Fully funded M.Sc position in Soil Science at Austin State University
Opportunity for Graduate Research Assistantship (M.Sc.)!!!
A graduate research assistantship (M.Sc.) is available in the Soil Science lab in the Department of Agriculture within Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University—a member of the University of Texas System, starting Fall 2025. The selected candidate will work under Dr. Aakriti Sharma on the USDA CIG-funded project to investigate the effectiveness of biochar amendments in existing silvopasture, native grass pasture and improved pasture. To assess the effect of biochar amendments, physical, chemical, and hydrological soil properties in the top 50 cm will be measured.
The successful applicant should have prior educational training and hold a B.Sc. in agriculture/agronomy, soil science, environmental science, or a closely related discipline.
A candidate familiar with the R-programming language is preferred.
This position will provide the selected candidate with the opportunity to develop important laboratory skills, such as standard soil analyses procedures and analytical instrument operation (e.g., ICP-OES, C/N analyzer). The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to be involved in demonstrating the effectiveness of climate-smart practices to regional stakeholders, and effective presentation and communication skills will be gained via presentations at research conferences and meetings.
The student is expected to produce a thesis and submit a manuscript for peer-reviewed publication.
Please reach out to Dr. Aakriti Sharma (aakriti.sharma@sfasu.edu) with a subject headline “Biochar MS position”, along with a cover letter, CV and transcript if you are interested.
