of financial support in the form of research and teaching assistantships, and will involve field work in Utah, Colorado, and other western states. Requirements: 1) a bachelor’s or master’s degree and research experience in a field of Earth system science (ecology, geology, physics, chemistry, geography, etc.), 2) innate curiosity about the natural world and how it works, 3) interest in learning and applying cutting-edge analytical techniques to study ecology, and 4) strong motivation and ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Experience with plant physiological ecology or environmental instrumentation are highly desired. The students will be based in the research groups of Dr. Bill Anderegg and/or Dr. Dave Bowling at the University of Utah (http://www.utah.edu) in Salt Lake City. More information about our Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology is available at http://www.biology.utah.edu/graduate/index.php, and about our research groups at http://wrlanderegg.com/ and http://biologylabs.utah.edu/bowling. The University of Utah is ranked among the top research institutions in the nation and is home to more than 30,000 students and 18,000 employees. Salt Lake City is a sunny Western city with outstanding cultural and outdoor recreational opportunities, including “the greatest snow on earth!” Deadline to apply is January 3, 2017. Opportunities to work on other projects are also available. If you’re interested, please contact either Dr. Bill Anderegg, ander...@utah.edu Dr. Dave Bowling, david.bowl...@utah.edu Dept. of Biology University of Utah
