A PhD graduate research assistantship is available on the utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for weed mapping, species detection and other relevant applications in agricultural systems, at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. The position starts in the fall term (Sep 2018), however a summer start is preferred.
Research will involve laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments aimed at characterizing different weed species using a range of sensors and other instrumentation. The student will interact and collaborate with other scientists within the department and across colleges, including mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, computer science & engineering and geospatial sciences. Texas A&M is a leader in UAV research for agricultural applications and has put together a strong team of researchers with core expertise in different areas that ensures success (see Shi et al. 2016; http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0159781). State-of-the art instrumentation and other tools have been acquired by different team members over the past couple of years. This position is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate. The preferred candidate must hold or be currently working towards an MS degree in weed science, agronomy, ecology, remote sensing or a related field. Research will primarily involve various physiological measurements, reflectance characterization and data analysis. Knowledge of image analysis and instrumentation is preferred, but is not an absolute requirement. However, a strong interest in precision weed management, an ability to quickly learn concepts and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team are must. Application details: Please e-mail your CV, a copy of academic transcript (unofficial), GRE/TOEFL scores (GRE is a must) and contact details of three referees to Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan (mu...@tamu.edu). For best consideration, please apply by Feb 15, 2018 but the process may continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Please e-mail any queries regarding this position to 'mu...@tamu.edu'.
