Position Description:
A funded PhD opportunity at the University of Florida, starting in Fall 2025, focuses on studying the response of US forests to climate change. This position will leverage the national-scale US Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database and may include fieldwork.
Research Topics/Area:
- Response of US forests to climate change.
- Forest dynamics affected by atmospheric carbon dioxide, climate change, and nutrient limitations.
- Carbon dynamics and demography across life stages (seedlings, saplings, and large trees).
- Creative modeling approaches to address interactions between global change drivers and forest disturbance history.
Project Details:
This PhD position is associated with a USDA-funded project aiming to understand how and why US forest dynamics have changed over recent decades. The project will examine carbon dynamics and forest demography across life stages. The student will have the opportunity to align research questions with their specific interests.
Funding:
- Tuition and stipend of $32,500/year with a 3% annual cost-of-living increase for up to five years.
- Includes two semesters of teaching assistant (TA) support and up to four years of research assistant (RA) support.
Apply:
Interested candidates should send the following pre-application materials to Dr. Jeremy Lichstein at jlichstein@ufl.edu by around October 15, 2024:
- Cover letter explaining interest in the position and relevant experience.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Contact information for three references.
- Any questions about the position.
Formal applications must also be submitted to one or both of the following programs:
- UF School of Natural Resources and the Environment (application deadline: February 1, 2025).
- UF Biology Department (application deadline: December 1, 2024).
About PI/Dr./Professor:
Dr. Jeremy Lichstein supervises this position and specializes in studying the carbon dynamics of US forests. His research addresses complex interactions between climate change, disturbance history, and global change drivers in forest ecosystems.
Application Deadline:
- Informal pre-application deadline: Around October 15, 2024.
- Formal application deadlines:
- December 1, 2024 (UF Biology Department).
- February 1, 2025 (UF School of Natural Resources and the Environment).
About University:
The University of Florida is a leading research institution offering strong programs in environmental sciences and biology. It provides interdisciplinary research opportunities and a collaborative academic environment.
About the Location:
Gainesville, Florida, is a vibrant university town with a subtropical climate. It offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities and a supportive community for students and researchers. The city is home to the University of Florida, known for its cutting-edge research and innovation.