Location: Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Start Date: Fall, 2015 Applications are invited for two highly motivated Ph.D. students. Project 1: Phytoplankton controls on carbon cycling Interdisciplinary research on the origin and production of organic matter by phytoplankton. Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important fraction of the oceanic carbon pool that interacts with solar radiation and affects photochemical and biological processes in the ocean. The PhD student will conduct growth experiments with single algal species and mixed communities, document particle formation and decomposition of senescent algal cells (marine snow formation) and work closely with other project members on characterizing biogeochemistry of differing growth stages including CDOM formation. Project 2: Coastal plankton community dynamics and environmental stressors Investigation of protist (i.e. microalgae and protozoa) and zooplankton dynamics along the North Carolina coast. The PhD student will interrogate trophic relationships and their impact on energy flux within the food web. Research will include addition/exclusion experiments with varying zooplankton assemblages and the analyses of an ongoing plankton time-series. The project includes identification of potential harmful algal species and their abundance patterns in relation to environmental and biological factors. Qualifications: A MS degree in a related field is desired. Extraordinary undergraduates may be considered. Experience in phytoplankton ecology and biogeochemical cycling as well as molecular diversity and community analyses are preferred. Depending on existing expertise, training will be provided for enthusiastic and well-qualified candidates. The position will require both laboratory experiments and field work. PhD candidates will be considered based on their research experience, excellence of academic record, strong recommendations and/or publication record. Full tuition scholarships and health insurance for successful applicants are provided. Support in form of teaching assistantships and research assistantships will be made available (~$22,000 per year). Further information about NCSU’s Marine Science Graduate Program can be found at http://www.meas.ncsu.edu/02-p-g-marine.html. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, NC State is the largest university in North Carolina, with more than 34,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff. National rankings consistently rate Raleigh and its surrounding region among the five best places in the country to live and work, with a highly educated workforce, moderate weather, reasonable cost of living, and a welcoming environment. The Department of Marine Earth and Atmospheric Sciences is one of the largest interdisciplinary geoscience departments in the nation. The multi-disciplinary nature of the department lends itself to the study of coastal processes and ecosystems, land surface evolution, as well as water quality and climate change. Marine research facilities and opportunities for training and education in the marine sciences are also available at NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) in Morehead City, NC: http://www.cmast.ncsu.edu. To Apply: Email a single pdf containing your CV, a cover letter with your research interests and experience, a brief summary of accomplishments (educational background, GPA, GRE scores), and contact information for at least three professional references to Dr. Astrid Schnetzer ([email protected]). Qualified candidates will be contacted directly and encouraged to submit a full application to the Ph.D. graduate program by May 31st. For more information on the Schnetzer Lab go to http://www4.ncsu.edu/~aschnet/index.html or for the MEAS graduate program go to http://www.meas.ncsu.edu/02-p-g-marine.html.
