Graduate Assistantships & Postdoctoral Opportunities

Thank you for your interest in advanced graduate education and research at Washington State University, Biological Systems Engineering.

Research is dynamic and opportunities arise based on projects and funding opportunities. Please email sindhuja.sankaran@wsu.edu with letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and names of three references.

M.S. and Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship

The student will have an opportunity to conduct high-level research that will directly contribute to the development of novel sensing and automation technologies for agricultural applications. Successful candidates are expected to develop and manage their research project and present findings at scientific meetings. Publication of findings in peer-reviewed journals will be expected. Student will have opportunities to work in a multidisciplinary team on advanced sensing technologies for crop evaluation to develop a successful career in academics or agriculture-based companies.

Dr. Sankaran’s research group works on optical and chemical (volatile-based) sensor technologies for non-invasive, rapid, and continuous monitoring of plant production systems. The research involves development and applications of ground and aerial (using unmanned aerial vehicles) sensing system for high-throughput assessment of phenotypes. These activities include intense chemometrics and development of pattern recognition algorithms using machine learning techniques for informed decision making based on sensory data.

Desired Qualifications: B.S./M.S. in Agricultural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field from an accredited institution. Prior experience on sensor systems and instrumentation, strong background in molecular biology/statistics, programming skills, excellent communication skills (oral and written), and ability to work as a team with multidisciplinary group will be beneficial. The students are expected to be data savvy.

Graduate Research Assistant Support: Usually provides tuition, monthly stipend, and health insurance as per the policies established by Washington State University.

You may also wish to visit the department site for  Biological System Engineering to check for further opportunities.