The Ecohydrology lab, in collaboration with Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s Biogeochemistry lab, is seeking a postdoc for an NSF-funded project on methane emissions from trees. The position will start in early 2023 and funding is available for two years. Review of applications will start on Dec. 15, 2022. Please see the full ad for more information and instructions on how to apply.

In August 2022, Karen Knee and AU Environmental Science colleague Kiho Kim traveled to American Samoa to study groundwater discharge into Nu`uuli Pala lagoon and its effects on water quality and the lagoon ecosystem. They were joined by University of Hawai`i researchers Henrietta Dulai, Haley Pantaleo, and Annie Chien, and also worked with local officials and communities. The research was featured in a recent story on AU’s website. The team is planning to conduct a second trip during the rainy season in March 2023, and this time we are hoping to bring an AU student researcher! Contact Dr. Knee if you’re interested in getting involved in this project.

The Knee lab was recently awarded a three-year, $700,000 grant to study emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from tree trunks. The project will start in January 2023 and will involve a collaborative team of researchers from American University, Washington State University, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Field work will take place at the Smithsonisn Environmental Research Center starting in spring 2023. AU undergraduate and graduate research assistants will be needed to assist with field work, lab work, and the outreach component of the project.