We are recruiting two graduate students (one MSc and one PhD) to join a well-funded multi-investigator project focused on understanding climate-impacts of alternative grazing practices in grassland ecosystems. At the core of this initiative is a very large, replicated, grazing experiment conducted at two locations in Southern/Central Alberta. Team members will measure many aspects of these complex systems, including GHG emissions, soil C dynamics, vegetation responses, enteric methane production, soil genomics and metabolomics, and other key variables.
This project is well suited for individuals interested in research at the intersection of discovery and real-world application. Through collaborations with numerous private-operators, there will substantial opportunity to test the generalizability of research findings well beyond the confines of a single experiment.
We are committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those belonging to underrepresented groups.
The field work for this project will begin in Spring 2024, and thus preference will be given to candidates that can work/study in Canada prior to Summer 2024. However, for exceptional candidates we will consider a later start date.
The positions will remain open until a suitable candidate has been found. To express interest, please see the contact information listed for each position.
- PhD Student Position Available: Understanding linkages among grazing, plant responses, and soil C dynamics.
Cahill Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta (https://cahilllab.ca/)
Carlyle Lab, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta Canada, (https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/carlyle1)
The PhD student will focus on the linkages among vegetation (including roots) and soil C dynamics, within a grazing system context. Emphasis will be placed on microbial necromass as this is recognized as a crucial component in the formation and stabilization of soil organic carbon yet major knowledge gaps remain. This student will work with other students and team members working in related areas, including soil microbiome genomics and metabolomic, resulting in higher interdisciplinary opportunities.
Demonstrated experience (research or coursework) in field research, ecology, plant biology, and soil sciences are all assets. This position will require substantial field work under a diversity of weather conditions, subjected to growing-season imposed tight timelines.
This is a highly interdisciplinary position, and thus we are particular interested in an intellectually curious, independent, and creative student. Further, this research is highly collaborative and all students will work closely with each other and additional team members. Though the project provides an overall direction students will be given substantial opportunity to develop additional research questions and directions.
This position will be based out of the Cahill and Carlyle labs at the University of Alberta. If you wish to be considered for this position, please contact JC Cahill (james.cahill@ualberta.ca; cahilllab.ca) for more information.
- MSc Position Available: Forage quality response to grazing and assessment using near infrared spectroscopy
Carlyle Lab, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta Canada, (https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/carlyle1)
Cahill Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta (https://cahilllab.ca/)
Forage quality and chemistry, in addition to quantity, is an important factor within grazing systems that affects not only livestock performance and health, but ecosystem processes. Traditional, wet-chemistry, methods of assessing plant chemistry are expensive and time consuming. While near infrared spectroscopy has been advanced to produce accurate estimates of forage chemistry for agronomic plant species, sufficient data from native grassland systems to make reliable estimates is lacking. This student will investigate grazing management effects on forage chemistry and develop a library of spectral data to support accurate NIRS estimates. Opportunity will exist within the project to integrate alternative data generated within the project, such as metabolic plant data generated by PhD 1 (above).
This position will be based out of the Cahill and Carlyle labs at the University of Alberta. If you wish to be considered for this position, please contact Cameron Carlyle (Cameron.carlyle@ualberta.ca) for more information.