[ES_JOBS_NET] Recruiting a PhD student in coupled biogeochemical cycles at Michigan State University to start fall 2023

[Jacqueline Gerson]

Subject: Recruiting a PhD student in coupled biogeochemical cycles at
Michigan State University to start fall 2023



The Watershed Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene Lab (
http://gersonlab.weebly.com) at Michigan State University is recruiting a
motivated, collaborative, and curious PhD student in coupled biogeochemical
cycles to start in Fall 2023. We study how anthropogenic activities have
altered the coupled cycling of nutrients and contaminants through
watersheds, with a focus on mercury. We examine the fate, transport, and
transformation of these elements within and between terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems, including their consequences for people and animals.



The PhD student will have flexibility in their research to find a topic
that excites them but could focus on one of the following projects: the
fate of mercury from artisanal gold mining in Peru, Ghana, or Kenya; the
impact of agricultural sulfur use on mercury cycling in California; or
antagonism between mercury and selenium. This research will involve a
combination of fieldwork, laboratory analyses, and lab experiments. The
student will be expected to work both independently and collaboratively, to
communicate results in peer-reviewed scientific articles and conferences
presentations, and to share their work with relevant community members and
leaders.



The Gerson Lab is part of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
<https://ees.natsci.msu.edu/> and Kellogg Biological Station
<https://www.kbs.msu.edu/> at Michigan State University. Graduate students
can also affiliate with the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
<https://eeb.msu.edu/> Program. Collectively, these communities provide
great opportunities for students to work and interact with other watershed
and ecosystem scientists in a supportive and collaborative environment. We
are committed to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
in STEM.



I encourage all students applying to graduate school to check out this
article <https://ecoevorxiv.org/e5umr> I co-authored about demystifying the
graduate school application process.



*Minimum qualifications*: Students from a range of academic majors are
encouraged to apply, including biology, chemistry, ecology, environmental
engineering, environmental science, geochemistry, hydrology, and other
related fields. Applicants from historically underrepresented groups in
STEM are particularly encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to
students with a M.S. degree by the start date, although we will consider
all students with a B.A. or B.S.



*Desired qualifications*: Previous research experience and/or relevant
coursework, self-motivation, willingness to learn, positive attitude,
interest in a cross-disciplinary approach, ability to work collaboratively
in teams, and a commitment to creating an inclusive culture in the research
group and more broadly in research science and education.



Note that GRE scores are not required or considered as part of the
application. FreeApp waivers
<https://btaa.org/resources-for/students/freeapp/introduction> for
application fees are available with priority given to those who apply by
November 15, though submissions after that date will still be considered
for support.



*Funding*: This position will be funded on a combination of teaching and
research assistantships, which include a competitive stipend for five years
(including summers), tuition waiver, health insurance benefits, assistance
with moving costs to East Lansing, and purchase of a personal computer.
There will also be opportunities for professional development, including
presentation of research at conferences.



If interested, please review our lab website for more information and then
contact Dr. Jacqueline Gerson at gersonja at msu.edu to arrange a zoom call.
In your email, please include your CV and briefly address the following: 1)
your previous research experience and/or relevant skills, 2) your research
interests, and 3) why you are interested in joining this lab. *The
application deadline for Earth and Environmental Sciences is December 7.
Initial contact is requested prior to formally applying to the department.* I
encourage all students who are eligible to apply for a NSF Graduate
Research Fellowship <https://www.nsfgrfp.org/>, and I would be excited to
work with prospective graduate students to develop a proposal (due
mid-October).



*Location*: Michigan State University is located in East Lansing, Michigan,
with Kellogg Biological Station ~1.5 hours away in Hickory Corners,
Michigan. MSU is a community of ~50,000 undergraduate and graduate
students. East Lansing offers an excellent quality of life, with a
reasonable cost of living and access to many outdoor activities (hiking,
paddling, biking, cross-country skiing). East Lansing is also ~1 hour from
Detroit and Ann Arbor, and ~4 hours from Chicago. MSU is an equal
opportunity employer. We encourage applications from women, persons of
color, veterans, persons with disabilities and other individuals who can
contribute to the intellectual diversity and cultural richness
at Michigan State University. Michigan State University occupies the
ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three
Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University
resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.
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