Research Fellowships

Development of Gene Centric Modeling for Nutrient Cycling

EPA Office of Research and Development

NSF Graduate Research Internship Opportunities for NSF Graduate Research Fellows

Current as of November 2016

Opportunity Title:

Development of Gene Centric Modeling for Nutrient Cycling

Research Area:

Water

EPA Lab/Center/Office:

National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)

Location:

Gulf Breeze, FL

Duration:

12 months

Brief Summary:

The Graduate Research Fellow will participate in the development of a gene-centric model to help predict potential changes in the biogeochemistry of diverse lakes that may arise from anthropogenic stressors and management decisions.

Opportunity Description:

Biogeochemical models are often used to predict ecosystem changes and are applied at scales ranging from local (e.g., lake eutrophication) to global (e.g., the CO2 budget in relation to global warming).  These mathematical models account for chemical transformations (e.g., of nitrogen and carbon) between environmental compartments that are primarily mediated by a diverse community of microorganisms.  However, the microorganisms are not very well accounted for in the models, and if included, may only be represented as a “black box” through which the processes proceed.

Genomic approaches have been extensively used to survey microbial communities and to measure gene abundances within the earth’s biomes.  Accounting for microorganisms and their activities will help us to understand and model the intertwined and complex biogeochemical cycles of lakes, reservoirs and other aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, the genetic information can provide a window into the current and recent past conditions that are predictive of trajectories or successional shifts that lead to extreme algal blooms, hypoxic events and other harmful outcomes governed by biogeochemical processes.  The trajectories and successional shifts as related to environmental outcomes may best be understood and applied through the development of biogeochemical modeling that incorporates microbial genes to uncover processes and constrain transformation rates. 

Specifically, an opportunity exists for a graduate student to work on the modeling component. The Graduate Research Fellow will contribute to the coding and validation of a gene-centric model that, in part, incorporates gene abundances and thermodynamic considerations to reproduce chemical profiles (i.e., concentrations of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, iron, etc.) obtained from stratified lakes. The study site has adjacent lakes with either fresh or saline bottom water that differ in the apparent cycling of carbon, iron and sulfur.  The Graduate Research Fellow will have biogeochemical and genomic (e.g., gene abundances) data sets to use for parameterizing the model.  Although this opportunity is for someone who is primarily interested in modeling, the student may participate in field and laboratory studies if desired.

Opportunities for Professional Development:

The Graduate Research Fellow will be actively involved with a research group applying state-of-the-art molecular approaches in microbial ecology and biogeochemical methods to model aquatic ecosystems. The NHEERL Gulf Ecology Division is a multidisciplinary research facility focusing on coastal ecosystems and ecosystem services.  The student will gain insights into how basic research is further developed to provide the information and predictive tools used by governmental agencies to make decisions that safeguard the environment and human health.

Point of Contact or Mentor:

John Rogers (rogers.johne@epa.gov)

For more information about EPA Research Fellowship opportunities, visit: /research-fellowships/graduate-research-internship-program-grip-opportunities-epa