We are recruiting two graduate students to join the Aquatic Intermittency effects on Microbiomes in Streams (AIMS) team here at the University of Alabama! The goal of AIMS is to study how intermittent streams impact downstream water quality. This is a unique opportunity to join a large (and fun!) interdisciplinary team, work at field sites that span the US, and receive targeted data science training. Project descriptions are below:
Hydrology of Intermittent Streams (Mentor: Nate Jones) - This student will utilize a combination of empirical data collection and process-based modeling to characterize hydrologic connectivity and storage of headwater catchments. The student will have access to [and help design/implement] large piezometer networks, spatially distributed streamflow sensors, and regular synoptic sampling of hydrologic tracers (i.e., water isotopes).
Biogeochemistry of Intermittent Streams (Mentor: Jon Benstead) - This student will examine linkages between hydrology and biogeochemistry of intermittent streams. Much of this project will focus on how drying impacts biogeochemical cycling using high temporal resolution sensors (i.e., diurnal variation in nutrient loads, C-Q relationships, metabolism modeling).
These projects will focus on sites in the Southeast (Coweeta Hydrologic Lab, Paint Rock Forest Research Center, and Weyerhaeuser Experimental Watersheds), but there will be opportunities to collaborate with [and visit] other regions (e.g., Konza LTER and Gibson Jack Creek).
Further, these two students will work closely with UA based AIMS team members (i.e., Atkinson Lab postdoc and student) and the larger the larger AIMS grad student cohort studying hydrology, biogeochemistry, and microbial ecology (full list of AIMS graduate positions here). 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 a fun and supportive team of scientists.
For more information on the Alabama position, please contact Nate Jones (cnjones7@ua.edu), Jon Benstead (jbenstead@ua.edu), and Carla Atkinson (carla.l.atkinson@ua.edu). We will start the review in early November and will continue to accept applications until the positions have been filled.