2 PhD positions

We are announcing an opportunity for two Ph.D. students to join an
exciting collaboration between Michigan Technological University and the
U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station. The students will study
responses of roots and mycorrhizae to soil warming predicted to occur in
the Northeastern and North Central US during the next century. Multiple
new and ongoing field experiments ranging from 0 to 17 years of warming,
located in a variety of regions and ecosystem types will be utilized in
the study.

Position 1. Ph.D. research will focus on the acclimation or adaptation of
root systems to soil warming and the drier conditions that may co-occur.
Potential topics for Ph.D. research include, but are not limited to, C
allocation to root respiration and biomass production, nutrient uptake and
utilization, stand-level C and nutrient budgets, and modeling primary
productivity and forest biogeochemical cycles.

Position 2. Ph.D. research will focus on the effect of soil warming on
composition, structure and function of mycorrhizal fungal communities.
Potential research topics include the response of arbuscular and
ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass and community composition to warmer and/or
warmer and drier conditions, and the impacts these changes have on
ecosystem functions such as soil respiration, C allocation, aboveground
NPP, and soil C storage.

Both students will have considerable flexibility in designing a research
program that investigates areas of personal interest, within the overall
framework of the long-term project. A background in ecology, soil
science, mycology or a related field is required, as is an interest in the
linkages between community-, physiological- and ecosystem ecology.
Experience with any of the following will be an asset, but is not
required: root or mycorrhizal research; molecular identification methods;
statistical analysis of community structure; physiological ecology of
plants and fungi; measurements of ecosystem nutrient and carbon pools and
fluxes. Proficiency in spoken and written English is a necessity.
Selection will be based on academic achievements, reference letters and
previous research experience. An on-campus personal interview may be
required. Tuition and fees and a standard stipend package commensurate
with your experience will be offered.

Interested candidates should send a resume highlighting their experience
and interests, GRE scores (TOEFL required for international students), and
names and email addresses of three references to both Dr. Andrew Burton
(ajburton@mtu.edu) and Dr. Erik Lilleskov (elilleskov@fs.fed.us).
The School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan
Technological University (http://forestry.mtu.edu/) has state-of-the-art
research facilities, including stable isotope and molecular genetics
laboratories and instrumentation. There is a large group of faculty
interested in ecosystem science at Michigan Tech and a well-established
partnership with the adjacent USDA Northern Research Station’s Forest
Sciences Laboratory. MTU is located in Houghton, Michigan, on the scenic
Keweenaw Peninsula. Proximity to beautiful Lake Superior and extensive
forests, lakes and rivers provides opportunities for a range of
recreational activities, including hiking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing
and cross-country skiing (http://www.keweenaw.org/visitor_info.htm).
MTU is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity
employer