Doctoral student opportunity in Forest Biogeochemistry in the Department of Geography & Planning at the University of Toronto
We are seeking a PhD student to work on a multidisciplinary project investigating the long-term carbon and nutrient dynamics following clearcut harvesting a red spruce – balsam fir forest in northern Maine. This project has high relevance to sustainable forest management and renewable energy priorities in the modern forest sector for this region. The overall research project involves: quantifying trends in ecosystem carbon and nutrient pools 35 years after clear-cutting the balsam fir-red spruce forest at Weymouth Point paired-watershed study area; comparing 35-year ecosystem carbon pool dynamics with carbon dynamics predicted by an IPCC-relevant forest carbon budget model (e.g. CBM-CFS3); and informing development of criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management (SFM) in forest policy and certification systems adopted for balsam fir – red spruce forests in northern New England. A start date of July 2017 is possible to initiate field work prior to doctoral program enrolment in September 2017.
A BSc Hons. or MSc degree in Forestry, Soil Science, Physical Geography or a related natural resource field is required. A strong foundation in forest ecology, forest soils and biogeochemistry is preferred, and experience with quantitative modeling is highly desired. This position requires working independently and in a team setting with academic, forest industry and federal and state agency collaborators. Strong written and oral communication skills are essential. The project will involve field work at the remote Weymouth Point study area, laboratory analysis at collaborator facilities at the University of Maine, SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY and the University of Toronto, and computer modeling of carbon and nutrient dynamics and pools.
PhD degrees are expected to be completed within four years of initial registration, and require the completion of course work, a PhD comprehensive exam, a research proposal and a final dissertation. The department provides full funding (incl. stipend plus tuition) for all PhD students (years one to four). Applications for admission for September 2017 will open in October 2016. The application deadline is 20 January 2017. For complete application and admissions information, please visit: http://geography.utoronto.ca/graduate-geography/application-admissions/.
The graduate program in geography at the University of Toronto offers students an unrivaled environment in which to study the processes creating our environment. Our graduate faculty explore the processes that shape and define our physical and social environments. A key strength of the department is that it spans traditional lines of social and environmental sciences, while developing and utilizing advanced geospatial approaches to characterize patterns over time and space. Our department comprises more than 50 faculty members and offers our masters and doctoral students an extraordinary breadth of expertise and resources to tackle exciting and challenging interdisciplinary research across a very wide range of areas in both the social and natural sciences.
Please address any questions regarding the research program to Professor Tat Smith:
CT (Tat) Smith
University of Toronto
3038 Earth Sciences Centre
33 Willcocks Street
Toronto ON M5S 3B3 CANADA
Tel: (416) 978-4638
Fax: (416) 978-3834
Email: tat.smith@utoronto.ca
For questions about the program and admissions, contact:
Graduate Student Advisor
Department of Geography and Program in Planning
University of Toronto
100 St. George Street, Room 5045
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G3 CANADA
Tel: (416) 978-3377 (416) 978-3377
Fax: (416) 946-3886
Email: geograd@geog.utoronto.ca