A Ph.D. Research Assistantship is available beginning in the fall of 2009 to study nitrogen retention in soils of the northeastern U.S. The goal of the research is to understand how soil nitrogen retention varies among diverse managed and unmanaged ecosystems in central PA. The student will be advised by Dr. Jason Kaye (http://kayelab.psu.edu) in conducting isotope tracer experiments and will collaborate with a postdoc and PI (Dr. Enid Martinez; http://cropsoil.psu.edu/people/faculty/martinezce.cfm) using spectroscopy to identify soil organic N forms. Collaborations on education and outreach components of the project are also expected. Students with a MS degree in ecology, environmental science, or soil science are especially encouraged to apply, though applicants with Bachelors degrees and significant undergraduate research experience will also be considered. Interested applicants should call (841-863-1614) or email (jpk12 at psu.edu) Dr. Kaye and apply to the Graduate Program in Soil Science (http://cropsoil.psu.edu/academic/soilscienceg.cfm) or the Inter-College Degree Program in Ecology (http://www.huck.psu.edu/education/ecology). Either of these degrees can be combined with the new Biogeochemistry Dual Title Degree program.
