MS or PhD position: Global Change Microbial Ecology Position: I have a Teaching and Research Assistantship position for 1 Master’s student to work full-time examining the effects of multi-factor global change and grassland fire on soil microbial community structure and processes. PhD positions may also be available. Location: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI with field travel to Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Palo Alto, CA. Preferred Start Time: July – September 2012 Required Background: B.S. degree in Biology, Environmental Science, Geology or Chemistry Preferred Qualifications: experience performing PCR, high throughput sequencing data analysis, experience with QIIME or mothur bioinformatics pipelines, experience with nutrient analyses, field sampling Project Description: Anthropogenic influences continue to alter the global environment and future climate scenarios, including all Earth’s major biogeochemical cycles. Microbial communities are involved in all biogeochemical cycles, but very little is known about how microorganisms respond to these impacts, and how their responses will affect nutrient cycling. This project focuses on soil microbial communities in a grassland system located near Palo Alto, CA at the Jasper Ridge Global Change Experiment (JRGCE). This long-term experiment has manipulated 4 global change treatments (CO2, Temp, Precip and N-deposition) for over a decade. Recently, fire was added as a 5th manipulation to investigate the effects of fire as a secondary global change influence in response to drought. The MS or PhD student involved in this project will investigate the responses of soil microbial community structure and function within the context of the JRGCE treatment manipulations. The student will travel to the JRGCE, perform field sampling, and use cutting-edge molecular techniques to examine microbial communities and nutrient cycling rates. This project also involves unique opportunities for interdisciplinary and international research collaborations. For further inquiries send questions, a CV and writing sample to: Kathryn Docherty, Assistant Professor, Western Michigan University, Dept. Biological Sciences 1903 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo MI 49008 [email protected] 269-387-5654
Close Date for Applications to WMU Graduate School: February 15. Please contact me before you apply.
