[ES_JOBS_NET] PhD opportunities in Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz

[Kai Zhu]

Dr. Kai Zhu is recruiting 1-2 PhD student(s) starting in Fall 2022 in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
 
The Zhu Lab works on research questions at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity, and ecosystem processes, using quantitative approaches such as remote sensing, species distribution models, and Bayesian statistical methods. Current research projects include (1) phenological responses to climate change and human activity in the Northern Hemisphere; (2) the biogeography of soil fungi in North America; and (3) wildfire propagation and forest regrowth in California. More information is available at https://zhulab.ucsc.edu/.
 
Students are encouraged to develop their own projects, which is an essential part of their advancement as independent and creative researchers. Dr. Zhu expects students to have previous research experience and a strong background in ecology and environmental science, as well as math, statistics, and programming. However, in the Zhu Lab, students will learn new methods and tools by attending classes, workshops, and working on projects, so the most important quality is the willingness to learn.
 
The PhD program in Environmental Studies is explicitly interdisciplinary, with expectations to engage in both natural and social sciences coursework and research. The department guarantees five years of support for graduate students. Through working with faculty advisors, graduate students in Environmental Studies have been highly successful in obtaining external funding. UC Santa Cruz ranks among the top universities (https://news.ucsc.edu/2019/07/cwur-rankings.html) in terms of research influence (https://news.ucsc.edu/2017/09/times-higher-ed.html), research quality (https://news.ucsc.edu/2019/06/rankings.html), and social impact (https://news.ucsc.edu/2021/04/princeton-review.html) worldwide, and it is within a half-hour drive of the Silicon Valley. Located on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Santa Cruz has numerous year-round opportunities for outdoor recreation (sailing, surfing, mountain biking, hiking, etc.). For information about program requirements, funding, and admissions, please consult the graduate program coordinator Amy Profitt (envsgpc at ucsc dot edu), the department website (https://envs.ucsc.edu/graduate/prospective-grads/index.html), and the Graduate School website (https://www.gradadmissions.ucsc.edu).
 
Interested students should contact Dr. Kai Zhu (kai dot zhu at ucsc dot edu) as early as possible and no later than the application deadline in December 2021 with the following information: (1) your research experience, ideas, and questions; (2) your motivations to pursue a PhD and long-term career goals; (3) why you are interested in the Environmental Studies Department at UCSC; and (4) your current CV, academic transcript, and TOEFL score (if applicable).