Skip to main content

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN SPATIAL VARIABILITY – CROP YIELD RELATIONSHIPS - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN SPATIAL VARIABILITY – CROP YIELD RELATIONSHIPS - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) invites applications for an MS or PhD graduate research assistantship. The candidate in this assistantship will support work to improve an understanding of spatial variability underlying crop yields and associated producer profitability. Specifically the student will investigate the relationship of the National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (NCCPI), an index in the SSURGO database, to crop yields in Nebraska. These efforts will provide a research-based assessment of the ability of the NCCPI to predict crop  yields in Nebraska. The selected candidate will join a collaborative research team involving faculty in Spatial Sciences (Dr. Yi Qi; https://www.qispatial.com/), Cropping Systems (Dr. Andrea Basche; https://agronomy.unl.edu/basche-research), and Applied Wildlife Ecology (Dr. Andrew Little; https://wildlifeecologylab.unl.edu/).

Responsibilities for the student will include:
·                      Data collection, organization, and analysis of relevant field-scale yield data
·                      Evaluate the spatial relationship of crop yields to the National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (NCCPI)
·                      Conduct spatial analysis and quantitative data analysis to identify hotspots of marginal or less productive regions and mapping their relationship to the NCCPI
·                      Develop map products to allow for visualization and interpretation of results

Qualifications: Applicants must have completed a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree in a field related Geographical Information Systems, Remote Sensing, and Data Analytics. Applicants should have a GPA ≥3.0. Applicants also should have strong quantitative skills (e.g., correlation analysis, regression analysis) and organizational skills, attention to detail, and excellent oral and written communication skills. Preference will be given to applicants with prior experience or training with GIS (e.g., Esri ArcGIS develop and ArcGIS online), Remote Sensing (e.g., ENVI) or similar software.

GRA Stipend: Starting salary $22,000 for M.S. or $24,000 for Ph.D.
Tuition Waiver: A tuition waiver of up to 12 credit hours per semester and 6-12 credit hours during summer sessions (depending on previous enrollment) is provided with the GRA.
Health Insurance: Students on assistantships are provided health insurance at a reduced rate. 
GRA Availability: Summer or Fall 2020

Application: To be considered for this position, please send a cover letter outlining your interests, research background, and career aspirations as they pertain to this position; a resume or curriculum vitae; copies of transcripts (unofficial); unofficial copies of GRE scores; and contact information for 3 professional references (name, email, phone, address) combined in a single PDF file with the file name formatted as lastname_firstname to Dr. Yi Qi (yi.qi@unl.edu). Review of applications will begin immediately and the position will remain open until filled.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Disaster Management

1. Disaster Risk Analysis → Disaster Risk Reduction → Disaster Management Cycle Disaster Risk Analysis is the first step in managing disasters. It involves assessing potential hazards, identifying vulnerable populations, and estimating possible impacts. Once risks are identified, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies come into play. DRR aims to reduce risk and enhance resilience through planning, infrastructure development, and policy enforcement. The Disaster Management Cycle then ensures a structured approach by dividing actions into pre-disaster, during-disaster, and post-disaster phases . Example Connection: Imagine a coastal city prone to cyclones: Risk Analysis identifies low-lying areas and weak infrastructure. Risk Reduction includes building seawalls, enforcing strict building codes, and training residents for emergency situations. The Disaster Management Cycle ensures ongoing preparedness, immediate response during a cyclone, and long-term recovery afterw...

How to find drugs against the Corona. Covid 19

FOR SCIENTISTS (and others interested): How to find drugs against the coronavirus: First clues on how we can beat COVID-19. This shows the many ways we can interfere with its replication cycle by repurposing existing drugs - summarized in today's Science journal. LINK TO ARTICLE:  https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6485/1412 .... Vineesh V Assistant Professor of Geography, Directorate of Education, Government of Kerala. https://g.page/vineeshvc

GIS data continuous discrete ordinal interval ratio

In Geographic Information Systems (GIS) , data is categorized based on its nature (discrete or continuous) and its measurement scale (nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio). These distinctions influence how the data is collected, analyzed, and visualized. Let's break down these categories with concepts, terminologies, and examples: 1. Discrete Data Discrete data is obtained by counting distinct items or entities. Values are finite and cannot be infinitely subdivided. Characteristics : Represent distinct objects or occurrences. Commonly represented as vector data (points, lines, polygons). Values within a range are whole numbers or categories. Examples : Number of People : Counting individuals on a train or in a hospital. Building Types : Categorizing buildings as residential, commercial, or industrial. Tree Count : Number of trees in a specific area. 2. Continuous Data Continuous data is obtained by measuring phenomena that can take any value within a range...

Geographic phenomena fields objects boundaries.

In geography, geographic phenomena refer to features or processes that can be observed and studied on Earth's surface. These phenomena can be classified into three main categories: fields , objects , and boundaries . Each category has distinct characteristics, representations, and applications in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 1. Fields A field represents continuous, spatially varying data where a value is present at every location within the study area. It describes conditions that exist across a geographic area. Characteristics : Continuity : Fields have no discrete boundaries; the data is continuous. Gradual Variability : The values of a field change gradually across space. Representation : Typically modeled using raster data in GIS, where a grid structure assigns a value (e.g., temperature or elevation) to each cell. Examples : Temperature Map : Shows temperature variation across a region. Rainfall Distribution : Displays rainfall levels over a large g...

History of GIS

The history of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is rooted in early efforts to understand spatial relationships and patterns, long before the advent of digital computers. While modern GIS emerged in the mid-20th century with advances in computing, its conceptual foundations lie in cartography, spatial analysis, and thematic mapping. Early Roots of Spatial Analysis (Pre-1960s) One of the earliest documented applications of spatial analysis dates back to  1832 , when  Charles Picquet , a French geographer and cartographer, produced a cholera mortality map of Paris. In his report  Rapport sur la marche et les effets du choléra dans Paris et le département de la Seine , Picquet used graduated color shading to represent cholera deaths per 1,000 inhabitants across 48 districts. This work is widely regarded as an early example of choropleth mapping and thematic cartography applied to epidemiology. A landmark moment in the history of spatial analysis occurred in  1854 , when  John Snow  inv...