Info for Prospective Lab Members
If you think the work we do is a good fit for your skills and interests, please reach out! We are currently recruiting for one to two graduate students to start in Fall 2027 in any of our three core research themes.
Relevant backgrounds. Strong applicants will have a background in civil/environmental engineering, geology, hydrology, atmospheric sciences, landscape architecture, data science, applied mathematics, or a related field.
Desired skills. Everyone in our lab does some amount of coding and/or numerical modeling, though there is a wide range in how central this is to each research project. Strong applicants typically have experience with coding (e.g., python), experience with numerical modeling, or an interest in learning these skills. Many though not all projects also involve some amount of field work (e.g., soil analysis, groundwater/stormwater monitoring) and a smaller minority of projects have lab work as well (e.g., soil analysis). We are very interested in research that centers stakeholder perspectives, whether this is formally assessed via surveys, interviews, etc. or incorporated via close partnerships with agencies (e.g., state agencies, local water utilities).
Express interest. To express interest and discuss potential fit, please reach out to Carolyn via email with 1) a brief statement about your background and interest in the lab, and 2) a current CV or resume by early Dec (sooner is better); Carolyn will be largely unavailable from mid-Dec 2026 through early-Feb 2027.
How to apply. Prospective students should apply to the PhD or research MS degree programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering by Dec 15 for full consideration, though applications received through March 15 may still be considered if opportunities remain. Please mention my name in your application, even if we were unable to connect via email.
Note: We moved to UW-Madison in August 2026. Several PhD students have remained at the University of Delaware to finish their degrees, but new lab members will join us at UW-Madison.
Curious to learn more about what it might be like to be a member of our research group? Feel free to examine our shared lab expectations. This is a living document that we update one or more times per year as a group to reflect the ways we want to work with and show up for one another.