[ES_JOBS_NET] 2 Ph.D. Biogeochemistry Positions Open at Utah State University

[Derrick Vaughn]

Seeking 2 Ph.D. students to start Fall 2025 in the field of biogeochemistry. The students will be based in the Geosciences Department (https://www.usu.edu/geo/) at Utah State University (Logan, UT) and will work under the supervision of Dr. Derrick Vaughn. At Utah State University, the student will be able to become an affiliate of the Ecology Center (https://www.usu.edu/ecology/) at Utah State University and will have an opportunity to participate in the Climate Adaptation Science Program – a 9-credit interdisciplinary specialization/minor that provides students with direct experience in actionable science.
The specific thesis topics will be determined between the supervisor and student based on the candidate’s interests and strengths. Potential research projects include:

  1.  Carbon cycling (carbon burial in soils, carbon export to the oceans, greenhouse gas emissions) in coastal blue carbon ecosystems with the potential for national and international collaborations.
  2.  Influence of climate change on carbon cycling in aquatic systems found in U.S. drylands (e.g. lakes, ephemeral streams), particularly the impacts of increasing drought and wildfire frequency.
  3.  Impacts of land-use change (urban development, agriculture) on aquatic carbon cycling.

Outside of their research projects, both students will also be involved with other projects in the lab, including field data collection campaigns, laboratory analyses, and data management and interpretation. The recruited students will be expected to present their findings at national or international conferences and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The students will be supported financially, including tuition support, stipends, travel support (both field and conference travel), and will have support for appropriate supplies/equipment.
Applicants with past experience/interest in biogeochemistry (or related discipline) and those with a Masters degree are preferred but not required. Students should also be able to work effectively with a team. Additional criteria include 1) student must be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident (green card holder) and the student must have a GPA greater than 3.0 (if GPA is lower than 3.0, will need to address this issue in interest statement).
Interested students should email Assistant Professor Dr. Derrick Vaughn (derrick.vaughn at usu.edu<mailto:derrick.vaughn at usu.edu>) with a brief summary of their interests and past experiences, a resume or CV, as well as any questions they may have. Applications for the graduate program will be due in early January and students will need to include a statement of purpose, a resume or CV, academic transcripts, and three letters of references.

Cheers,
Derrick Vaughn (he/him/his)
Assistant Professor
Department of Geosciences
Utah State University
Tel: +1 765-412-9882
E-mail: derrick.vaughn at usu.edu
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