Grad Student Openings in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management

We are always looking for highly motivated and collaborative graduate students to join our lab, especially if you have an MS degree and skills in geospatial analyses, hydrologic field methods, hydrologic modeling, and/or R and Python programming. Please contact Jon if you’re interested!

Students may apply to Forest Resources or Soil Science programs in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. For Ph.D. students in Soil Science, the degree can be combined with the Biogeochemistry Dual Title Degree program. For graduate students in Forest Resources, a joint degree in Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society (TREES) is possible.

Our group, the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, and Penn State University are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. I strongly encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Openings:

Grad Student Openings:

Four Graduate Research Assistantships are available on different projects at Penn State beginning Spring or Fall 2024 to study interactions of climate and critical zone on streamflow, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. Successful applicants will be encouraged to take full advantage of interdisciplinary teams. Both PhD and MS applicants will be considered.

Project 1: One graduate research assistantship is available to study the role of large storm events on nitrogen export from forested watersheds with contrasting forest management history. This USDA funded project will focus on the Leading Ridge Experimental Watersheds, just 30 minutes from the Penn State campus. Research could focus on data analysis, modeling, field work, or a combination of the above. Interested applicants should contact Jon Duncan (jmduncan at psu dot edu).

Project 2: One graduate research assistantship is available to examine the ecohydrology and biogeochemistry of urban hot spots and hot moments. The GRA will measure greenhouse gas emissions from a soils across a variety of urban landscape features and different neighborhoods in and around Baltimore, MD. This project is funded through the Baltimore Socio-Environmental Collaborative Urban Integrated Field Laboratory, funded by DOE. This GRA will also be funded through the NSF Urban Critical Zone Network Cluster to examine ecohydrological and biogeochemical linkages in urban watersheds on a project funded by NSF. Interested applicants should contact Jon Duncan (jmduncan at psu dot edu) or Lauren McPhillips (lxm500 at psu dot edu).

Project 3: Two graduate research assistantships are available at Penn State beginning fall 2024 to study how anaerobic soils affect carbon and nitrogen fluxes in forests. This NSF funded project supports an interactive team of graduate students, postdocs, research support staff, and faculty from a range of disciplines including ecology, soil science, hydrology, and meteorology. Successful applicants will be encouraged to take full advantage of this interdisciplinary team. Research will take place in the Shale Hills catchment, near PSU, leveraging abundant instrumentation and historical data. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Jason Kaye (jpk12 at psu dot edu), Ken Davis (kjd10 at psu dot edu), Yuning Shi (yshi at psu dot edu) or Jon Duncan (jmduncan at psu dot edu). Students interested in Kaye or Duncan as advisors may apply to the Graduate Programs in Soil Science the Inter-College Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, or the graduate degree program in Forest Resources. Students interested in working with Davis and Shi may apply to the Meteorology and Atmospheric Science graduate program (http://www.met.psu.edu/prospective-students/graduate-students-ms-and-phd-degrees). All of these degrees can be combined with the Biogeochemistry Dual Title Degree program.

Please indicate which position(s) you are interested in and include a CV. Competitive stipend and benefits are included. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are especially encouraged to contact us. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all its forms.