Research opportunities
The groundwater group has abundant opportunities for students to get involved. The nature and number of these opportunities depends mainly on whether you’re at the undergraduate or graduate level, so check out the info below and let us know if you’re interested.
For undergraduate students
Streambed stability project
As of Fall 2021, we have several opportunities on a project in the Albrook Hydraulics Laboratory that involves creating stream beds in the lab and evaluating different ways of stabilizing the channels using natural organic material. These are highly competitive paid (hourly) appointments that are available on a revolving basis as student’s schedules allow them to rotate on/off the project. Prospective applicants should be highly motivated with excellent organizational and collaborative skills. Contact Professor Engdahl to arrange a preliminary introduction and interview.
General undergraduate research
If you’re interested in padding that resume with some research experience and have any interest in water resources, hydrology, groundwater, or watershed processes then please consider contacting Professor Engdahl so we can find something for you to work on. Some of these projects may come with limited financial support, but even if they don’t it’s well worth your time to dig into contemporary issues. The goal is to match you with a project that actually interests you and find you opportunities to share what you’ve learned with others. Some contemporary topics the group is investigating include microplastics in the environment, contaminant transport in the environment, next-generation water resources simulation platforms, and long-term aquifer management.
For graduate students
Correlated Markovian processes in watersheds
As of Fall 2021, the group currently has one opening for a PhD student in the area of solute transport methods/theory for watersheds. This is a highly competitive position that will support by a research assistantship. Prospective candidates should have strong interest and capability in the areas of numerical computation, very strong mathematical analysis skills, and also have an understanding of fundamental flow and transport processes in heterogeneous watersheds. Interested persons should contact Professor Engdahl to arrange a meeting to discuss their qualifications for the project.
Candidates should also read and be familiar with Engdahl and Bolster (2022)