Now hiring

PhD Assistantship available, January 2026:

• Searching for a student to contribute to an interdisciplinary research project investigating the utility of satellite data to inform and guide water-smart agricultural practices in the Southern High Plains.
  • Student goals include developing regional satellite-based estimates of water use and using these to develop relationships between water use and groundwater level change in the Southern High Plains aquifer system.
• This USDA-funded project integrates technical and socio-economic research methods and has a dedicated student mentoring program, providing strong opportunities for interdisciplinary training in basic research methods with applied, real-world impact.
  • Within the project, this position is contributing directly to the technical team, but collaboration with other disciplines and universities is expected.
  • Collaborating institutions include Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech, NASA, California State University-Monterey Bay, and more.
• The position will primarily be funded as a graduate research assistantship (GRA), but may include one or more semesters as a graduate teaching assistant (GTA).
• Required qualifications:
  • RQ1: Undergraduate degree in Geology, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Geography, Agronomy, or a related discipline.
  • RQ2: Coursework related to hydrology, hydrogeology, and remote sensing.
  • RQ3: Experience with programming-based approaches to data analysis and visualization.
  • RQ4: English proficiency meeting KU’s enrollment requirements.
• Preferred qualifications:
  • PQ1: M.S. degree in Geology, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Geography, Agronomy, or a related discipline.
  • PQ2: Experience working with satellite remote sensing data, preferably related to evapotranspiration.
  • PQ3: Coding proficiency in Python or a comparable language (R, MATLAB, Julia, etc.).
  • PQ4: Familiarity with irrigated agricultural landscapes typical of the U.S. High Plains region.
• Interested? Please submit your information via this form by August 18, 2025.

Other opportunities with HEAL

We love working with new people and value the skills that all members of HEAL bring to the table. There are numerous ways to join the group, whether you are based in Kansas or elsewhere. Before you get in touch, please read this article and this blog post for how to email a prospective advisor. While they are targeted towards people seeking graduate degrees, the points are relevant for people interested in any type of position.

Graduate Students

I can advise students through the KU Department of Geology or the KU Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science depending on student interests and programmatic fit.

Details for funded positions will be posted to this page when available. Beyond that, I am always happy to work with students on developing proposals for external funding, such as the NSF GRFP, USDA Predoctoral Fellowship, DoD SMART scholarship, or internal KU fellowships, such as the Self Fellowship. If you are interested, please send Sam an email.

For more about applying to graduate school, the GeoGradApp website provides lots of useful information about applying to graduate school.

Postdocs

Details for funded positions will be posted to this page as they are available, but feel free to get in touch if you are graduating soon and want to know what might be in the pipeline. Apart from that, I am always excited to work together to develop a mutually agreeable project and identify a suitable funding body, such as:

• NSF Earth Sciences postdoctoral fellowship (EAR-PF)
• David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship
• Ford Foundation Fellowships
• USDA Postdoctoral Fellowship

If you are interested, please send Sam an email.

Visiting Scientists

We love to collaborate and one of our favorite ways is to host visiting students and scientists from other institutions. Lawrence is a beautiful place to visit, whether for a week or a year. If you need a visa, sponsor, or any other paperwork, we are happy to work with you to set things up. We will arrange office space with plenty of coffee and good conversations for anyone who comes by for a visit! If you want to visit sometime, please send Sam an email.

About KGS, KU, and Lawrence

HEAL is part of both the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) and the Department of Geology at the University of Kansas (KU). The KGS is a research and service division at KU charged by the state legislature to “… conduct geological studies and research and … collect, correlate, preserve, and disseminate information leading to a better understanding of the geology of Kansas, with special emphasis on natural resources of economic value, water quality and quantity, and geologic hazards.” The HEAL group is part of the Geohydrology Section which focuses on better understanding the past, present, and future of Kansas’ water resources. KGS is located on KU’s West Campus, which is just across the street from main campus for easy collaboration.

KU is an international, R1 research university and the flagship university for the state of Kansas with a large water and environmental research community spread across campus. In HEAL we collaborate with faculty and students from many departments including including the Geology; Geography and Atmospheric Science; Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering; Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; and the Kansas Biological Survey.

We think you’ll love Lawrence, which is an eclectic town of ~100,000 people along the banks of the beautiful Kansas River. Lawrence has an excellent cultural scene, historic downtown, cutting-edge library, and too many delicious restaurants to count. Outdoor opportunities around town including biking, hiking, and boating. The big-city vibes and international airport of Kansas City are less than an hour away.

Here are some resources to help you learn more about Lawrence and KU:

• KU virtual tour – the KU geology department is housed in Lindley/Ritchie/Slawson halls, which are #12 and #14.
• KU geology department virtual tour and videos.
• KU videos including tour.
• Lawrence info.
• KU info about Lawrence.