I have a Ph.D. position available in soil microbial ecology and biogeochemistry at the University of New Hampshire. The person in this position will be analyzing plant-microbe interactions that regulate soil organic C and N transformations. In a process referred to as ‘priming,' plants can stimulate N transformations by providing soil microbes with a labile carbon source, which can enhance microbial activity and induce microbial turnover, the upregulation of extracellular enzymes to break down soil organic matter, and ultimately N mineralization. Agricultural N losses could be reduced if we understood how plants coordinate the mineralization of N from organic pools through priming to coincide with the timing and extent of plant demand for N. The student will examine biological N mineralization processes driven by interactions among plant roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and soil microbes, and assess how these processes can be managed to maximize crop N nutrition and C sequestration while minimizing environmental N losses. Interested students must be highly motivated and have some experience in a relevant discipline (e.g. a BS, MS or job training in ecology, microbiology, soil fertility, isotope biogeochemistry or a related area) and a strong interest in genomic approaches to examining soil communities and function. The position will start between January 01 and May 01 2014. To apply please email your CV with the names of three references, GPA, GRE scores (including percentile), and a short statement of interest (~1 page) to Stuart Grandy ([email protected]). More information about the lab can be found at (http://pubpages.unh.edu/~asf44/). The position will be open and applications considered until October 01, 2013.
