Graduate Student Opportunities, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta

Alberta, Canada

Position Title: Graduate Student Opportunities

Organization: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta

Location: Alberta, Canada

Organization Overview: The University of Alberta in Edmonton is one of the top teaching and research universities in Canada, with an international reputation for excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering and health sciences.

The Department of Biological Sciences is the largest and one of the most diverse on campus in terms of the research interests of its academic staff. This diversity has resulted in numerous collaborations among PIs as they discover common themes and approaches within their research programs. The Department currently has 59 professors, 29 adjunct professors and 31 professors emeritus, along with a graduate student population of 224 and 40 departmental support staff. Over 95% of the academic staff in the Department have NSERC or CIHR funding, with the average grant monies being in excess of $200,000 per investigator.

Position Overview:  Dr. Suzanne Tank is currently recruiting MSc and PhD candidates for an ongoing project examining the effects of permafrost thaw on carbon, nutrient, and toxin cycles in the Canadian north. The successful candidate will join a team that has worked for several years in the western Canadian Arctic to understand how massive permafrost thaw propagates through stream networks, and ultimately affects regional and global biogeochemical cycles. This work is part of a collaborative effort that includes scientists at the University of Alberta (led by Dr. Suzanne Tank), other Canadian institutions, and territorial government institutions.

Positions will be based in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, with an anticipated start date for initial applications between January and September of 2024. The University of Alberta is one of Canada’s top research institutions, and the Department of Biological Sciences offers a competitive salary and research support package to all of its graduate trainees.

Duties: There are several anticipated focal projects as part of these efforts, including:

  • Examining how materials released by permafrost thaw move through aquatic networks, and key processing points along the aquatic continuum
  • Specific examination of the effect of thaw on downstream nutrient cycles and nutrient uptake
  • Specific examination of how the transport of toxins, such as mercury, is enhanced as a result of thawing permafrost

Anticipated Start Date: Between January and September 2024

Application Deadline: The cutoff date for January 2024 admissions is July 31, 2023.

How to Apply: Please send an email to suzanne.tank@ualberta.ca, with the subject line “Studentship in Arctic biogeochemistry”. Applicants should include a statement of interest, a CV, and a copy of transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable). Recruitment for these positions will be ongoing.