The Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at Oklahoma State University (located in Stillwater, Oklahoma) has three (3) open Graduate Research Assistantship positions for qualified Master or PhD students to conduct applied research projects on different aspects of sustainable agricultural water management and irrigation engineering. The start date could be as early as Jan. 11, 2016 (Spring 2016 semester), but no later than May 18, 2016. Below please find more information about the projects.
Improving on-farm irrigation management using sensor-based technologies
The goal of this project is to study utilization of sensor-based technologies to improve irrigation decision making and management at farm scale. The types of sensors to be utilized cover a wide range, including but not limited to flow meters, rain gauges, soil water content sensors, and crop canopy temperature sensors.
Remote Sensing of Agricultural Water Use and Drought
This project attempts to better understand the dynamics and interrelationship between evapotranspiration and drought in agricultural systems using space- and air-borne remote sensing approaches. The graduate student will be involved in processing imagery and analyzing remotely-sensed and in-situ data.
A Closer Look at the Irrigation Component in Hydrological Models
The goal of this project is to improve the performance of hydrological models by modifying the way irrigation efficiency and irrigation water balance is currently represented in these models. The graduate student will be working in close collaboration with scientists at USDA-ARS on a range of monitoring and modeling tasks.
Minimum requirements include a bachelor degree in agricultural engineering or a closely related field, as well as the ability to participate in field projects in remote areas. Interested students may apply by sending their resume and a cover letter stating their interest and any previous experience to:
Dr. Saleh Taghvaeian
Assistant Professor
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department
Oklahoma State University
111 Agricultural Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
(P): 405-744-8395
saleh.taghvaeian@okstate.edu
