Seeking a PhD student in systems integration (Nepal)

PhD student assistantship in Systems Modeling (Chitwan, Nepal)

A doctoral graduate student is sought to join the Department of Geography at San Diego State University (SDSU) in support of an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional project "CNH: Feedbacks between human community dynamics and socio-ecological vulnerability in a biodiversity hotspot”. This PhD student will integrate GIScience, ecology, and socioeconomics to understand what factors may "lead to vulnerability of community forest socio-ecosystems to the catastrophic effects of rapid environmental change" (quote from the proposal). The student is expected to take a systems approach to understanding vulnerability and resilience in coupled natural and human (CNH) systems in many rural-to-urban transitioning societies. Specifically, the student will travel to the field site (the Chitwan Valley, Nepal) and work with scientists from other disciplines; s/he will develop and evaluate an agent-based model that integrates multi-scale and multidisciplinary data and serves as a platform for hypothesis testing, scenario envisioning, and policy recommendation.

Applicants should have strong interests in computer modeling and GIScience (GIS and/or remote sensing). A background in landscape, ecosystem, and/or wildlife ecology as well as in social survey design and analysis is a plus. Strong quantitative and programming experiences (e.g., statistics; C++, Java, or python), excellent interpersonal skills and writing abilities, and a willingness to work in a range of international and interdisciplinary contexts are desirable. Salary and benefits are competitive. The ideal starting date will be the 2013 fall semester (specifics negotiable). The application materials must be received by February 1st, 2013.

Applicants should visit the SDSU Geography departmental website and follow the instructions there. In addition to following the Department's application procedure, interested individuals are encouraged to send the following materials to Dr. An: (1) statement of professional goals, (2) resume (including contact information of at least three references), (3) transcripts, and (4) GRE scores (TOEFL scores for applicants whose native language is not English). Scanned copies or photocopies of transcripts and GRE/TOEFL scores are acceptable initially. Contact information:

Dr. L. An
Department of Geography
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-4493
Email: lan@mail.sdsu.edu
Web:  http://complexity.sdsu.edu/ 

When contacting me, please put "Response to PhD Assistantship in NSF Chitwan Project" as your email subject to facilitate timely consideration of your inquiry or application.

 

 

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