[ES_JOBS_NET] PhD Peatland Carbon Michigan Tech

[Erika Marín-Spiotta]

*Four Years of Graduate Research Assistant Support (PhD)* for a qualified
individual to study response of peatland ecosystems to climate change at
Michigan Technological University, in collaboration with The University of
Alaska (Fairbanks) and Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research site.
Four years of NSF support are anticipated for research, tuition and
stipend, to work in the Alaska Peatland Experiment (
http://www.uoguelph.ca/Apex/APEX/The_Project.html).  In this experiment we
are manipulating the presence of sedges and Ericaceae as well as water
table to understand their interactive effects on peatland carbon cycling.
Specific questions pertain to mechanisms of anaerobic metabolism within
deep organic soils (peat), and how these processes are likely to change
with altered hydrology and the effects of altered hydrology on plant
functional groups.  The successful candidate should have a background or
strong interest in biogeochemistry, ecosystems ecology, plant physiological
ecology, and/or peatland ecology. Demonstrated research experience,
including scientific publications, is a plus.



The position involves field work in Alaska during the summer, while being
enrolled as a graduate student at Michigan Technological University.  The
project is interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature, and there are
ample opportunities to work with collaborators at the USGS, the US Forest
Service, Chapman University, and The University of Guelph.  This allows
exposure to multiple areas of expertise in different lab techniques,
depending on the student’s interest and research questions.



Michigan Tech is located in the snowbelt (>200” annual snowfall) of
Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula on the South Shore of Lake Superior.  The
region is dominated by vast areas of lakes, forests and wetlands.  Michigan
Tech is in the small university town of Houghton, which was rated as one of
the top 10 U.S. adrenaline outposts by National Geographic Adventure
Magazine, boasting excellent skiing, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking.
Michigan Tech's School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
doctoral program has been recently ranked fourth in the nation by Academic
Analytics.



Consideration of applications begins immediately and will continue until
the position is filled. Start date is somewhat flexible, but we are ideally
looking for someone before summer semester, 2015. Please send a cover
letter that states your research interests, your curriculum vitae, and any
other relevant materials, and provide the names and contact information for
three references, by email to Evan Kane (eskane at mtu.edu) and Jason Keller (
jkeller at chapman.edu).
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