We seek a PhD student who will assist in developing a model of the disintegration and decay of standing dead trees. The student will be a member of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University working with Drs. Jason Vogel, Georgianne Moore, and Sorin Popescu. The student will primarily be responsible for building a model of wood decay and integrating its mass loss estimates with measurements of branch senescence and tree fall. Tree disintegration will be estimated in collaboration with a Postdoctoral associate who will be using LiDAR images, both ground based and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms, to estimate changes in dead tree structure. Individuals interested in ecosystem carbon cycling, remote sensing, or forest ecology are encouraged to apply. Applicants should be comfortable working in field conditions and doing fairly strenuous work. Funds for a generous stipend and tuition are available for three years. Preference will be given to students with a prior MSc in a related field, or applicable experience in a related topic. Candidates available to start in the spring, summer, or fall of 2015 will be considered. Interested individuals should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and university transcripts to Dr. Jason G. Vogel ( [email protected]), Dr. Georgianne Moore ([email protected]) or Dr. Sorin Popescu ([email protected]).
