Urban Wet Carbon Accounting and Climate Change

About the role

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Responsibilities

This opportunity is closed to applicants who are Senior Fellows (5-years or more past PhD).

We investigate carbon storage in wetlands in the New York area, assessing the value of these wetlands for preserving them in the face of coastal ecosystem degradation and managed restoration, in terms of regional and global biogeochemical cycles as well as in terms of climate change mitigation policies.

Using satellite remote sensing and observational data, this study will address this urgent research gap by characterizing carbon (C) stocks and fluxes in the lower Hudson Valley and the Long Island Sound, and developing measurement and analytical approaches for use in support of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) frameworks in coastal wetlands.

The applicant will couple space-based remote sensing with comprehensive field and laboratory experiments to quantify the areal extent of wetlands and determine the depths and C content of various types of wetland sediments (both riverine and marineestuarine).

In addition, we will together examine the role of these wetlands in lateral exchanges of organic C with adjacent estuarine and coastal waters. This combination of studies will allow us to understand wetland-atmosphere-estuarine C exchanges, assess how much C is stored on the landscape today, and how land use and land cover change, as well as changes in climate will affect this significant C reservoir. This information is critical for C management and MRV activities.

Requirements

A strong background in remote sensing, GIS, or blue carbon is required.

Qualifications

The position requires a Doctoral Degree.

Skills

• Remote Sensing
• GIS
• Blue Carbon

Benefits

ORAU offers internships, fellowships, research opportunities, and contract positions that can provide you with invaluable experience.

Pay

N/A

Schedule

N/A