PhD Position in Geodesy and Arctic Environmental Science: Washington University in St. Louis

The Radar Lab in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis is seeking a PhD student to join a collaborative, multi-institutional team to conduct research at the interface of space geodesy and Arctic environmental science. The successful candidate will use a combination of spaceborne and airborne geodetic datasets to quantify and characterize the major sources of measurement bias and uncertainty in interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), laser altimetry, and radar altimetry measurements over land surfaces underlain by permafrost. Possible scientific applications include, but are not limited to: permafrost-wildfire interactions, permafrost thaw, thermokarst and thaw slumping, permafrost- vegetation interactions, and surface hydrology.

The Radar Interferometry and Geospatial Science Laboratory (‘Radar Lab’) employs a variety of remote sensing instruments and geospatial techniques to study dynamic surface processes and environmental Earth system properties, with an emphasis on the Arctic and permafrost landscapes. The Radar lab has an emphasis on radar remote sensing modalities (e.g. InSAR, SAR, radar altimetry, and ground-penetrating radar), but also uses LiDAR, hyperspectral, and optical remote sensing techniques in conjunction with field work.

Please contact Roger Michaelides (roger.michaelides@wustl.edu) directly if interested in learning more about this opportunity. Please visit https://eps.wustl.edu/graduate for details on the graduate program in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. All application materials must be received by January 1st 2023 for consideration, but applicants are encouraged to apply early and reach out directly to Roger Michaelides to discuss the position and any questions.