Position Description:
Drs. Meg Graham MacLean and Peggi Clouston are seeking a highly motivated MS or PhD* student interested in exploring the socio-environmental system of forest carbon, invasive insects, mass timber production, and forest policy, to start in the Environmental Conservation Department at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst in Fall 2021. We have a funded project to investigate the carbon impacts, in terms of both storage and emissions, of harvesting eastern hemlock for use as cross laminated timber to meet some of the immanent housing demand in New England. We hope that some of these findings and/or methods will be applicable across a wider array of species affected by forest pests, as well as help inform policy and best practices in both forestry and building sciences. A broadly trained undergraduate from the sciences and/or engineering with interest in sustainable building technologies and forestry are encouraged to apply! Students with experience in modeling/statistics/coding are especially sought.
Our research group will be nested within the larger interdisciplinary Environmental Conservation graduate student cohort, and this student would enroll in a thesis Master's or PhD (deadline: February 1).
Funding is provided through both teaching and research assistantships. We value diversity and seek to build an inclusive research group. Students from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply and please reach out if you feel you are a good fit for the project but have not coded/modeled before.
We understand that we are in the middle of a pandemic and it's a very challenging time for everyone. We certainly hope that the world is in a better place by Fall 2021 and we are able to meet in person, but regardless, we will discuss with the successful applicant how we can best support them and set reasonable goals and expectations in the times of COVID.
To express your interest, get more information, or ask questions about our project or mentoring, please email your CV, a short description of your research interests and career goals to mgmaclean@umass.edu
* A PhD student with a previous MS degree will be considered, though funding is not guaranteed beyond the first two years. However, we are more than happy to work with the candidate on securing future funding!