*Fire and climate change in the Boreal Forests of Alaska*
The Global Environmental Change Laboratory at Portland State University (
https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/gec_lab/) seeks a PhD student to work on
a NSF-funded project examining how increased fire frequency in Alaskan
boreal forests affects vegetation dynamics and carbon cycling. The
researcher will join a multidisciplinary team (remote sensing, modeling of
ecosystem processes and field vegetation and soil/permafrost dynamics),
with collaborators at multiple institutions, including University of
Alaska, U. Florida, U. Idaho and NC State. The PhD student will lead the
effort to understand how climate change will affect post-fire recovery of
species composition, carbon cycling, and depth to permafrost using
LANDIS-II, a widely-used forest simulation model (www.landis-ii.org). The
student will be mentored by Dr. Melissa Lucash (
https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/lucash/) but he/she will also work
closely with students, staff and faculty at the collaborating universities,
including Dr. Vladimir Romanovsky, Dr. Jason Vogel, Dr. Brian Buma, Dr. Tim
Link and Dr. Robert Scheller.
Applicants should have a BS or MS in forestry, biology, environmental
science or geography. Ideal applicants will have field experience and be
comfortable in remote locations with a large field crew (7-9 people) for up
to two weeks at a time. This paid position will begin with fieldwork in
the summer of 2018, before progressing to graduate classes at PSU. This
position is fully funded for at least three years with tuition remission.
Portland, Oregon is a wonderful, inclusive community with close proximity
to many beautiful outdoor opportunities. Our lab group is large, diverse,
productive and supportive of one another (
https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/gec_lab/people).
Please contact Dr. Melissa S. Lucash (lucash@pdx.edu) for more
information. Please include your resume/CV, along with =E2=80=9CPhD openin=
g at
PSU=E2=80=9D in your subject line. Our project website is here:
https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/alaska-reburns/
–=20
*Dr. Melissa S. Lucash*
*Research Assistant Professor*
*Department of Geography*
*Portland State University*
*Portland, OR*
*lucash[a] pdx.edu <lucash@pdx.edu>*
*503-725-3894 (office)*
*https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/lucash/
<https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/lucash/>*