EES NEWSLETTER
WEEK OF OCTOBER 29, 2024
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FACULTY CANDIDATE TALKS THIS WEEK
CANDIDATE: Tuesday, October 29, 3:30 - 4:30PM, PBB S121 (Pappajohn Business Building)
CANDIDATE: Friday, November 1, 3:30 - 4:30PM, TH 125 (Trowbridge Hall)
EES / GSS CANDIDATE MEET AND GREETS
Student Commons (109 TH) will be temporarily closed on the following dates and times for ESS and GSS grad students to meet with faculty candidates.
10/31/2024: 2:30 – 3:15PM - Environmental Justice Faculty Candidate
11/5/2024: 11:15 – 12:00PM -Environmental Justice Faculty Candidate
11/7/2024: 3:15 – 4:00PM - Environmental Justice Faculty Candidate
11/11/2024: 2:30 – 3:15PM - Environmental Geophysics Faculty Candidate
11/14/2024: 9 – 9:45AM - Environmental Geophysics Faculty Candidate
11/18/2024: 9:45 – 10:30AM - Environmental Geophysics Faculty Candidate
11/22/2024: 1:30 – 2:15PM - Environmental Geophysics Faculty Candidate
REMINDERS
- Early Registration - Winter ‘24 & Spring ‘25: 11/11 - 11/30
- Single Thesis Deposit Due by 5pm CST: 12/9
- Close Of Classes: 12/13
- Final Exam Week: 12/16 -12/20
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI LECTURE
Dr. Bruce Railsback’s talk from last Friday is now posted to the EES YouTube channel and can be viewed at this link: https://youtu.be/F9dprTPEvoI?si=iojrWbOQ5PJa98DP
Thank you to everyone who attended, participated in, and presented at last week’s event.
STUDENT AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT
Congratulations to EES PhD candidate, Joshua Laird, on receiving an Iowa Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship in support of his research. Well done, Josh!
VOLUNTEERS (UNPAID) WANTED TO WASH MASTODON BONES
Do you have the patience to gently wash mud from fragments of bone on a Tuesday evening (5pm - 7pm) in Trowbridge Hall? Contact Tiffany Adrain (tiffany-adrain@uiowa.edu) if so or stop by TH 235 or 236 any afternoon.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
UNDERGRAD/ENTRY LEVEL
UNDERGRADUATE ASSISTANT - IOWA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA - IOWA CITY, IA
The Iowa Geological Survey (IGS) is looking to employ an undergraduate student to assist with a U.S. Geological Survey Data Preservation Grant to digitize its paper geophysical logs. This position will require the candidate to learn and work with NeuraLog Software (training will be provided!).
All work on this project will be performed at the IGS’s Offices on the 3rd Floor of Trowbridge Hall. The position will pay $15/hour for up to 20 hours/week Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm (based on the candidate’s class schedule).
Basic computer skills are required. The applicant must be detail-oriented! A background in Earth Sciences (geology) or Environmental Sciences is desirable but is not required.
If you have any questions about or wish to apply for this position, please contact Alyssa M. Bancroft (alyssa-bancroft@uiowa.edu).A résumé is preferred but is not required.
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at Purdue University is looking for enthusiastic and self-motivated graduate students for a variety of research projects in Geology and Geophysics, Planetary, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences. As a multidisciplinary department within the College of Science, EAPS draws students from a variety of STEM backgrounds. Students with demonstrated academic and research excellence are invited to explore research opportunities at http://www.eaps.purdue.edu/gradresearch. Well qualified prospective graduate student candidates who are being considered for admission will be invited to attend our Graduate Student Expo, February 21 – 22, 2025. We believe diversity makes our department stronger and our science better, and so we proudly encourage students from underrepresented or minoritized groups to apply or simply contact us to learn more about our program by emailing Emjai Gregory at egregor@purdue.edu.
We are seeking a graduate student for an NSF-funded project to examine the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary in Antarctica through sediment coring and surface sampling. The project is led by Dr. Tom Tobin and Dr. Becky Totten, both in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Alabama, as well as collaborators at other institutions around the country.
The position will be funded (stipend, tuition waiver, benefits) by a mix of GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) and GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant) support, and students may be eligible for internal fellowship awards. We are looking for a student to enroll in Fall 2025, and participate in field work planned for Spring 2026. Specific research areas include sedimentology, sedimentary and invertebrate geochemistry, and micropaleontology.
More information, including a form to express interest in the position, are available at: https://ttobin.people.ua.edu/csi-antarctica.html
PROFESSIONAL / POST-GRAD
LABORATORY COORDINATOR, PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO - RENO, NV (CLOSING DATE: 11/8/24)
The Department of Physics at the University of Nevada, Reno is seeking applications for a Laboratory Coordinator position. This position coordinates research activities and academic outreach at the Shock Wave Laboratories within the SAGE and Leifson Physics buildings and is the primary supervisor of the launch systems at the Shock Wave Laboratories. Technical support for research is also provided through conceptualization, design, drawing, fabrication, installation, and operation of apparatus, lab equipment, machinery, vacuum systems, parts and components. Position supervises, assigns work, monitors work progress and reviews/assesses completed work of assigned staff. This position oversees lab safety, equipment maintenance and facility needs. Position reports to the PI for the Shock Wave Laboratories within the Physics Department, Richard Kraus.
Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and two years of related work experience OR Master’s degree and one year of related experience
Related experience: Engineering/technical experience in a teaching, research or clinical laboratory
Schedule or Travel Requirements: Occasional travel may be required
EEO/AA. Women, under-represented groups, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
INTERNSHIP, RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, & GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
INTERNSHIP
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS 2025 AT FREEPORT-MCMORAN
Freeport-McMoran is the largest publicly traded producer of copper in the world. It is headquartered in Phoenix and the North American mines are in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Internship categories include geology, environmental science, geomechanical engineering, mine engineering, and other types of engineering and supply chain. Working at a mine or in mining is a unique experience!
Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gBvnHNMy
Qualifications include: Full-time student currently enrolled at an accredited four-year university majoring in an appropriate discipline or closely related field; OR Recent college graduate having graduated within 12 months prior to internship start date with a degree or closely related field
The estimated pay range for this role is currently $27.50 - $34.25 /hour
STEMSEAS IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR A CRUISE IN 2025
STEMSEAS aims to provide ship-based, 6-10 day exploratory experiences for undergraduates from diverse backgrounds aboard NSF-funded research vessels. Students will sail with experienced faculty and graduate student near-peer mentors, and engage in geoscience and oceanography activities (while also having fun)!
For students specifically interested in the marine technician field, we are now accepting applications for this special expedition.
When: February 1-9, 2025
Where: Honolulu
Ship: R/V Sikuliaq
Deadline: November 20, 2024
Application Process: To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen 18 years of age or over and enrolled in an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university. The application includes:
- A completed application form
- A copy of your latest unofficial transcript
- A recommendation from a professor, adviser or employer (current or former)
About the selection process: We select participants for cruises in the order they occur in the calendar. We will contact you for an interview 8-10 weeks prior to a cruise if you are a finalist. If you do not hear from us, then you are not selected for that cruise. But we will continue to consider your application for each cruise for which you’ve indicated you are available. Contact us privately with any specific questions!
2025 UNOLS-MATE MARINE TECHNICAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN:
The U.S. Academic Research Fleet of UNOLS-designated research ships will host 1 long-term (approximately 6 months) and 12-14 short-term (2-12 weeks each) marine technical internships in 2025. Departure dates will depend on the schedule of each research cruise. We will first select candidates for internships starting in Winter, Spring, and then in Summer and Fall. Applications will stay on file the entire year until all positions have been filled.
The selected interns will work with marine technicians and other crew members on shore and at sea and learn how to operate and maintain a variety of scientific and navigational equipment in support of shipboard scientific research. The program will pay a stipend of $600 per week plus airfare, lodging and other approved travel expenses. Interns will work, eat, and sleep aboard the research vessel, and be provided lodging and a meal plan off ship as needed. Internship projects will vary from one hosting organization to another and correspond to the objectives set by each specific cruise mission. Shipboard sleeping arrangements vary vessel to vessel. Previous interns have worked on cruises to support science projects ranging from chemical oceanography to marine biology, seafloor mapping surveys, geological studies, ROV missions, and much more! Many successful internships have resulted in job offers. Please email Maria Osiadacz, Program Manager, maria@unols.org, with questions about the program and life aboard research vessels.
To apply, read the requirements listed below, prepare your documents and complete the online application
Requirements:
· Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. permanent residents.
· A valid U.S. passport is required for internships that require international travel.
· Applicants must be enrolled in or a recent graduate from an accredited higher education institution in the U.S.
· Applicants should be interested in the field of Marine Technology in support of oceanographic research.
· Previous time at sea is not required, but highly desirable. Being on a multi-week research cruise is not a good time to learn you are not able to manage motion sickness.
· Applicants may be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and be tested before boarding the ship.
Required references and supporting documents (in PDF or Word format only):
· Contact information for three (3) professional references.
· Your most current professional resume.
· A letter of recommendation from an instructor or a supervisor, preferably someone who has knowledge of your technical skills. If your professional reference prefers to submit a letter directly to the Program Manager, please share this link with them: 2025 UNOLS-MATE Internship Recommendation Form
RESEARCH
Positions are available for two MS-level projects and one Ph.D. project in the Graduate Program in Environmental Science (https://www.esf.edu/envscience/gpes/) at SUNY ESF starting in the Summer of 2025. These projects seek to improve our ability to measure and model how climate change and the increase in extreme weather events will influence the hydrology of forested watersheds in the Northeastern United States. This work is part of a larger collaboration with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the USDA Forest Service, integrating sensor-based soil moisture measurements with modeling and remote sensing to better understand soil moisture dynamics in forested watersheds under climate change in order to improve forest management operations.
The project, based at the at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, 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 feature a combination of field, laboratory, and modeling analysis with an expectation of extended visits to the field site throughout the duration of the study. Below are brief summaries of the individual projects:
MS Project 1: Focused on characterizing the dynamics of infiltration and water flow. This student will be responsible for conducting site characterization of the study locations, installing additional site monitoring instrumentation, and constructing a site conceptual model details (i) the partitioning of water among the canopy, vadose zone, and saturated zone and (ii) the timing and magnitude of water fluxes from these respective storages.
MS Project 2: Focused on using LiDAR data to create maps of soil moisture at different spatial and temporal resolutions. The student will be responsible for (i) installation of plot-based LIDAR sensors and managing data collection and storage, (ii) characterization of study plot vegetation and canopy characteristics (tree species, dbh, height, biomass), and understory plants (species, density), (iii) collection and display of LIDAR data for interpretation of tree distribution and microtopography characteristics. This student will be focused on downscaling soil moisture data from the finest resolution attainable by our on-site sensors to lower resolution (i.e. satellite) data sets, examining how downscaling can influence soil moisture estimates for a given pixel.
PhD Project 1: The PhD graduate student will be responsible for assisting the MS Student 1 installing field instrumentation, as well as constructing a numerical model using DHSVM that is based on the site conceptual model (developed by MS student) and using high-resolution 2D datasets of soil moisture proxies (e.g., from UAVs and plot-based sensors) processed by MS Student 2 as additional calibration targets. The resulting numerical model will be used to investigate whether the inclusion of groundwater data and high-resolution soil moisture surveys can improve model predictions of soil moisture following precipitation events. The PhD student will then use these soil moisture predictions to generate dynamic maps of soil trafficability in the study area that account for precipitation events of different magnitudes.
Graduate assistantships provide competitive annual stipends and benefits, including health insurance and a full tuition waiver. In addition, students are provided with opportunities to develop meaningful teaching, mentoring, and networking experiences.
Requirements: for the MS projects, a bachelor's degree in geology, hydrology, civil engineering, soil science, environmental science, or similar field is required. PhD candidates must have a MS degree in one of the previously listed fields, along with experience in numerical modelling.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Nathan Young (nyoung07@esf.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 graduate degree at SUNY ESF. Please include "SUNY ESF-NRCS Hubbard Brook Project" in the subject line.
WINTER BREAK, 3-CREDIT FIELD COURSE ALONG THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF MEXICO (ECOSYSTEM FIELD STUDIES)
Caribbean Ecosystem Field Studies
December 28, 2024 - January 17, 2025
- Earn 3 undergraduate college transfer credits in this exciting 3-week, hands-on, marine field study course.
- Learn practical scientific skills & field research methods through snorkeling, SCUBA diving & investigating the coral reef, beaches & spectacular coastal ecosystems of the Caribbean.
- Engage & connect with a dynamic & diverse group of student peers from throughout the US and beyond.
- Get out in nature by the ocean, breath fresh air, earn credit, and enjoy a safe and inspiring field science course in the Caribbean Coral Reef
Open to students from all universities & majors | Accredited by the University of Montana at Missoula, Environmental Studies Program: ENST 391- for 3 undergraduate semester transfer credits
Direct questions to Professor Steve Johnson, EcoFS Director at steve@ecofs.org
Visit www.ecofs.org for all info!
FELLOWSHIP
EAPS DISTINGUISHED POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS - MASSACHUSETTS INSTUTUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - CAMBRIDGE, MA
MIT Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships in Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) invites applications for its Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. We anticipate awarding two fellowships that last two years in support of exceptional early-career scientists with interests in the broad field of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. Fellows are expected to pursue independent research, but also encouraged to collaborate with at least one faculty member in the department. Applicants should contact prospective faculty hosts whose primary affiliation is in EAPS. MIT postdoctoral researchers receive mentoring and opportunities for career development throughout the postdoctoral period. Fellows receive an annual stipend of $85,000 and an allowance of $5,000 per year for research and $5,000 relocation expenses. Fellows will be eligible for MIT health benefits. The start date is flexible, but should ideally fall between June 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026.
Applicants must have obtained a Ph.D. by the start date, but not more than three years before the start date.
Applications are due by November 30, 2024 and must include a curriculum vitae containing a list of publications, a two-page plan (including figures but excluding references) of research to be conducted during the fellowship, and three reference letters to be provided separately. A description of the application process is at https://eaps.mit.edu/education/postdoctoral-training/distinguished-postdoctoral-fellowships/
Women and minority candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. Employment is contingent upon the complete of a satisfactory background check. Questions about the fellowship may be directed to eapsdpf@mit.edu MIT is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals from all identities and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive equitable consideration for employment based on their experience and qualifications, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or national or ethnic origin. See MIT's full policy on non-discrimination. Know your rights.
WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING IN THE WEEKLY EES NEWSLETTER?
The EES Department newsletter is published every Tuesday during the academic year, outside of semester breaks. If you would like to add an event, club meeting, or other item of interest, please submit an email to clas-ees@uiowa.edu, with the subject heading "Newsletter item," on Fridays by noon, and your submission will be added to the following Tuesday's newsletter.
Thank You & Have a Great Week!