Join the Lab
Note that much of this content is influenced by the website of the Bennet Lab.
Current Opportunities
I am actively seeking to fill two positions at the SURF-Lab. Details on both positions below. You can also write me unsolicited inquiries from potential graduate students.
Fully-Funded Ph.D.
I am seeking a Ph.D. student for the Fall 2025 intake. Ideally with an industrial ecology, systems engineering, geography, ecological economics, or related background. More details here.
Start: September 1, 2025
Application deadline: December 1, 2024 via Rackham Graduate School. Details about the SEAS Ph.D. program and admissions process here.
Fully-Funded Postdoc on Carbon Accounting of Forestry Products
I am seeking a postdoc to join my group this fall to work on a new, collaborative project, LASER (Lifecycle Assessment Synthesized with Ecology and Risk). The ideal candidate would have an industrial ecology background with experience assessing land-based systems. The goal of the project is to combine advanced lifecycle assessment methods with forest carbon bookkeeping data and models from forest ecology to support more robust forest stewardship. You would be part of a diverse and exciting project team that includes multiple National Academy of Science members. More details here.
Start: Fall 2024
Duration: One year with high likelihood of renewal for another year.
Location: Ann Arbor, MI (not remote)
Compensation: Commensurate with experience. Competitive.
Application deadline: September 15. See job advert for further instructions. Please follow application instructions. We would like a CV and a cover letter. Please include both. Application portal here.
Master's Thesis
I occasionally supervise master's theses. Feel free to contact me about about the possibility of doing a thesis if you are accepted into the SEAS MSc program or have just started the program (i.e., first term).
General Information
I am often seeking new students and postdocs for the SURF Lab. I am largely agnostic as to your educational background. I don't care if you are an architect, economist, engineer, human geographer or something else entirely. I encourage applicants from a diverse range of academic and personal backgrounds to apply to the lab.
What I want you to bring to the lab is an interest in our core research areas, a passion for cities and the environment, and an openness to exploring urban sustainability through multi-disciplinary research. Some background knowledge on cities, quantitative methods, and sustainability are a prerequisite for joining the lab, but you are also coming here to learn, so you need not be an expert in those areas. I also appreciate strong written skills, although this is something we can develop together.
Working With Me
I want to help you achieve you career and life goals. Upon joining the lab, we will sit down and design an effective path towards these goals. We will meet occasionally to track your progress and reorient as needed.
I believe that research is a social enterprise. The days of the lone scholar in the ivory tower are long behind us. Our lab holds weekly meetings to share progress and ideas. You will also meet with me on a weekly basis to discuss specific problems and maintain momentum in your research.
I believe in a healthy work-life balance. I have two young children and strive to be a meaningful presence in their lives. Academics can be productive and take time for themselves. In fact, I believe that downtime is essential to fostering creative thinking and being a well-rounded academic and individual. You will not be expected to work yourself to the bone, but you you will be expected to meet the milestones we set for you.
How to Join
Please email me a one page description of the research you would like to do at the SURF Lab. Be clear about the topic of interest, your level of knowledge, and how your skills and training provide a foundation for the research you want to do. Please note If you have funding or leads for funding. Also include your full CV in the email.
Regarding funding, self-funded students will have maximum leeway on research topic and scope. Funded positions will often be tied to a specific project. Common funding resources for domestic students and postdocs (domestic and international) are listed below. International students should note that there are often multiple funding options in their home country and in Canada to study at Canadian research institutes. See here for a non-exhaustive list of funding sources.
Key Information
