MSc or PhD graduate studies in Ecology and Remote Sensing of Tree Heights
The Savanna lab (https://savannalab.nmsu.edu/) in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University is seeking applicants for a graduate assistantship. Candidates broadly interested in dryland ecology and remote sensing, and/or with interests in macroscale patterns in tree physiology and phylogeny are encouraged to apply. We are looking for candidates interested to join a team exploring global patterns and drivers of woody plant height, canopy cover and biomass in water-limited ecosystems using space-borne LiDAR (e.g. GEDI and IceSat-2). The student will develop an independent research project and publications leading to a dissertation relating to dryland ecosystem structure and function, height, canopy cover and/or biomass estimation, using data from one or more sources including satellite remote sensing, UAV, and field measurements.
Required Qualifications: MSc applicants: Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field relating to ecology, geography, remote sensing, earth system science, or related fields. PhD applicants: Master's degree in geography/geospatial analysis, ecology, remote sensing, data analytics or related field. Preference for candidates with experience with analysis of geospatial data and computer programming, strong interest in learning new skills and ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.
To apply: Please email Dr. Niall Hanan at nhanan@nmsu.edu or Dr. Qiuyan Yu at qiuyanyu@nmsu.edu with the email subject: Graduate Studies Opportunity and the following as 1 combined pdf attachment. (i) Brief cover letter describing your research interests, research experience and career goals; (ii) Resume/CV including contact information for 3 professional references. Following review of applicants and interviews, competitive applicants will be asked to submit an official application to New Mexico State University Graduate School (https://gradadmissions.nmsu.
New Mexico State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and diversity. We strongly encourage members of marginalized and under-represented groups to apply.
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Qiuyan Yu, PhD
Plant and Environmental Sciences
New Mexico State University