Funded Graduate Student Opportunity Limnology and Management of Urban Lakes
The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University (PSU) and the Lake Oswego Corporation (LOC) announce the availability of a graduate student position focused on urban lakes. The graduate student will be enrolled in a masters degree program in the Environmental Science and Management Department or a doctoral degree program in the School of the Environment at PSU. The graduate student will conduct routine water quality monitoring on Oswego Lake, a 415–acre private, urban lake in the City of Lake Oswego. Located approximately 8 miles south of the PSU campus, Oswego Lake is eutrophic with a history of cyanobacteria blooms. The LOC has made substantial investments to improve water quality in the lake, including installation of hypolimnetic aeration and alum injection. In addition, there is a 15+ year set of environmental data including sonde profiles, nutrients, and plankton population that can be used for analysis. In addition to the routine sampling the student will conduct research on nutrient dynamics in the lake and surrounding watershed aimed at further improving water quality in the lake. Potential studies include quantifying nutrient loading from rooftops and lawns surrounding the lake and studying internal P-loading from sediments. Additional studies could also be developed depending on student interest and degree program. Support is available for multiple years, depending upon performance. The student will be an employee of the LOC with remuneration of $2000 per month for approximately halftime work. Tuition support will be provided by PSU but the student will be responsible for fees associated with enrollment. The position is available immediately after admission to the graduate program. Please review the requirements for application to the masters program at www.pdx.edu/esm, and information on admission to the doctoral program at www.pdx.edu/environment/degreeprograms-0. For further information on the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs please visit http://www.pdx.edu/center-for-lakes-and- reservoirs/ Ideally, after admission to the graduate program, the student would start fieldwork in the summer of 2017 and begin coursework in the fall of 2017. To apply, please submit materials required for admission to the appropriate graduate program and notify Dr. Mark Sytsma ([email protected]) of your interest in the internship.
