Opportunities
Opportunities for Graduate Students
I am always seeking highly motivated and creative graduate students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in the area of Watershed Engineering within the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech.
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I am hiring 1 fully funded M.S. or Ph.D. (preferred) student to join my research group and pursue graduate studies in the area of Watershed Engineering within the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech starting Fall 2024.
Primary research topics will be directly related to one (or multiple) of three recently funded projects:
(1) using hydroacoustics (acoustic Doppler current profilers; ADCPs) to measure suspended sediment dynamics in rivers, involving field work and data analysis, in collaboration with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey
(2) predicting how fine sediment fills in gravel streambeds (embeddedness) and affects biota, involving field work and data analysis, in collaboration with Kyle Strom (Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech)
(3) investigating how vegetation dynamics across the floodplain of the East Fork White River in Indiana has led to the development of channelized features across the floodplain and contributes to floodplain erosion or sediment deposition, involving field work, data analysis, and modeling, in collaboration with Doug Edmonds (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University)
The most competitive students will have a background in engineering (or at least have taken fluid mechanics) and experience in numerical modeling, programming, spatial analysis, and/or field work. However, exceptional students without a prior engineering degree (e.g., geoscience, geography, environmental science) with an interest in sediment transport in rivers will be considered. Full funding, tuition and stipend, is available for M.S., direct Ph.D., or Ph.D. students.
The application deadline is January 5, 2024, but if interested, please first contact me directly at jczuba@vt.edu and attach a resume/CV (with GPA and list any presentations/publications), please let me know which or any of the above topics most interest you, and tell me about your interests in pursuing graduate studies (and whether M.S., direct Ph.D., or Ph.D.).
GRE scores are NOT required for our graduate application.
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My research largely focuses on the development and application of modeling tools combined with field measurements to better predict the transport and fate of sediment and nutrients in rivers, organized around three major themes:
(1) Understanding the fundamentals of stream and floodplain restoration, specifically quantifying the form and function of natural streams and floodplains to inform stream restoration efforts.
(2) River network modeling and connectivity, specifically modeling the transport of sediment and nutrients on the branching structure of a river network to determine how change at one location on the landscape manifests change at locations downstream and to inform river basin management.
(3) Ecohydraulics and ecomorphodynamics (eco-: ecosystem + -hydraulics: dynamics of flowing water; -morphodynamics: evolution of landforms in response to the erosion and deposition of sediment), specifically how flowing water and moving sediment affect and are affected by the living components of the riverine ecosystem (e.g., plants, fish, freshwater mussels) to inform aquatic ecosystem management and restoration.
Your research could fall within any or a combination of the above themes. Some ideas on other potential research topics include, but are not limited to:
(a) using hydroacoustics (ADCPs) to measure suspended sediment dynamics,
(b) designing floodplain restorations (floodplain channels) to convey sediment and remove nitrate,
(c) modeling how different sediment lithologies contribute to coarse or fine downstream sediment impacts in the Pacific Northwest U.S.,
(d) determining how a collection of dams/dam removals affect sediment transport on rivers networks,
(e) predicting how fine sediment fills in gravel beds (embeddedness) and affects biota,
(f) investigating how vegetation growing in river channels affects river morphodynamics,
(g) assessing how changing streamflow characteristics affect freshwater mussels.
Most projects will likely involve a combination of data analysis, modeling, and field work.
Students with a background in engineering and experience in numerical modeling, programming, spatial analysis, and/or field work are particularly encouraged to apply. Full funding, tuition and stipend, is available for M.S., direct Ph.D., or Ph.D. students. Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact me directly to discuss your research interests, background, and goals. If interested, please contact me at jczuba@vt.edu and attach a resume/CV (with GPA and list any presentations/publications) and please tell me about your interests in pursuing graduate studies. GRE scores are NOT required.
The Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech is internationally recognized for excellence in the areas of teaching, research, and extension. Our faculty and students work and innovate across a continuum of systems, from natural to engineered, at the nano to global scale, with emphasis in watershed engineering, biotechnology, environmental health, and food engineering. The department oversees a unique StREAM Lab facility, allowing access to several kilometers of stream channel and floodplain for teaching and research.
Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the global community. The main campus of Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is on a plateau between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Blacksburg has a population of 44,000 residents and 31,000 students and approximately 160,000 live in the surrounding New River Valley. Because of the area’s excellent public schools, award-winning services, reasonable cost of living, safety, moderate climate, and abundant leisure activities, Blacksburg is consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live and has a nationwide reputation as a well-managed, stable, and forward-looking community.
Opportunities for Undergraduate Students
Dr. Czuba is currently seeking undergraduate students interested in taking part in his research efforts. This opportunity is currently limited to sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursuing a degree in Biological Systems Engineering with a focus on Watershed Engineering.
Active research largely focuses on understanding the movement of water and sediment in rivers at the interface between rivers and floodplains and at the scale of entire river networks. As an undergraduate researcher, you will gain skills to support these research efforts and perhaps eventually pursue your own independent research. Initial tasks may include a combination of (1) laboratory analysis of sediment samples, (2) field work, (3) assisting with environmental data retrieval (such as streamflow, sediment), (4) investigation and analysis of spatial datasets (including lidar and model results), and (5) river-flow modeling using 2-D HEC-RAS. For highly motivated students, you may eventually be able to pursue your own independent research and contribute to the writing of scientific papers and present your results at scientific conferences. No prior experience is necessary, only a desire and willingness to learn.
If interested, please contact Dr. Czuba directly at jczuba@vt.edu and include a resume, unofficial transcript, and a short description of why you are interested in undergraduate research, what research topics interest you, and how you envision undergraduate research benefiting your long-term career goals. For more information on Dr. Czuba’s work, please peruse his research.