We seek a PhD student with interests in forest ecology, forest management, and ecosystem science to help conduct a research project on forest management. The goal of the project is to evaluate how the collection of woody residues to generate bioenergy following commercial harvests and pre- commercial thinning will affect forest carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases emissions relative to “business as usual” management. 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 supervising undergraduate students to conduct field sampling and sample processing. This is one of several new forest bioenergy research projects at the University of Idaho, so the PhD student will have the opportunity to engage with a cohort of graduate students with similar research.
Candidates should have experience conducting fieldwork in forests or similar settings, and demonstrated organizational and analytical skills. Funding has been granted for a three-year research assistantship, including tuition and a competitive stipend. Applicants should send 1) a letter of interest and qualifications, 2) a resume that includes contact information for three references, 3) GRE scores, and 4) transcripts to Mark Coleman ([email protected]) and/or Alan Talhelm ([email protected]). We anticipate the student would officially apply to enroll for the winter semester, starting January 2014. However, the project is on-going and funds are available for the student to begin work immediately. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and review will continue until a suitable candidate is selected.
