From Pore to Profile to Planet: Improving predictions of soil carbon dynamics through data-model synthesis.
This research opportunity provides the chance for an innovative early-career scientist to make significant advances in our capacity to effectively model terrestrial carbon cycle responses to climate change. We welcome proposals to meet this general goal and, while we do not want to limit the directions proposed by applicants, areas we believe are especially fruitful are: (1) integration of highly mechanistic modeling approaches to soil carbon transformations (e.g., reactive transport models) with empirical based biogeochemical models (e.g., regional, national, and global models); (2) improvement in the accessibility/utility of datasets for the development, evaluation, and testing of carbon models; and (3) scaling of models across varying complexity and temporal and/or spatial scale. To learn more about this research opportunity, please visit: http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc/opps/2015/15-29%20Lawrence.htm
Research advisors: Corey Lawrence (clawrence@usgs.gov); Sasha Reed (USGS); Todd Hawbaker (USGS); Mark Waldrop (USGS); Crystal Ng (University of Minnesota). Proposed station: Denver CO, with potential for time in Moab UT and Menlo Park CA.
PhD qualifications: Biogeochemistry, Geochemistry, Numerical Modeling, Soil Science, or related disciplines (candidates holding a Ph.D. in other disciplines but with knowledge and skills relevant to the Research Opportunity will be considered).