Washington State University Nitrogen Systems: Policy-oriented Integrated Research and Education (NSPIRE)
Interdisciplinary research focused on nitrogen cycle processes in the environment integrated with experiential learning of public policy. http://igert.nspire.wsu.edu/ Up to 5 PhD research assistantships will be available to join a collaborative team working on understanding environmental aspects of the nitrogen cycle and putting that information into context for policy development. With funding from the National Science Foundations Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program (IGERT), the individual fellows will pursue disciplinary research important for the overall theme, and work together to identify and address interdisciplinary issues critical for development of effective public policy related to environmental nitrogen. Applicants are encouraged to apply to one of the following colleges within Washington State University: College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resources, the College of Engineering and Architecture, or the College of Sciences. Examples of areas of research include Vadose biogeochemistry of nitrogen and hydrology of soils in shallow ground waters Nitrogen transport in watersheds Nitrogen dynamics in specific ecosystems involving soil, plant and microbial communities Nitrogen cycling related to bioenergy production Biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen under different agricultural practices and management Emissions, transport, chemistry, and deposition of nitrogen in the atmosphere Numerical modeling of land surface hydrology Numerical modeling of the coupled atmosphere/land surface system Benefits of the Program Full graduate support including two years of NSPIRE support with $30,000/year stipend Graduate courses associated with the program are: o Nitrogen Cycling in the Earth System o Systems Dynamic Modeling o Policy Studio Course o Nitrogen Methods Workshop Capstone policy internship for 3 months with a policy-oriented agency or organization. Collaborative, team oriented dissertation research projects focused on nitrogen in the environment. Support for a national or international 3 month policy internship Eligibility Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Successful applicants must be entering or within their first year of a PhD program at Washington State University and join the program in the fall of 2010. Deadline for receipt of applications is January 22, 2010. For more information, visit the web page: http://igert.nspire.wsu.edu/
