The Wetland Lab at Indiana University-Bloomington, directed by Dr. Chris Craft, is seeking a highly motivated PhD student to evaluate the responses of coastal wetland biogeochemistry to climate change on the Georgia coast. Our current projects are focused on understanding the effects of sea level rise, including submergence and salt water intrusion, eutrophication, and increased variability in temperature, rainfall and river discharge on the delivery of key ecosystem services that are provided by tidal wetlands. Our research is conducted in field sites that are a part of the both the University of Georgia Marine Institute at Sapelo Island, GA (http://ugami.uga.edu/) and the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER site (http://www.lternet.edu/sites/gce/), providing the opportunity to work alongside researchers from multiple academic institutions. This position is primarily a research assistantship, with the opportunity to teach, that comes with a tuition waiver, a $20,000 stipend, and health benefits.
Our lab is part of the School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA; http://www.indiana.edu/~spea/) at IU, which is one of the highest ranked graduate programs in the nation (U.S. News 2012). Our lab facilities are housed in a new multidisciplinary science building (MSB-II) where the environment is very collaborative, offering access to expertise and instrumentation used across various fields of science. Indiana University is a Big Ten school that supports a culturally diverse community which in turn supports access to a wide variety of activities, food and entertainment in a place where the cost of living is low (http://www.visitbead.com/). Qualifications: The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic and motivated to develop their own research project. A strong work ethic, good communication skills (verbal and written), and the flexibility to work both as part of a team and independently are critical, in addition to being prepared for work under variable field conditions and possessing a valid US drivers license for travel to field sites. Applicants who already possess an MS in ecology or a similar discipline (e.g. biology, chemistry, environmental science) are preferred, but will also consider those with a BA/BS and considerable lab/field experience. A working knowledge of basic bench-top chemistry and spectrophotometric techniques is required. Applicants with a background in any of the following: wetland biogeochemistry, including greenhouse gas fluxes (N2O, CH4, CO2), soil processes, plant ecology, as well as GIS and landscape modeling will be highly competitive. For those interested in applying, please send a copy of your cv/resume, a cover letter describing your relevant experience and research goals, a copy of your transcripts and GRE scores (unofficial okay for both) to [email protected], for review. Ideal candidates will be encouraged to apply to IU-SPEA for the 2013-2014 academic year, with a start date as early as January 2013 open for consideration.
