Student Opportunity Announcements
Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship - Global Ocean Phytoplankton Size Variability
A motivated, independent, but team-oriented student is sought
to fill a graduate assistantship at the Ph.D. level in association
with the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and
Sciences and the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan
Technological University. The position is available beginning in
the summer or fall of 2013. The student will join a new and
developing laboratory focused on utilizing remote sensing
imagery, data analysis, and field and laboratory observations to
characterize optical, biological, physical, and chemical variability
of lakes and oceans to understand how aquatic systems are
responding to climate and ecological change.
The overarching goal of the research is to understand the
response of phytoplankton community structure to change in the
physical environment and the resulting impact on
biogeochemical cycles in the global ocean. The graduate
assistant will aid in analysis and improvement of satellite
retrievals of phytoplankton functional types in the global ocean.
Particular focus will be given to phytoplankton community size
structure and function utilizing optical and biogeochemical
datasets, satellite imagery and interaction with colleagues
developing state-of-the-art numerical models.
Further information is available online about the Aquatic Optics
and Remote Sensing laboratory
(http://www.geo.mtu.edu/~cbmouw), graduate programs
(http://www.mtu.edu/geo/; http://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/)
and the Great Lakes Research Center
(http://greatlakes.mtu.edu/). The student will also benefit from
interactions with the Center for Water and Society
(http://www.mtcws.mtu.edu/) and the Earth, Planetary, and
Space Sciences Institute (http://www.epssi.mtu.edu/).
Qualifications: Interested students should preferably hold a M.S.
degree in oceanography/marine science, limnology, biology,
ecology, environmental science, physics, chemistry, computer
science, mathematics, engineering or related field and poses
strong computing and quantitative skills. Potential applicants
with only a B.S. degree should have at least 2 years of research
experience in an area related to phytoplankton ecology,
environmental optics, or remote sensing and evidence of strong
writing and presentation skills.
How to Apply: The graduate assistantship will have a competitive
stipend relative to the cost-of-living and tuition waiver. To be
considered for the position, an application must be submitted
through MTU’s graduate school
(http://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/admissions/apply/). Please
indicate in your application interest in Dr. Colleen Mouw’s
laboratory within the Department of Geological and Mining
Engineering and Sciences. Please also notify Dr. Mouw of your
interest directly via email (cmbouw@mtu.edu) by sending 1) a
brief statement of your research and career goals, and your basic
reasons for pursuing a graduate degree, 2) your resume or CV,
and 3) names and institutions of 3 people you will ask for letters
of recommendation.