We seek a PhD student with interests in forest ecology, forest management, and ecosystem science for Fall 2012 to help conduct a research project on forest bioenergy management. The goal of the project is to evaluate how the collection of woody residues for bioenergy use following commercial harvests and pre-commercial thinning will affect forest carbon and nitrogen cycling and the flux of greenhouse gases from these forests relative to “business as usual” management practices. The PhD student would be responsible for estimating effects of management activities on pools of carbon and nitrogen in the soil, roots, trees, and woody debris. This would include working with and supervising undergraduate technicians to conduct field sampling and sample processing. The PhD student would also be responsible for developing allometric equations for one or more dominant species.
The preferred candidate will have a MS in natural resources, ecology, forestry, or a related field. All candidates should have a BS in one of the fields named above, experience conducting fieldwork in forests or similar settings, and demonstrated organizational and analytical skills. The PhD student will be part of the PhD program in the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources and will be primarily advised by Dr. John Marshall, with additional supervision by collaborators Dr. Alan Talhelm and Dr. Mark Coleman. Funding has been granted for a 3.5 year research assistantship, covering tuition and a stipend. Applicants should send 1) a letter of interest and qualifications, 2) a resume that includes three references, 3) GRE scores, and 4) transcripts to John Marshall (jdm@ uidaho.edu) or Alan Talhelm ([email protected]). We will begin to review applications on May 16th.
