[ES_JOBS_NET] PhD positions in Water Studies and Sustainability

[Noel Aloysius]

*Graduate Research Opportunities in Water Studies and Sustainability*

The Hydrology Research Group led by Dr. Noel Aloysius at the University of
Missouri <https://missouri.edu/> is seeking 2-4 motivated students to
pursue PhD studies in hydroclimatology, water and natural resources
management. Students can enroll in one of the following units:

   - Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering (
   https://engineering.missouri.edu/academics/bbce/)
   - School of Natural Resources (https://snr.missouri.edu/)
   - Institute for Data Science and Informatics (
   https://muidsi.missouri.edu/)
   - Civil and Environmental Engineering (
   https://engineering.missouri.edu/academics/civil/)

Expected start dates are Spring or Fall of 2022. The successful candidates
will have opportunities to pursue independent research in one or more of
the following research projects:

1)   Developing, testing and validating hydrologic, hydraulic and
biogeochemical cycling models for watersheds in the Mississippi River
Basin, and incorporating machine learning and other novel search algorithms
to offer innovative solutions to problems pertaining to water availability,
watershed management and water quality.

2)   Developing integrated assessment models to evaluate the economic
benefits of water resource infrastructure (dams, reservoirs, levees,
irrigation canals, conservation practices and green infrastructure, etc.)
on mitigation and risk reduction due to climate change, soil erosion, and
enhancement of public access to water supplies.

3)   Compiling existing instrumentation and monitoring technologies, and
developing data integration technologies to aid in testing, validating, and
improving ecosystem model simulations/predictions.

4)   Developing holistic analytical decision support tools that account for
water use, environmental conservation practices, and climate change
adaptation among others to evaluate new technologies for aiding sustainable
resource management and precision agriculture in the Missouri River Basin.

5)   Evaluating the impacts of wetland enhancement and flooding on water
table dynamics and nitrate transport in mixed agricultural and natural
landscapes. Research activities include field instrumentation, monitoring,
and modeling ground- and surface- water interactions.

6)   Developing field instrumentation (e.g., unmanned aerial systems, large
aperture scintillometers, weather stations, soil moisture sensors, among
others) and integrating cloud-based data visualization technologies to
monitor, estimate, and predict ecosystem fluxes across multiple managed
landscapes in the Missouri River Basin.

7)   Evaluating deficit irrigation methods to improve water management in
small-scale producer systems. Research activities include setting up and
monitoring smallholder agricultural plots at the University of Missouri
Agricultural Experimental Station.

Successful applicants are expected to conduct high-quality research,
present research findings at conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals
and assist in teaching. A competitive stipend, tuition waiver and health
benefits will be provided to qualified candidates.



*Qualifications: *MS degree in a science or engineering discipline (e.g.,
Agricultural, Biological, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Mathematics, Computer
Science, Physics or related field). *Highly motivated and qualified
students with BS degrees will also be considered.* Strong writing,
quantitative, and analytical skills are essential. Successful candidates
will be creative, motivated, and capable of working independently as well
as collaboratively.



*Location:* All positions are located in Columbia, Missouri, and will
require travel to multiple field locations.



*Contact:* For more information about the positions, please contact Noel
Aloysius at aloysiusn at missouri.edu



*Application Instructions: *Please email Noel Aloysius (
aloysiusn at missouri.edu) in a *single PDF*: 1) A letter of interest that
briefly describes educational and research background, as well as research
interests/goals (1-2 pages); 2) A curriculum vitae that also includes, if
applicable, TOEFL/IELTS scores; 3) Unofficial copies of transcripts; and 4)
Contact information of three professional references (referees will not be
contacted initially). Please write “Graduate Research Position 2021/22” in
the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately.



*Diversity Commitment:* The University of Missouri is fully committed to
achieving the goal of a diverse and inclusive academic community of
faculty, staff and students. We seek individuals who are committed to this
goal and our core campus values of respect, responsibility, discovery and
excellence. The University of Missouri is an equal opportunity/affirmative
action employer.
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