<div dir="ltr"><br clear="all"><div><br></div><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Subject: Graduate assistantships: Impacts of climate change on boreal forest organic matter dynamics</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Graduate assistantships: Impacts of climate change on boreal forest=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">organic matter dynamics</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Graduate assistantships are available for keen and motivated students=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">interested in research and training centered around understanding the=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">impact of climate change on boreal forest organic matter reservoirs.  Thi=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">s=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">assistantship is available as part of an NSERC Strategic Project research=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">team made up of foreign collaborators, provincial and Canadian Forest=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Service partners as well as Memorial University researchers in Earth=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Sciences and Chemistry.  The project is focused on exploiting the=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">established Newfoundland and Labrador Boreal Ecosystem Latitudinal=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Transect (NL-BELT) with four sites located in western Newfoundland and=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">southern Labrador. Here we are investigating the potential alterations in=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">microbial transformations of soil organic matter (SOM) and losses of=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">relatively slow turnover pools of SOM that may occur with warming along=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">this boreal forest transect. To isolate the potential impact of warming=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">while maintaining an ability to apply the results to intact boreal=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">forests, our group has been conducting investigations of soils along the=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">NL-BELT and combining these with manipulative warming experiments to=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">develop biogeochemical indicators of soil responses to increasing=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">temperature.  It is anticipated that new graduate students in this progra=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">m=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">will focus one of the following areas within this boreal forest climate=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">change context:</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">1. Stream dissolved organic matter and nutrient cycling.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">2. Distribution and turnover of microbial biomarkers and microbial=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">remnants in soils.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">3. Relationship among soil organic matter turnover and it elemental,=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">isotopic and molecular character: Potential role of organic-mineral=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">interactions</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Experience with aquatic or soil biogeochemistry, organic geochemistry,=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">and/or environmental chemistry particularly at the M.Sc. level will be=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">important.  Consideration of students seeking a M.Sc. degree will only be=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">considered in cases where a strong background of experience in=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">environmental chemistry is demonstrated (e.g. successful B.Sc. honors=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">thesis). Applicants should be willing and able to conduct field research=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">at remote study sites for weeks at a time.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Assistantships will be available as early as January 1, 2013 through the=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Department of Earth Sciences or the Ph.D. program in Environmental=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Sciences at Memorial University (</span><a href="http://www.mun.ca/" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">http://www.mun.ca/</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">). Memorial is the=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">largest university in Atlantic Canada. As the province=92s only universit=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">y,=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Memorial plays an integral role in the educational life of Newfoundland=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">and Labrador (</span><a href="http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">). Offering a diverse se=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">t=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">of undergraduate and graduate programs for approximately 18,000 students,=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Memorial provides a distinctive and stimulating environment for learning=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">in St. John=92s (</span><a href="http://www.stjohns.ca/index.jsp" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">http://www.stjohns.ca/index.jsp</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">), a very safe, friendly=20=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">city with great historical charm, a vibrant cultural life, and easy acces=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">s=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">to a wide range of outdoor activities.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Please direct inquires or send applications, including letter of interest=</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">and detailed curriculum vitae (including contact information for 3=20</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">references), to:</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Dr. Susan Ziegler</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Canada Research Chair in Environmental Science</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Department of Earth Sciences</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Memorial University</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">St. John=92s, NL  A1B 3X5</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Canada</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><a href="tel:709.864.2669" value="+17098642669" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">709.864.2669</a><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<a href="mailto:sziegler@mun.ca" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">sziegler@mun.ca</a><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Review of applications will commence </span><span class="" tabindex="0" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span class="">September 30, 2013</span></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
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