Ph.D. Position in Mercury Loss from Soil

In collaboration with Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, a Ph.D. position is available to perform research examining mercury loss from soils. This work will involve the use of state of the art trace mercury and photo-reaction facilities in the environmental biogeochemistry labs (http://www.acadiau.ca/~nodrisco)  within the K.C. Irving Center at Acadia University (http://kcirvingcentre.acadiau.ca/main.html). The candidate will be co-supervised by Dr. O’Driscoll and Dr. Siciliano and will work in consultation with colleagues from Natural Resources Canada to examine the potential for mercury loss from soils in response to soil characteristics (e.g. texture, carbon content) and climatic variables (e.g. temperature, radiation). This work is associated with the North American Soil Survey and the Clean Air Regulatory Act (CARA) Mercury Science Program .  Motivated students with interests in biogeochemistry and trace analysis of contaminants are encouraged to apply. Contact Dr. Nelson O’Driscoll (nodrisco@acadiau.ca) or Dr. Steven Siciliano (steven.siciliano@usask.ca) for more information.

PhD position in Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecology

A Ph.D. position is available to study the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on the terrestrial ecosystems of Canada’s Arctic and Eastern Antarctica.  The successful candidate would be expected to combine in-depth ecological analysis of plant and soil communities with flux estimates of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour from a 15 year fertilization/passive warming experiment at Alexandra Fiord, in Canada’s High Arctic.  In subsequent years, candidates would be expected to do a similar analysis of the soil community ecology near the Casey Research Station in Eastern Antarctica.  Candidates should expect to spend substantial parts of each year in the field working at either the Alexandra Fiord or the Casey research station.  This position is a joint position between Greg Henry at the University of British Columbia, Geography Department, and Steven Siciliano at the University of Saskatchewan, Soil Science Department with substantial input from Ian Snape of the Australian Antarctic division.  The ideal candidate will have a background (B.Sc. or M.Sc.) in plant or soil science with a strong interest in ecological level of analysis of community responses.  Because the research will be conducted in extreme polar environments, the candidate needs to be an independent, self-motivated, resourceful and candidate should have some form of ‘polar fever’.  If you are interested, please contact Greg Henry (ghenry@geog.ubc.ca) or Steven Siciliano (steven.siciliano@usask.ca or soiltox.com) for more details.  Outstanding candidates with only a B.Sc. will be considered but should have some field experience.  Candidates would be expected to begin this position sometime before May 2009.