| PhD Scholarship Announcement
Quantifying the role of thermokarst basins and lakes for the Arctic
carbon cycle using remote sensing and GIS in Alaska and Siberia
Advisors: Dr. Guido Grosse and Dr. Vladimir Romanovsky
Application Deadline: April 30, 2008
We are inviting applications for a PhD scholarship in remote sensing
and spatial analysis of thermokarst and thermokarst lakes in Siberia
and Alaska. The scholarship is related to our new NASA research
project: "Assessing the spatial and temporal dynamics of thermokarst,
methane emissions, and related carbon cycling in Siberia and Alaska".
The funding is available for three years and covers salary, PhD
tuition, a computer workstation, satellite imagery, and travel support
for participation in professional meetings and field expeditions
in Alaska and Siberia.
For further information on the project, please visit our project
website.
Project goals for the PhD scholarship candidate:
The PhD candidate will be part of a multi-disciplinary research
team of collaborators working on the characterization of thermokarst
lakes using remote sensing as well as geophysical, biogeochemical
and paleontological characterization to quantify and model the impact
of thermokarst on Arctic carbon dynamic. We will work on different
scales from local study sites to broad regions in Siberia and Alaska.
The PhD candidate will focus on remote sensing using a variety of
sensors (Landsat, Ikonos, Hyperion) to characterize thermokarst
and related features in high detail at study sites in Siberia and
Alaska. This work involves the further development of thermokarst-related
land cover classifications and thematic GIS maps based on remote
sensing data, digital elevation models and field data. These local
results will serve as a base for local thermokarst carbon budget
quantification and as input for sophisticated 3-D numerical thermokarst-landscape
models of our collaborators. The study site data will be used to
develop scaling rules for upscaling and mapping thermokarst in large
regions in Siberia and Alaska using medium resolution satellite
data (MODIS) and ancillary information, like digital elevation models
and existing thematic maps. A second goal for the PhD is to quantify
changes in thermokarst-related features using time series of high-resolution
imagery (aerial, Corona, Prism, Ikonos) and fielddata (DGPS) in
selected study areas in Siberia and Alaska.
The PhD candidate will be responsible for image processing and analysis,
the spectral and spatial characterization of thermokarst in the
study areas, the generating of land cover classifications to upscale
field results and the production of thematic maps relevant to thermokarst.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a Master's or equivalent degree in science
(remote sensing, geophysics, physical geography, or geology) and
should have a strong background in research, optical image processing
and analysis, and spatial data analysis. We expect a general interest
in climate studies, the Arctic, permafrost, and intensive field
work. Applicants must have good written and verbal communication
skills.
Applicants are requested to submit an application in English that
includes (1) a short description of qualifications and research
interests, (2) curriculum vita that provides relevant academic,
employment, and personal details, (3) authorized transcripts of
course work and authorized copies of diplomas of university degrees,
all translated into English, (4) short list of references, (5) two
letters of support from previous employers or supervisors, and (6)
English proficiency certification.
The successful candidate is requested to apply for enrollment as
a PhD student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/index.html#grad).
The PhD study is expected to start as soon as possible.
Please mention this PhD scholarship announcement in your graduate
school application and notify us of your application by email:
Dr. Guido Grosse, Phone: (907) 474-7548, Email: ffgg1@uaf.edu
Dr. Vladimir Romanovsky, Phone: (907) 474-7459, Email: ffver@uaf.edu
For further information about admission and employment as a graduate
student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and the Geophysical
Institute in particular please visit http://www.uaf.edu/admissions
and
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/students.html
Download this position announcement as pdf.
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