ASA Connect

The Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and Environment (NICCEE) is seeking a motivated Ph.D. student to develop a state-of-the-art data platform. This platform will track nitrogen management across the agriculture, food, and energy systems, aiding stakeholders in informed decision-making. This position is backed by the recently established NICCEE with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF; https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2330502).

The selected candidate will be co-advised by Professor Xin Zhang, NICCEE director, and Professor Dong Liang. The student will work with the project team to develop an algorithm to synthesize data from a wide range of sources in order to improve the quantification of nitrogen-use information in the agriculture-food-energy systems, and guide further data acquisition.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will have 1) a bachelor's or master's degree in Data science, Statistics, Environmental Science, or similar field; 2) proficient in at least one programming language. Basic knowledge about nitrogen cycles in agriculture-food-energy systems is desirable but not required.

Description: The assistantship will include tuition coverage, benefits, and a 12-month annual stipend of  starting at $33,642. Three years of support are available through the NSF research assistantship, with additional support available through AL-UMCES institutional funds and fellowships.

Program: The student will matriculate through the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences Program (MEES; https://www.mees.umd.edu/admissions#How-to-apply), a University of Maryland multi-campus joint degree program, and will reside at the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg for the duration of the project. For the MEES program, the application deadline for fall enrolment is Jan 10, 2024. Note that the GRE is no longer required for the application.

In addition to the MEES application, interested candidates should also send an email to The Environment and Science Policy Lab (tesp.recruit@gmail.com)[1]  containing following documents as a single PDF: (1) a statement of interest, (2) a CV, (3) contact information (names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses) for three references, and (4) copy of academic transcripts (optional).  Please indicate in your subject line "[NICCEE_UMCES_PhD]". Informal inquiries are also welcome.