We are currently recruiting 2 graduate students (1 M.S. and 1 Ph.D.) to join the lab in fall 2021!
Ph.D. position: Biogeochemistry of intermittent stream ecosystems
As part of the recently funded Aquatic Intermittency effects on Microbiomes in Streams (AIMS) Project, we are recruiting one Ph.D. student at KU. This student will join a collaborative team of scientists focused on understanding the role of microbiomes and stream intermittency in controlling downstream water quality in the Mountain West, Great Plains, and Southeastern Forest ecosystems. All students will take a cross-institutional Team Science and Collaboration course in their first year, receive support for data science instructor training through The Carpentries Foundation, have opportunities to mentor undergraduate research projects, and will work with an exciting, interdisciplinary team of scientists.
Research topics for this position will broadly focus on understanding how patterns of stream intermittency (frequency and duration of wetting and drying and spatial patterns of drying) affect the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen processing and transport. The student will have the opportunity to work with high-frequency sensor networks deployed in intermittent streams across the grassland biome, and conduct cross-biome work with students from Alabama and Idaho. Ideal candidates for this position will have previous research experience (lab, field, or computer-based) and data analysis experience (e.g. R, Matlab, statistics). This student will be admitted through the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at KU and co-advised by Dr. Amy Burgin.
M.S. position: Effects of climate, land use, and management on nutrient dynamics in the Kansas River
The Kansas River is the longest prairie-based river in the world, and is subjected to a high degree of hydrologic modification and control via a complex system of reservoirs on its tributaries. Using a combination of publicly available data and high-frequency sensor networks, this student will explore how nutrient transport and retention in the Kansas River network is influenced by these complex anthropogenic forcings.
Possible research topics include (but are not limited to):
Ideal candidates for this position will have previous research experience (lab, field, or computer-based) and data analysis experience (e.g. R, Matlab, statistics). This student will be admitted through the Department of Geology at KU.
General information:
Both students (Ph.D. and M.S.) will be housed at the Kansas Geological Survey, a research and service center at the University of Kansas. All positions are fully funded and include summer support. Additional fellowship opportunities are available through the Graduate School. Research in the Seybold lab is inherently interdisciplinary and we welcome students with backgrounds across the natural sciences (biology, geology, earth and environment science, etc.). The candidates should be highly self-motivated and have a strong interest in being part of a collaborative research team. Our lab is committed to increasing representation of women and minorities in science and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
To apply:
To inquire about these positions, please contact Dr. Erin Seybold at erinseybold@ku.edu by November 1, 2020 with the following attachments: 1) A cover letter describing your interest in the position and your background, 2) Resume/CV, 3) Contact information for two professional references, and 4) unofficial transcripts. For more information on the lab’s research activities, check out our Research page.
Ph.D. position: Biogeochemistry of intermittent stream ecosystems
As part of the recently funded Aquatic Intermittency effects on Microbiomes in Streams (AIMS) Project, we are recruiting one Ph.D. student at KU. This student will join a collaborative team of scientists focused on understanding the role of microbiomes and stream intermittency in controlling downstream water quality in the Mountain West, Great Plains, and Southeastern Forest ecosystems. All students will take a cross-institutional Team Science and Collaboration course in their first year, receive support for data science instructor training through The Carpentries Foundation, have opportunities to mentor undergraduate research projects, and will work with an exciting, interdisciplinary team of scientists.
Research topics for this position will broadly focus on understanding how patterns of stream intermittency (frequency and duration of wetting and drying and spatial patterns of drying) affect the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen processing and transport. The student will have the opportunity to work with high-frequency sensor networks deployed in intermittent streams across the grassland biome, and conduct cross-biome work with students from Alabama and Idaho. Ideal candidates for this position will have previous research experience (lab, field, or computer-based) and data analysis experience (e.g. R, Matlab, statistics). This student will be admitted through the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at KU and co-advised by Dr. Amy Burgin.
M.S. position: Effects of climate, land use, and management on nutrient dynamics in the Kansas River
The Kansas River is the longest prairie-based river in the world, and is subjected to a high degree of hydrologic modification and control via a complex system of reservoirs on its tributaries. Using a combination of publicly available data and high-frequency sensor networks, this student will explore how nutrient transport and retention in the Kansas River network is influenced by these complex anthropogenic forcings.
Possible research topics include (but are not limited to):
- Effects of extreme events and interannual climate variability on nutrient export, concentration-discharge relationships, and metabolism dynamics.
- Signals of agricultural nutrient legacies and impacts on contemporary water quality.
- Effects of reservoir management strategies on spatial and temporal water quality dynamics.
Ideal candidates for this position will have previous research experience (lab, field, or computer-based) and data analysis experience (e.g. R, Matlab, statistics). This student will be admitted through the Department of Geology at KU.
General information:
Both students (Ph.D. and M.S.) will be housed at the Kansas Geological Survey, a research and service center at the University of Kansas. All positions are fully funded and include summer support. Additional fellowship opportunities are available through the Graduate School. Research in the Seybold lab is inherently interdisciplinary and we welcome students with backgrounds across the natural sciences (biology, geology, earth and environment science, etc.). The candidates should be highly self-motivated and have a strong interest in being part of a collaborative research team. Our lab is committed to increasing representation of women and minorities in science and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
To apply:
To inquire about these positions, please contact Dr. Erin Seybold at erinseybold@ku.edu by November 1, 2020 with the following attachments: 1) A cover letter describing your interest in the position and your background, 2) Resume/CV, 3) Contact information for two professional references, and 4) unofficial transcripts. For more information on the lab’s research activities, check out our Research page.
