The Hicks Pries Lab

One of the four open positions this summer involves studying soil respiration with myself and Dr. Alix Contosta of UNH. More info below and here:

Environmental controls on soil carbon cycling: The flux of carbon from soil microbes and plant roots is a major part of the forest carbon cycle and appears to be changing. This research project will involve measuring CO2 and O2 concentrations from different soil depths in the Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE), which investigates the effects of both warmer soils and increased freeze-thaw cycles on the biogeochemistry of a northern hardwood forest. Measurements will be made multiple times per week, providing the opportunity to model soil respiration throughout the growing season. In particular, we are interested in exploring the soil respiration response to rainfall events. This research would also include testing new CO2 sensor technology to see if low-cost sensors can be deployed in soils in lieu of expensive infrared gas analyzers. 

The program runs from early June to mid-August. Students receive a $5000 stipend for the 10-week program, as well as free housing. Limited funding is available for research supplies and travel expenses. Food costs are paid by the participants and run approximately $42/week. Students live at Hubbard Brook Research Foundation’s researcher housing adjacent to the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, among a community of summer field students and technicians. All residents are expected to share and cooperate with cleaning, cooking, and related chores. 

Applicants should send the following to the mentor in the field they are interested in: A one page resume (including relevant coursework), contacts for three people who can provide a reference, and short answers (~1 paragraph each) to the following questions: 

• There are many options for working in the environment, and research is one particular way. Why do you want to explore research? 

• Why are you interested in the research project to which you are applying? 

• How do you think that participating in the Hubbard Brook REU program could help you in your degree program and in your future pursuits? 

Please e-mail your application materials to caitlin.hicks.pries<at>dartmouth<dot>edu by February 28th.

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher who will focus on modeling interactions between plants, mycorrhizae, and soil organic matter cycling.

 This position is part of a DOE-funded project investigating the role of mycorrhizae and microbial community traits in soil carbon and nitrogen cycling using a combination of field measurements, experiments, and modeling. As part of the research team, you will develop and test numerical models of soil organic matter cycling incorporating mycorrhizae and other microbial processes and conduct model simulations of carbon and nitrogen cycling under different scenarios of nitrogen availability, plant traits, and mycorrhizal associations. You will collaborate with colleagues conducting laboratory and field measurements to evaluate model simulations. 

This position is through Dartmouth College where you will be part of the vibrant intellectual community of the Ecology, Evolution, Environment & Society program. You will also work closely with collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and have the opportunity to travel to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the collaboration. The position is funded for 19 months. Potential exists to extend the position via competitive postdoctoral fellowships at Dartmouth. 

For additional information, please contact Caitlin Hicks Pries (caitlin.hicks.pries@dartmouth.edu) or Benjamin Sulman (sulmanbn@ornl.gov).

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter indicating how your background might fit with our research via e-mail to Caitlin Hicks Pries (caitlin.hicks.pries@dartmouth.edu). Please include the contact information for three people who can write a letter of reference at the end of your CV. Letters will be requested for finalists. Please apply by June 25th for full consideration.

 Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Design and conduct model simulations of mycorrhizal roles in soil organic matter cycling and plant nitrogen acquisition
• Parameterize microbial traits in a microbial-explicit soil organic matter model
• Synthesize and analyze existing observations of biogeochemistry and ongoing experiments and measurements with colleagues on the project to evaluate model simulations
• Communicate model developments and research results through group meetings and conference presentations
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journal articles
• Work closely with an integrated team of collaborators who use numerical, experimental and observational methods

 Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D degree in biogeochemistry, environmental science, Earth science, environmental modeling, or a related field.
• Understanding of ecosystem biogeochemical processes including soil carbon and nitrogen cycling
• Experience running, analyzing, or evaluating ecosystem or biogeochemical models
• Programming experience in python, R, or similar language
• Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with modeling microbial roles in soil organic matter cycling
• Experience with model parameter estimation, inverse modeling, or Bayesian statistical methods
• Experience developing scientific or technical software using collaborative development tools such as Github
• Interest in working collaboratively in a team science environment
• Record of publication in the peer-reviewed literature

 Dartmouth College is an Ivy League university with graduate programs in the sciences, engineering, medicine, and business. It is located in Hanover, NH, about 2.5 hours northwest of Boston. Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer.

The HP lab has spent several lab meetings discussing how to be anti racist in academia (thanks Asmeret Berhe and Bala Chaudhary for this paper) and working on a written commitment to anti-racism. This is a living document that we will revisit to hold ourselves accountable and update periodically.

You can read it here.

PhD Assistantship in Terrestrial Biogeochemistry

The Hicks Pries Lab is seeking a Ph.D. student to begin in the summer of 2021 on an NSF Office of Polar Programs-funded project, “Permafrost–climate feedbacks: How interactions among plants, microbes, and minerals affect biogeochemical projections in a changing Arctic.” The student would be part of the Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems, and Society (EEES) graduate program at Dartmouth College. This is a collaborative research project that includes a microbial ecologist and biogeochemist at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and an earth system modeler at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The objective of the research is to understand how the mineralogy of and microbial communities in thawing permafrost interact with root carbon inputs to affect soil carbon losses. You can read more about the project here.

We are looking for a PhD student to:

1. Participate in field sampling with the research team (a one-time trip).
2. Carry out lab incubations that manipulate microbial communities and use stable isotopes to trace the fate of organic carbon.
3. Assist with related research at UNH when needed.
4. Participate in regular meetings with the research team to plan experiments and communicate results.
5. Take the lead on at least 1 manuscript that is part of the collaborative research project and will be planned with input from the research team.
6. Develop and take the lead on their own project related to the overall research question that is expected to result in 1-2 manuscripts.

The PhD student will also:

1. Travel to UNH for collaborations and to learn new skills.
2. Mentor undergraduate students through Dartmouth’s WISP and UGAR programs.
3. Develop teaching expertise through teaching assistantships.
4. Develop science communication skills through participation in outreach programs such as JSEP or SEPA (optional).

Qualifications:

1. A strong interest in the research project.
2. A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field by June 2021. Post-baccalaureate experience or a Master’s degree in a relevant field is strongly
3. Have experience working in teams.
4. Be willing to work outside under potentially adverse conditions (e.g., cold, wet, long hours during the Arctic sampling trip).
5. Have relevant experience in at least some of the following areas: a) field sampling, b) soils, c) laboratory work including sample processing, extractions, gas fluxes, running various instruments, or working with stable isotopes, and d) computer programming, mathematical modeling, statistics or data analysis.

Funding: The Dartmouth Ecology, Evolution, Environment, and Society (EEES) graduate program guarantees all accepted students a year-round stipend plus health insurance for five years. This position includes an NSF-funded research assistantship (RA) plus EEES programmatic support in exchange for serving as a teaching assistant (TA) for one or two 10-week quarters each year. EEES TA positions are assigned based on student interest and expertise, build capacity in teaching and leadership, and offer opportunities to meet potential undergraduate research assistants.

Interested? The formal EEES application deadline is in early December. Prospective students are encouraged to email Dr. Caitlin Hicks Pries at caitlin.hicks.pries AT dartmouth.edu to learn more about the project and receive a link to the application form as soon as possible. Selected applicants will be asked to chat via zoom or phone prior to officially applying to EEES.

Lastly, if you are feeling intimidated by this process and do not know where to start, apply for the EEES Scholars Program (applications due by November 19th). It is a two day virtual workshop that will help guide you through grad school applications.

Congratulations to HP lab student Amelia Fitch, who just published the first paper from her dissertation on how ectomycorrhizae influence microbial function in temperate forests. Congrats as well to EEES alum, Dr. Ashley Lang who was a co-author on the paper.

Read it here.

Thanks to the hard work of technician Owen and our undergraduates, the HP lab is very busy this spring term processing samples and collecting data.

Interested in how soils respond to global change?

Do you wonder whether soils are becoming a source of CO₂ to the atmosphere or a sink actively accumulating carbon? Curious about how interactions among plants, soils, and climate affect organic matter decomposition? Want to do research in forests or the arctic? Then consider applying to the Hicks Pries Lab within the Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems & Society Program (EEES) at Dartmouth College.

I am looking for two graduate students to begin in the summer/fall of 2018. My Ecosystem Ecology lab researches what factors affect the vulnerability of soil organic carbon to being lost due to global change.

Successful applicants will have a degree in Biology, Geology, Soil Science or another related field and a strong background in ecosystem ecology or biogeochemistry. Experience with field work and lab analyses is preferred.

For more information, please send a CV/resume to Caitlin Hicks Pries at Caitlin.Pries <at> Dartmouth <dot> edu