Post-doctoral Scientist Position in BIOphysical modelling The Ohio State University - Ecological Engineering Program & Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
Description: Drs. Jay F. Martin and Stuart A. Ludsin have 2+ years of support for a post-doctoral scientist to conduct biophysical modeling research on Lake Erie and an adjacent watershed. The incumbent will lead a major modeling effort in support of a funded 4-year NSF Combined Human and Natural Systems project that is investigating linkages among climate change, the ecology of western Lake Erie, and human behavior (e.g., farmers, decision-makers) in the largely agricultural Maumee River watershed, which is a primary source of sediments and nutrients to western Lake Erie. The Post-doc's primary responsibilities will be two-fold: 1) to predict how climate and watershed land use interact to affect downstream (Lake Erie) ecosystem attributes (e.g., water clarity, harmful algal blooms, fisheries production) by integrating an existing hydrology/watershed model that is driven by climate and land use/management with established statistical models from western Lake Erie; and 2) to determine if changes in human behavior across the watershed can offset expected impacts of climate change on downstream ecosystem services by conducting computer simulations that use regional climate models to drive linked, spatially-explicit models of public policy, farmer behavior, land management change, and the biophysical system. The Post-doc will be co-supervised by Drs. Martin and Ludsin and work closely with an interdisciplinary team of Ohio State faculty, researchers, and students that includes social scientists, economists and communication specialists. The post-doc also will collaborate with Dr. Carlo DeMarchi, a watershed modeler at Case Western University. The Post-doc is expected to write manuscripts, present scientific papers, and help mentor students that are conducting related field, laboratory, and modeling research. Opportunities, if interested, would exist to participate in field and lab work, gain university teaching experience, attend training workshops, and write research grants. Support to attend scientific meetings will be provided annually. Location: The incumbent would join a dynamic, interactive group of faculty, post-docs, and students at the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory (AEL; www.ael.osu.edu/), which is housed within the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (www.eeob.osu.edu/), or the Ecological Engineering Program, which is located within the department of Food, Agricultural & Biological Engineering (www.fabe.osu.edu/fabe/). Office space would be provided on Ohio State's main campus in Columbus. Qualifications: A successful applicant will be creative, motivated, and capable of working well both independently and cooperatively within an interdisciplinary group. Minimum qualifications include a PhD in ecology, engineering, aquatic sciences, biostatistics, or a related field. Strong quantitative and communication skills are required. While not required, ideal candidates will have biophysical modeling experience in hydrology, ecological engineering, or aquatic ecology, experience in developing/coding statistical and/or simulation models, and familiarity with GIS. How to apply: Electronically submit a cover letter, CV, and names/contact information of three references to Stuart Ludsin at [email protected] and Jay Martin at [email protected] (please put "Post-Doc" somewhere in the subject line). Application review will begin on October 1, 2011 and will continue until a suitable candidate is found. An ideal start date would be fall 2011 or winter 2011-2012. Feel free to direct questions to Drs. Ludsin and Martin. -- *********************************************** *********************************************** Stuart A. Ludsin 1314 Kinnear Rd., 232 Research Center Aquatic Ecology Laboratory Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 43212 Phone: 614-292-1613 Fax: 614-292-0181 Email: [email protected] http://eeob.osu.edu/~eeob/drupal//?q=userpages/176/ <http://eeob.osu.edu/~eeob/drupal/?q=userpages/176/> *********************************************** ***********************************************
