Open Positions

Graduate Assistantship

We are seeking applicants interested in developing a graduate research program linking water chemistry and ecosystem metabolism with food web energetics in mining-impact streams. Enhanced weathering of mining-exposed minerals increases major ions and salinity in headwater streams, with documented impacts to microbial and macroinvertebrate growth and community composition. Such organismal stress responses have likely but largely unknown cascading effects on stream food web processes. Our NFS-funded research collaboration will assess salinity effects on carbon cycling in headwater streams by integrating measurements of food web production and energy transfer with water quality and ecosystem metabolism (I.e. photosynthesis and respiration).

If you are interested in developing this research program, contact Sally Entrekin at sallye@vt.edu

Graduate Assistantship

 

We are seeking applicants interested in developing a research program focused on quantifying how NaCl inputs to riparian zones and streams interact to alter decomposition and production in both terrestrial riparian and aquatic stream ecosystems. This will be quantified using experimentally paired riparian-stream mesocosms, a field decomposition study across a soil gradient, and crowd sourced k-12 teacher data through the collaboration of terrestrial and aquatic researchers. The objectives of the study are to 1) measure and quantify field terrestrial-stream relationships using a decomposition study that concurrently measures soil and stream chemistry across a large salinization gradient, 2) to experimentally determine how soil salinization impacts terrestrial-aquatic carbon exchange across a gradient of salinization in novel paired terrestrial-riparian stream mesocosms, and 3) to quantify the field-mesocosm relationship to determine the congruence of experimental mesocosm and field measured decomposition rates across a salinity gradient. The selected graduate student will receive a salary of $32,000 USD per year for 3 years. Additional years of funding, if needed, will be supported by student fellowships, teaching assistantships, and/or other lab funded projects. The student will be primarily advised by either Dr. Entrekin (VT) or Dr. Evans-White (UA), but will collaborate and be mentored by all PIs. 

If you are interested in applying, please email sallye@vt.edu and mevanswh@uark.edu with both a letter of interest and a CV. 

Review of applications will begin on November 25th, 2025.