Graduate student Position in Sediment Biogeochemistry

Graduate student Position in Sediment Biogeochemistry

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Chesapeake Biological Lab has one graduate student position available to work with Dr. Laura Lapham.  This position (either a M.S. or Ph.D.) is available in the Earth and Ocean Foundation in the MEES (Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science) graduate program (http://www.mees.umd.edu/).  The first project is funded by the National Science Foundation to understand the role deep ocean hydrocarbon seeps play in the carbon cycle.  The successful candidate will study how methane carbon is transformed by microbial processes in the sediments. They will learn a wide range of analytical skills including gas and ion chromatography and mass spectrometry. This project includes one research cruise offshore Oregon to the gas hydrate site maintained by the Ocean Observatories Initiative (https://oceanobservatories.org/). The cruise will include using remotely operated vehicles to collect samples and potentially a human occupied vehicle. Student stipends and health benefits are commensurate with UMCES guidelines.  Candidates may start as early as Fall 2021 or January 2022.  Please contact Laura Lapham (lapham@umces.edu) for more information on requirements for the projects and graduate program.