What are the responsibilities and job description for the PhD position in earth & planetary surface processes at MIT position at Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS)?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts, United States
Apply before: 1 December 2026
Position
Posting:
PhD student
Apply Before
1 December 2026
The Gaia Lab (thegaialab.com; http://www.thegaialab.com/) in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at MIT is recruiting a PhD student to begin in Fall 2027. The student will work on how climate and erosion shape landscapes, with an emphasis on fluvial and lacustrine geomorphology. Potential directions range from reconstructing past hydroclimate from river and lake topography, to quantifying landscape evolution across a range of temporal and spatial scales. Projects can draw on fieldwork, remote sensing, numerical modeling, or flume experiments, and can be set on Earth, on Mars, or both. Students are encouraged to develop questions around their own interests.
Applicants with backgrounds in geomorphology, geology, physical geography, planetary science, physics, engineering, mathematics, or a related field are welcome. Experience with programming and/or GIS is helpful but not required.
Prospective students should email me (gaias@mit.edu) with a CV and a short description of their research interests before applying. Applications to the MIT EAPS graduate program are due December 1, 2026 (see grad admission for more info on how to apply and requirements: https://eaps.mit.edu/education/graduate-program/graduate-admissions/).
Best,
Gaia Stucky de Quay
Asst. Prof. @ MIT EAPS
Of interest for:
Apply before: 1 December 2026
Position
Posting:
PhD student
Apply Before
1 December 2026
The Gaia Lab (thegaialab.com; http://www.thegaialab.com/) in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at MIT is recruiting a PhD student to begin in Fall 2027. The student will work on how climate and erosion shape landscapes, with an emphasis on fluvial and lacustrine geomorphology. Potential directions range from reconstructing past hydroclimate from river and lake topography, to quantifying landscape evolution across a range of temporal and spatial scales. Projects can draw on fieldwork, remote sensing, numerical modeling, or flume experiments, and can be set on Earth, on Mars, or both. Students are encouraged to develop questions around their own interests.
Applicants with backgrounds in geomorphology, geology, physical geography, planetary science, physics, engineering, mathematics, or a related field are welcome. Experience with programming and/or GIS is helpful but not required.
Prospective students should email me (gaias@mit.edu) with a CV and a short description of their research interests before applying. Applications to the MIT EAPS graduate program are due December 1, 2026 (see grad admission for more info on how to apply and requirements: https://eaps.mit.edu/education/graduate-program/graduate-admissions/).
Best,
Gaia Stucky de Quay
Asst. Prof. @ MIT EAPS
Of interest for:
- Terrestrial Working Group
- Hydrology Focus Research Group