Duke University, Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Position Description
Project Title: The Impact of Conversion of Tropical Rainforest to Oil Palm Plantation on Turbulent Transport within and above the Canopy Overview: This project investigates how large-scale conversion of tropical rainforests to oil palm plantations in Borneo alters atmospheric turbulence and material exchanges between vegetation and the atmosphere. The project will combine field measurements and numerical approaches to construct a coupled turbulence–vegetation dynamics model that quantifies CO₂ and H₂O fluxes and clarifies the impacts of land-use change on such canopy–atmosphere interactions. Key Responsibilities: • Manage the micro-meteorological field observations that include eddy covariance flux and meteorological measurements at the paired tropical rainforest and oil palm plantation sites. • Compile and process environmental and turbulence datasets - including CO₂/H₂O fluxes, meteorological factors, and vegetation structure as derived from LiDAR measurements. • Assist in developing and validating turbulence models (RANS frameworks) and coupling them with a process-based vegetation dynamics model. • Perform model calibration, sensitivity analysis, and numerical experiments to evaluate how vegetation structure and turbulence affect material transport (i.e. CO2/H2O). • Analyze model results and contribute to manuscripts, reports, and presentations at the American Geophysical Union or the American Meteorological Society summarizing the key findings. Expected Outcomes: A robust model of canopy turbulence and energy exchange, advancing understanding of how tropical deforestation and oil palm plantation expansion influence regional carbon and water cycles. The work will support sustainable land-use planning and inform conservation policies in the Borneo region.Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Application Materials Required:
- Curriculum Vitae
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