The students would become part of the Department of Soil and Water Sciences at the University of Florida (https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu). Our overall objective is to advance the understanding of soil as a complex system to promote environmental sustainability. We are particularly interested in how different components of a soil system interact with each other and how these interactions enable/regulate the resilience of soil against disturbance. We have a strong background in applying methods in biogeochemistry and environmental chemistry to study the cycling of carbon and nutrients in soil systems. We also collaborate with modelers to analyze the drivers and implications of soil diversity at regional to global scales. Projects of particular interest include 1) lab- and field-based assessment of soil carbon dynamics in agricultural systems; 2) soil health assessment in sandy and subtropical soils; 3) large-scale ecoinformatics analyses of soil systems.
The Lin Lab is committed to training a diverse scientific workforce. Students from historically underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply. The lab seeks to support students with an inclusive environment and prepare them to be competitive in future career paths, both inside and beyond the academia. The lab will train and support students towards becoming independent scholars and critical thinkers. I particularly welcome students with genuine interest in environmental sustainability and a good sense of curiosity. Students are also expected to mentor undergraduate students and contribute to building an active and engaging learning community.
The Soil and Water Sciences Department provides one of the leading graduate programs in soil science in the US. Students would also have the opportunity to interact with world-renowned scientists in other units of the University, including the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biology, and Florida Museum of Natural History. Four years of financial support are guaranteed for students admitted to the PhD program, and two years for MSc students. MSc degree is required for students interested in the PhD program. More information about the graduate programs can be found at https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/academics/graduate-studies/apply/. In order to be considered for competitive funding, the application must be received by January 1, 2022.
Interested students should contact Dr. Yang Lin by email (ylin2@ufl.edu) before applying to the programs. Please use the subject line ‘Would like to join the Lin Lab’ and include a CV and a paragraph discussing career goals and research interests.
