Penn State's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is seeking applicants for a funded graduate student assistantship position, pursuing a graduate degree in one of our department's two graduate programs:
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Biorenewable Systems
Preference will be given to Master’s Degree students, but Ph.D. applicants will be considered as well.
This position is funded by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and the USDA-Funded MASBio Consortium - a regional research, extension and education project focused on developing bioproducts opportunities in the Mid Atlantic United States (www.masbio.wvu.edu). Thus, the research topic for the student will be related to thermally treated biomass, biochar or other bioproducts derived from biomass crops (switchgrass, shrub willow and/or forest residues). The recipient of this award will have excellent opportunities to interact with a broad network of researchers and educators from throughout the region and gain hands-on knowledge and understanding of their subject of study. As a graduate assistant, the recipient of this award will be expected to provide nominally 20 hours of work per week under the direction of their faculty advisor. Tasks will vary, but will include both research and extension activities. Funding covers the cost of tuition, plus a stipend to defray living costs while pursuing your degree.
Applicants should have a strong academic record, and be completing or have completed a bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study (as well as a Master's Degree, in the case of Ph.D. applicants). They should have an interest in biomass, bioproducts, and bioenergy. Prior experience with research, project development and/or agricultural extension is ideal but not required.
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, until the position is filled. Evaluations of applications will begin 15 May, 2023. Please submit your resume', academic records, list of three references, and a letter of interest to dec109@psu.edu. If selected for the assistantship, you will then have to apply and be admitted to the university for the graduate degree program. Students beginning their graduate program in August 2023 or January 2024 are preferred, but a later start date may be considered.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Daniel Ciolkosz at dec109@psu.edu
This work was supported by the USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, Sustainable Agricultural Systems program as part of the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass for Value-added Products Consortium (MASBio) project, #2020-68012-31881. This work is also supported in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations under Project # PEN04697 and Accession # 1019212.
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