Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Chemical Oceanography

The Krause and Wang laboratories at the University of South Alabama, based at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, are seeking a student interested in geochemistry, chemical oceanography, trace metals, and metal isotopes to join the Ph.D. program in the Department of Marine Sciences in January 2020.

There has long been a missing sink in the global marine silicon budget. Formation of clays in marine sediments (i.e. reverse weathering) has been proposed to be an important component of this missing sink. However, factors influencing the rate of reverse weathering are still poorly understood. To explore this process, the prospective student will couple lab experiments with field observations using stable isotope tracers.

The Ph.D. position offers a Research Assistantship with a competitive stipend and tuition. The student will work under the supervision of Drs. Jeffrey Krause and Xiangli Wang and will interact and collaborate with a network of interdisciplinary and international scholars.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Field sampling of sediment cores on scientific cruises;
2. Preparing and analyzing samples in the lab for trace metal concentrations and isotope compositions on inductively coupled mass spectrometers;
3. Present findings at scientific meetings and through publishing manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.

Qualifications:

1. The student should have an undergraduate or master’s degree in Geology, Chemistry, Oceanography or related disciplines;
2. Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team;
3. Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational and time management skills;
4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
5. Knowledge of metal isotopes and/or mass spectrometer operation is a plus.

Interested students are encouraged to contact Drs. Jeffrey Krause (jkrause@disl.edu ) and Xiangli Wang (xwang@disl.edu) by October 15, 2019, before applying to the Graduate School, please include:

A. Current curriculum vitae (include contact information, current/former academic institutions, degrees awarded, awards/honors, publications/presentations, other pertinent information);

B. Unofficial copy of GRE scores &undergraduate academic transcripts showing GPA;

C. 500-word (maximum) statement of purpose;

D. Names and contact information (email, phone) of two professional references.