Causes and consequences of fire-regime variability in Rocky Mountain forests
Overview: A fully funded, four-year PhD assistantship is available at the University of Idaho to join an interdisciplinary research effort studying the causes and consequences of wildfire activity in Rocky Mountain subalpine forests over the past 2500 years. The project combines new techniques for reconstructing the climatic drivers and biogeochemical consequences of wildfire with ecosystem modeling that simulates coupled climate-fire-ecosystem dynamics. A significant outcome will be an assessment of local-to-regional carbon stocks in subalpine forests in northern Colorado and western Montana over the past 2500 years, and the development of millennial-length fire and climate records valuable for advancing Earth system models. The successful candidate will undertake field- and modeling-based research to study the pattern, causes, and consequences of wildfires in subalpine forests in Montana and Colorado. The student will interact with collaborating faculty and graduate students from the Univ. of Idaho, Univ. of Wyoming, and Kansas State Univ., with expertise in paleoclimatology, paleoecology, and biogeochemistry. The successful candidate will join the Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling Lab in the College of Natural Resources. Qualifications: Strong academic record, with a BS, BA, or MS (preferred) degree in ecology, biology, Earth sciences, geography, or related field. �X To apply: Interested students should contact Dr. Tara Hudiburg ([email protected]). Please include (1) a brief description of your research interests, professional goals, and relevant prior experiences, and (2) a resume or CV that includes your undergraduate/graduate GPA and GRE scores (with percentiles); (3) optional but encouraged: a writing sample from a relevant prior academic experience. After a phone interview and screening, competitive candidates must apply the graduate school at the University of Idaho. The successful candidate could start as early as June 2017.
