Seeking a Ph.D. Level Graduate Research Student to Investigate Land Abandonment in Russia.
Position Description: Graduate Research Assistantship in the Geospatial and Environmental Applications Ph.D. Program in the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. A competitive stipend is offered plus tuition and health insurance for at least three years. Qualifications: Minimum: M.Sc. in Geography, Natural Resources, Forestry, Agronomy, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, or related field. Experience or background in remote sensing analysis (ENVI/IDL preferred); Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS 9.x), and/or Spatial Statistics. Willingness to travel to rural Russia for summer field work. Fluency in Russian is a plus. Responsibilities: The selected student will participate in a NASA Land Cover Land Use Change project investigating land abandonment in European Russia. The student will participate in the modeling past and future land abandonment based on (1) past abandonment estimates retrieved from satellite imagery, (2) age-structured population models, and (3) spatially structured metapopulation models using socio-demographic data. Location: Virginia Tech (aka Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) is located in Blacksburg on a plateau situated between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. The area is noted for its natural beauty, healthy atmosphere, proximity to historical points of interest, and outdoor recreational opportunities. To Apply: E-mail Dr. Kirsten de Beurs ([email protected]) with a cover letter and curriculum vitae. In the cover letter, state why you are qualified and interested in the position, and highlight experience or course work related to the position responsibilities. Review of applications begin April 6th and will continue until position is filled. Contact: Prospective students may also visit http://www.cnr.vt.edu/GEA/GEA.htm and http://www.geography.vt.edu/PEOPLE/Kirsten%20D.htm. ****************************************************************** Dr. Kirsten de Beurs, Assistant Professor Department of Geography 115 Major Williams Hall Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 24061 Phone: 540 - 231-1642 http://www.geography.vt.edu/PEOPLE/Kirsten%20D.htm
