Graduate Research Assistants & Technician studying plant litter photodegradation in deserts.
Seeking to fill 2 graduate research assistantships (GRA PhD & MS) and 1 technician position to study the drivers of plant litter decomposition in deserts, with particular emphasis on solar photodegradation. Incumbents will be part of a collaborative NSF-funded research team working with plant and microbial ecologists at Arizona State University and Minnesota State University. 1) One PhD GRA and one technician position are available in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University to study the mechanisms driving plant litter decomposition in the Sonoran Desert. Potential areas of investigation include quantifying the significance of photodegradation as a driver of litter decomposition, or investigating how leaf litter optical and anatomical characteristics influence the effectiveness of photodegradation. Applicants for both positions should have prior research experience, preferably a MS, be able to conduct field research during summer (hot) conditions in the Sonoran Desert, have excellent analytical, quantitative and writing skills, and be able to work both independently and as a member of a diverse research team. The technician will be responsible for maintaining field and laboratory experiments, organizing and analyzing large data sets, and managing undergraduate student research assistants, and will have the opportunity to conduct their own individual research projects. Contact: Dr. Thomas A. Day ([email protected]). 2) One MS GRA is available in the Department of Biological Sciences at Minnesota State University to study the mechanisms driving plant litter decomposition in the Sonoran Desert. Potential areas of investigation include determining what chemical attributes of plant litter favor solar photodegradation and how litter chemistry changes with photodegradation. Applicants should have prior research experience, excellent analytical and quantitative skills, the ability to analyze and organize large data sets, and be interested in plant chemical analyses. They may also be required to travel to Arizona for occasional field and laboratory work, and must be able to work both independently and as a member of a diverse research team. Contact: Dr. Christopher T. Ruhland ([email protected]). To apply, send cover letter, CV, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores (except Technician applicants), and the names and contact information of 3 references to the appropriate person listed above, via email. Positions begin May or August 2013. Applications received before February 1 will receive full consideration.
