Description
The project will investigate the hydrology of forested ecosystems in the coastal temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska. The research will be part of a larger collaboration with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the USDA Forest Service, utilizing soil moisture sensors and Dynamic Soil Survey techniques to better understand the soil water balance in forested watersheds. Research themes can include hillslope and eco-hydrology, forest soils, runoff generation, nutrient fluxes, and biogeochemistry.
The project will be based at the USDA Forest Service Héen Latinee Experimental Forest or Juneau region in Alaska and provides opportunities to work within an interdisciplinary team of soil scientists and hydrologists from the USDA Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The project will combine field, laboratory, and modeling analysis with an expectation of extended visits to the field site throughout the duration of the study. An M.S. degree in hydrology, soil science, ecology or related field is required.
The incoming student will join the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation (www.frec.vt.edu) at Virginia Tech in January or August of 2025. The student may also participate in interdisciplinary communities at Virginia Tech such as the Global Change Center (www.globalchange.vt.edu) and would be encouraged to join Virginia Tech's Interfaces of Global Change graduate fellowship program (https://lnkd.in/dXKVxi7p).
Research assistantships provide competitive annual stipends and benefits, including a full tuition waiver. In addition, students are provided with opportunities to develop meaningful teaching and mentoring experience.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact Prof. Kevin McGuire (kevin.mcguire@vt.edu) with their curriculum vitae (CV) and a brief statement of interest. This statement should outline academic goals, relevant experience, and motivation for pursuing a Ph.D. in this research theme at Virginia Tech.
