PhD Position: Wildfire & Watershed Research — Utah State University

We’re recruiting a PhD student to join the Watershed & Wildfires Research Collaborative (WWRC) at Utah State University starting in 2025. The WWRC is a multi-university collaborative with expertise spanning geomorphology, hydrology, fire ecology, engineering, data science, and modeling. You’ll work closely with my group at Utah State and Brendan Murphy (Simon Fraser), as well as other collaborators, Belize Lane, Larissa Yocom, and Jon Czuba (Virginia Tech) on basic and applied research at the forefront of climate resilience and wildfire science.

Two funded projects you could contribute to include:

• Advancing watershed and wildfire proactive planning tools that predict burn severity, streamflow response, and erosion/sedimentation, with direct applications to forest, fire, and water management planning.
• Developing geospatial and machine-learning tools to assess post-wildfire sediment hazards to transportation infrastructure.

Our goal is to improve how we anticipate, plan for, and manage wildfire-related risks across western landscapes. Simultaneously, we are working with stakeholder groups to change perceptions about the important role of wildfire in western US ecosystems. These projects offer myriad opportunities to publish impactful research, build technical skills, and engage with federal and state agency partners, private landowners, and non-profit organizations.

Watershed Sciences at USU has a supportive, collaborative culture and our group emphasizes developing both durable and technical skills while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Logan, Utah is a gem of a mountain town—small enough to feel connected, big enough to have what you need, and surrounded by spectacular outdoor access year-round. This position is funded with a research assistantship of $27,000/year, plus tuition, fees, and health insurance.

If you’re excited by the intersection of wildfire, water, humans, and data, please get in touch! Reach out with a CV and a short note about your interests:patrick.belmont