Graduate Research Opportunity
Description
The van Gestel lab and the Johnson lab at Texas Tech University are seeking a highly motivated student interested in studying plant responses to global change. The student will be involved in a warming experiment on the western Antarctic Peninsula, one of few places in Antarctica where plants can grow. Mosses are the dominant plants in Antarctica. The overarching question is how warming ultimately affects carbon balance: will Antarctic ecosystems become more of a carbon sink or source with warming? What moss species are the most strongly affected? How can ecosystem fluxes measured in the field be scaled to photosynthetic rates of individual species of moss? These and other questions will be addressed.
Pending logistical constraints in terms of travel, the student will be conducting field and lab work in Antarctica for part of the austral summer.
For more info, please visit my daily blog about my Antarctic research.
Qualifications
Prospective students should have a background and genuine interest in plant physiology, plant ecology, polar ecology, carbon cycling or similar field, preferably pertaining to bryophytes. Experience in lab or field work is preferred.
Applicants from under-represented groups and women are especially encouraged to apply.
Start date for degree
Fall 2022
Application materials
• Letter of interest that should include a statement research interests, and a statement of the student’s professional goals. Include GPA (including graduate GPA if applicable).
• Names and contact information of 3 references.
• Curriculum vitae.
Email the materials as a single pdf to: natasja.van-gestel@ttu.edu on or before: January 30, 2022
The van Gestel lab and the Johnson lab at Texas Tech University are seeking a highly motivated student interested in studying plant responses to global change. The student will be involved in a warming experiment on the western Antarctic Peninsula, one of few places in Antarctica where plants can grow. Mosses are the dominant plants in Antarctica. The overarching question is how warming ultimately affects carbon balance: will Antarctic ecosystems become more of a carbon sink or source with warming? What moss species are the most strongly affected? How can ecosystem fluxes measured in the field be scaled to photosynthetic rates of individual species of moss? These and other questions will be addressed.
Pending logistical constraints in terms of travel, the student will be conducting field and lab work in Antarctica for part of the austral summer.
For more info, please visit my daily blog about my Antarctic research.
Qualifications
Prospective students should have a background and genuine interest in plant physiology, plant ecology, polar ecology, carbon cycling or similar field, preferably pertaining to bryophytes. Experience in lab or field work is preferred.
Applicants from under-represented groups and women are especially encouraged to apply.
Start date for degree
Fall 2022
Application materials
• Letter of interest that should include a statement research interests, and a statement of the student’s professional goals. Include GPA (including graduate GPA if applicable).
• Names and contact information of 3 references.
• Curriculum vitae.
Email the materials as a single pdf to: natasja.van-gestel@ttu.edu on or before: January 30, 2022
