3 PhD assistantships on sustainable bioenergy

The University of Idaho seeks three graduate assistantships for winter 2013 to collaboratively study forest ecosystems responses to biomass removal for biofuel production.  Project objectives include developing ecological indicators of removal impacts including tree growth, soil quality, wood decomposition, and diversity of fungi and invertebrates.  Projects are located in northern Idaho conifer ecosystems, which are managed for products, recreation, water and wildlife.  Successful candidates will collaborate and communicate across disciplines, have good quantitative and writing skills, and have interest in, and knowledge of forest bioenergy production systems.  Applications will be reviewed starting 15 August 2012.

1) PhD Assistantship in forest, soil and nutrient cycling.  The research focus for this assistantship will be on how the collection of woody residues for bioenergy production will affect tree growth and canopy responses, carbon and nutrient cycles in residues and soils, the flux of greenhouse gases and the availability of plant growth resources.  Desired background includes forest management, soils, biogeochemical cycling, microbial ecology, and ecosystem science.  The PhD student may select from programs in the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources or Environmental Science.  Questions about this position or to apply send an email to Mark Coleman (mcoleman@uidaho.edu). Applications should include a letter of interest, CV, transcripts, GRE scores (TOEFL where appropriate) and the names of three references.

2) PhD Assistantship in fungal diversity. The research focus for this assistantship will be on quantifying the effects of biomass harvesting on wood-inhabiting fungal communities using both fruiting bodies and DNA-based survey methods and determining whether changes in the fungal community result in increased or decreased wood-decomposition rates.  Desired background includes introductory and advanced mycology courses, biochemistry, statistics, and ecosystem sciences.
The PhD student may select from programs in the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources or Environmental Science.  To enquire about this position or to apply send an email to Daniel Lindner (dlindner@fs.fed.us) and David Tank (dtank@uidaho.edu). Applications should include a letter of interest, CV, transcripts, GRE scores (TOEFL where appropriate) and the names of three references.

3) PhD Assistantship in invertebrate diversity. The research focus for this assistantship will be on examining how the collection of woody residues for bioenergy production will impact invertebrate community parameters of non-pestiferous species. The research will focus on ground and soil-inhabiting groups including mites, springtails, ground beetles, ants and gastropods.  Desired background includes invertebrate population and/or community ecology. The student may select from the Entomology program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences or the Environmental Sciences program at the University of Idaho.  To enquire about this position or to apply, send an email to Stephen Cook, (stephenc@uidaho.edu). Applications should include a letter of interest, CV, transcripts, GRE scores (TOEFL where appropriate), and the names of three references.


Mark D. Coleman
Forest Ecology and Biogeosciences
University of Idaho
PO Box 441133
Moscow, ID 83844-1133
 208-885-7604
mcoleman@uidaho.edu