<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Subject:
Recruiting a PhD student in coupled biogeochemical cycles at Michigan State
University to start fall 2023</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Watershed
Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene Lab (</span><a href="http://gersonlab.weebly.com" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">http://gersonlab.weebly.com</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">) at Michigan State University is
recruiting a motivated, collaborative, and curious PhD student in coupled
biogeochemical cycles to start in Fall 2023. </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;letter-spacing:0.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">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. </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;letter-spacing:0.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">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.</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Gerson
Lab is part of the </span><a href="https://ees.natsci.msu.edu/" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> and </span><a href="https://www.kbs.msu.edu/" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Kellogg
Biological Station</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
at Michigan State University. Graduate students can also affiliate with the </span><a href="https://eeb.msu.edu/" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Ecology,
Evolution, and Behavior</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
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.</span></p>

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<p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">I encourage all students applying to graduate school to check
out this </span><a href="https://ecoevorxiv.org/e5umr" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">article</span></a><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">
</span><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">I
co-authored about demystifying the graduate school application process.</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Minimum
qualifications</span></i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: 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.</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Desired
qualifications</span></i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: 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. </span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Note that
GRE scores are not required or considered as part of the application. </span><a href="https://btaa.org/resources-for/students/freeapp/introduction" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">FreeApp waivers</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> 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.</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Funding</span></i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: This position will be funded on a
combination of teaching and research assistantships, which include a </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">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.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If
interested, please review our lab website for more information and then contact
Dr. Jacqueline Gerson at </span><a href="mailto:gersonja@msu.edu" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(68,114,196)">gersonja@msu.edu</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> to arrange a zoom call. In your
email, </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;letter-spacing:0.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">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. <b>The
application deadline for Earth and Environmental Sciences is December 7.
Initial contact is requested prior to formally applying to the department.</b> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">I encourage all students who are eligible to
apply for a </span><a href="https://www.nsfgrfp.org/" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">NSF Graduate Research Fellowship</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">, and I would be excited to work with prospective graduate
students to develop a proposal (due mid-October).</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Location</span></i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">: 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. </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">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.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>

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