{"id":394,"date":"2025-11-02T02:32:59","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T02:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/insujo\/?page_id=394"},"modified":"2026-02-17T21:37:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:37:23","slug":"join-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/insujo\/join-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Jo Lab at Purdue – Join Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Join Us<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship<\/strong> (Fall 2026<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Effects of Soil Contamination on Vegetation Dynamics in the Indiana Dunes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We invite applications for a motivated M.S. student to join the Jo Lab at Purdue University beginning Fall 2026. The student will contribute to a research project investigating how legacy heavy metal contamination influences vegetation dynamics in the Indiana Dunes, one of North America\u2019s most ecologically diverse and environmentally significant coastal landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This interdisciplinary project integrates field ecology, soil chemistry, and remote sensing to understand how persistent pollutants affect both aboveground and belowground vegetation structure, ecosystem resilience, and soil function along the Indiana Dunes chronosequence. The student will gain hands-on experience in field sampling, LiDAR data analysis, soil analysis, and ecological modeling, working closely with Dr. Lori Hoagland (Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture), the Institute for Digital Forestry, and state and federal partners, including Indiana Dunes National Park and the Indiana DNR.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Funding<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The successful applicant will likely be supported by a two-year Research Assistantship (RA). If RA support is not available, funding will be provided through a Teaching Assistantship (TA) from the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Both positions include a competitive stipend, full tuition waiver, and health insurance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Desired Qualifications<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n