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INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL GRADUATE STUDENTS
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The Water and Environmental Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is one research arm of the Institute of Northern Engineering. Therefore there are no academic programs administered through the Center; instead students apply to either one of the existing departments or if no appropriate department exists, the applicant can apply for an interdisciplinary degree through the Graduate School. For example, if you wanted to apply for graduate work in water resources and you have an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, you would apply to the Civil Engineering Department. However, if you already had a MS in Civil Engineering and wanted to get a PhD in Civil Engineering, you would apply for an interdisciplinary degree through the Graduate School, because Civil Engineering does not have its own PhD program. The interdisciplinary program allows students to design their own program with the guidance and approval of their committee while utilizing the resources of the entire University. Details of the interdisciplinary program are presented in the graduate catalog. Another example, you may want to work in the field of hydrology, however the University of Alaska has no formal graduate program in hydrology, but you can still go through the interdisciplinary route.
Although no academic programs are administered through WERC, the Water and Environmental Research Center still plays a dominant role in the education of graduate students working in water related fields. Most of these graduate students work on research projects administered through the Center, in almost all cases the students receive research stipends. The Center also aids the students’ education by providing an environment for interacting with faculty and other graduate students through the availability of office and laboratory space, shared laboratory and computer equipment, and through seminars.
Our students come from a wide background: Civil Engineering, Geology, Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Oceanography and Ocean Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Quality Science and Engineering, Land Resource Management, etc. Although most of our students are the MS level, we generally have 4 or 5 ongoing PhD students conducting research.
Students working at WERC are examining water problems from the highest headwater basins out into the oceans, from water quality to water quantity, and all aspects (biological, chemical and physical). Research projects vary from substantial fieldwork to primarily modeling and any combination thereof. Some ongoing projects at the present time include the impact of hydraulic structures on fish passage, use of remote sensing for measuring soil moisture, the role of hydrology in the production of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane), the role and function of urban and remote wetlands, bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites and groundwater modeling of contaminated sites.
A University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate
catalog and application
forms can be obtained from the Office of the Graduate School,
305 Signers’ Hall, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks,
Alaska, 99775
Assistantships for Graduate Students Interested in Environmental Science and Engineering
We have several graduate assistantships available for projects related to Ground water Dynamics, Surface Water Hydrology and Geomorphology or Fluvial Processes. We are a multidisciplinary research institute with specialists focusing upon many aspects of water resources including limnology, geochemistry, oceanography, hydrogeology, hydraulics, microbiology, and hydrology. We draw students from Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Quality Science, Geology, Geophysics, Mathematics, Marine Science, Natural Resources Management, Forestry and Chemistry. We currently have several interacting projects investigating physical, chemical and biologic processes occurring in arctic and subarctic watersheds. Some of our interests include hydrologic and thermal modeling, scaling relationships, trophic structure dynamics, nutrient cycling, wetland science and active layer dynamics. This research requires a large component of field research during the summer. Some of the duties expected of the student will be measurements of soil moisture, stream flow, collection and analyses of water samples, meteorologic measurements, snow surveys, thaw depth measurements, and a host of other environmental measurements. Some of these activities will require the ability to hike with a pack, ski and ride snow machines. Duties during the school year include some field research, but primarily laboratory analyses of samples and computer analyses of field data.
The selected students will receive a full stipend, which includes tuition, salary and support for research activities (40 hours/week summer, 20 hours/week during school year). Students must possess a valid driver’s license. The students will be expected to conduct environmental research to complement current projects. Please submit resume, transcripts, names and phone numbers of references and letter describing interests and goals to Douglas L. Kane, Director, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 755860, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5860 or by e-mail to ffdlk@uaf.edu.
Persons hired by the University of Alaska are required to possess a valid social security number under the provisions of the 1986 Immigration Control Act. The University of Alaska is an EO/AA employer and educational institution.
Contact Dr. Douglas Kane or Dr. Larry Hinzman for additional
information about current positions that are available.
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