MS or PhD Assistantships are available for the following projects in the Department of Earth System Science and Policy at the University of North Dakota.
Applications are encouraged from students with a background and interests in geography, agronomy, remote sensing, and ecology. An interest in learning, or existing skill with, quantitative analysis and crop modeling knowledge would be an advantage. 1. Identifying and Mapping Potential Land for Switchgrass Production in North Dakota. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a potential renewable bioenergy crop for the Northern Great Plains regions. The adoption of switchgrass into the traditional cropping system depends on its productivity and economic returns for producers. Economic benefits depend, in part, on the sustained break-even yield of switchgrass, i.e., sustained yield threshold below which switchgrass is not economically competitive with other crop species in much of the Northern Great Plains. This yield threshold is site specific and depends on agrometeorological parameters, such as maximum or minimum temperature, precipitation, and growing degree days, soil types and characteristics, as well as crop management practices, and other economic and societal factors. This research seek to assess the suitability for switchgrass in North Dakota taking into account the potential productivity, tradeoff with crops and environmental limitations. It involves the use of GIS processing, decision tree classification, and transformation of regional economic and social scenarios into decision tree methods. Some knowledge of crop/grass physiology will be an advantage. 2. Spectral Characterization of Switchgrass for biomass energy and biofuel quality. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified as one of the herbaceous crop that could be grown specifically for bioenergy supply. When grown for energy purposes switchgrass management practices must take into account both, biomass production and biofuel quality. Monitoring switchgrass and acquiring information about its growth throughout the growing season is important to optimize crop management or get information on biofuel quality. Crop growth models such as ALMANAC are good tools to diagnose switchgrass growing conditions, support management decisions, or predict yield over large areas. However, there is a need to develop rapid and non destructive methods, with no or few spatial and temporal limitations, that will provide real-time information on switchgrass biomass and biofuel quality throughout the cultural cycle over large areas. This project seek to investigate remote sensing of switchgrass physiology and biochemistry for assessment of plant development and biofuel value to be used as potential crop growth model input - i./e. hyperspectral remote sensing to assess levels of cellulose/lignin/fibre etc with a view to assessing optimum harvest time and fuel value. The student will be undertaking substantial field measurements, image processing, and use of crop growth model such as ALMANAC. Knowledge of crop/grass physiology will be an advantage. These projects can be tailored to MS or PhD program requirements. All students entering the ESSP Program are required to take the compulsory 20 credit ESSP 501 and ESSP 502 courses in the first two semesters. These courses cover the basics of broad earth system science including the Biosphere and Biodiversity, Energy, Environment and Society, the Geosphere and Earth Observation, the Water Cycle and Hydrology, and Biogeochemical Cycles. Information on the Earth System Science and Policy Program is available at: http://www.essp.und.edu/Default.aspx Applications will be considered until June 1, 2009. Students must meet the requirements for GRE, GPA, TOEFL standards (appropriate to MS or PhD) and meet all the requirements of the Graduate School of the University of North Dakota. A 12 - month GRA and full tuition waiver are available for each of these positions. Long term availability is subject to funding. PhD students are expected to write a grant to support their work as part of the process of proposing their dissertation topic. Interested students should contact Dr. Laguette directly at the address given below to discuss the projects. Applications must be made directly to the UND Graduate School (http://www.und.edu/dept/grad/). Soizik Laguette, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Chair University of North Dakota Department of Earth System Science and Policy Clifford Hall, Stop 9011 Grand Forks, ND 58202-9011 Phone: 701-777-2532 Fax: 701-777-2940 E-mail: [email protected]
