PhD in soil data science
Columbia University
About Columbia University
Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in New York City. Columbia’s alumni, faculty, and staff have included four U.S. presidents, 34 foreign heads of state or government, two secretaries-general of the United Nations, ten justices of the United States Supreme Court, 103 Nobel laureates, 125 National Academy of Sciences members, and 125 Pulitzer Prize recipients. The U.S. News ranked Columbia University to be the 9th in Best Global Universities.
About DEES
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES) at Columbia University hosts one of the top-rated earth and environmental science programs internationally. The U.S. News ranks Columbia’s Environmental Sciences as the 2nd in the country and Earth Sciences as the 4th. Most of our faculty are scientists based at the renowned Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, located on its own beautiful wooded campus, and most DEES students conduct their research at LDEO. LDEO is one of the largest geoscience research institutions in the country, guaranteeing a broad and deep education, with ~150 post-Ph.D. scientists, most of whom may serve as students’ advisors. LDEO is the biggest research institute within the Columbia Earth Institute, an umbrella organization uniting all of the Earth-oriented science being conducted at Columbia, and connecting the sciences with policy and social sciences.
Homepage: https://xia-soil-systems-lab-columbia.squarespace.com/
Soil System Sciences (SSS)
Description
The Xia’s Soil System Research Group at Columbia University (https://xia-soil-systems-lab-columbia.squarespace.com/) invites applications for a Ph.D. position (2025 Fall) in environmental data science, with a focus on developing and improving digital soil mapping models and using the modeling results to inform sampling design for future soil survey efforts. The successful candidate will develop, calibrate, and validate models for estimating dynamic soil properties and their associated uncertainties at multiple scales. The project will leverage remote sensing imagery, national and regional soil survey datasets, targeted field measurements, and machine learning techniques. The candidate will also gain experience in designing a web-based interface to visualize model outcomes, which will inform agricultural management decisions and policymaking. Additionally, the candidate will have the opportunity to participate in model intercomparison and ensemble activities through collaboration with the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) network. This is a 5-year, fully funded position, and the candidate will work in a highly collaborative environment with scientists from Columbia University, Woodwell Climate Research Center, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about the DEES program, please refer to the link here: https://eesc.columbia.edu/content/graduate-prospective-students
Qualifications
Candidates should have recently completed or be nearing completion of a B.S. or B.A. in environmental science, soil science, earth system science, ecology, remote sensing, computer science, or a closely related field. The successful candidate should have demonstrated knowledge of environmental or ecosystem processes. Strong data science skills, including geospatial analysis and cloud computing, as well as proficiency in coding languages such as R, Python, and Google Earth Engine, are highly preferred. Excellent oral and written communication skills, along with the ability to network and collaborate effectively, are also essential for success in this Ph.D. position. For international applicants, please follow the instructions here: https://www.gsas.columbia.edu/content/information-international-applicants). The minimum requirement is a TOEFL score of 100 or an IELTS score of 7.5.
Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact yushuxia@ldeo.columbia.edu with the subject “Prospective PhD student” before applying. In emails, please state your research interest and include the following items: unofficial transcripts, TOEFL/IELTS scores (if applicable), and a curriculum vitae. Please remove sensitive personal information (e.g., birthday) from your application package. Interviews will be scheduled during October and November.