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Current student opportunities

Seismic imaging and temporal monitoring of Erebus Volcano, Antarctica (2020-2023)

I am presently seeking to recruit a PhD level student who will be funded through the following NSF award (NSF OPP #1917178):

https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1917178&HistoricalAwards=false
 

Short description: In collaboration with Dr. Rick Aster (CSU) and Dr. Ronni Grapenthin (UAF), UTEP hosts the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory portal (currently being built). Projects will range from seismic imaging of the magmatic system through icequake and eruption sources, as well as ambient noise related efforts using archived and deployed real-time data. 

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Desired skills: Strong quantitative (mathematical) skills are essential. Background in physics, geophysics, math, and engineering will be considered. Experience with Matlab or Python is desirable, as well as time series analysis experience. You will be working with all manner of coding, data processing, advanced imaging techniques, and machine learning algorithms. Applied mathematics, volcanoes, and seismology all in one.

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Anticipated outcomes: Active collaboration with universities and groups in Paris, Colorado, and Alaska. Participation in one or more conferences per year to present results. Solid formation in applied mathematics, inverse theory, imaging, and optimization techniques, and several publications.

Seismic imaging and monitoring of Erebus volcano, Antarctica
Desert seismology: Relating wind, particle budgets, and turbulence to the high frequency ambient seismic spectrum (2021-2023)

This project seeks to partially fund 1 MSc level student and 1 PhD level students through ARL/ARO Proposal No. 76549-EG-H.

Short description: Direct collaboration and co-deployment with the Army Research Lab Meteorological Sensor Array (MSA) will provide next-generation fine constraints on the interactions between near-surface atmospheric processes and ambient seismic noise recordings. Numerical models and multi-disciplinary datasets will be leveraged to study empirical laws linking potential particle budgets to wind characteristics through the corresponding seismic signal in the Jornada Range, White Sands, NM.

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Desired skills: Strong quantitative (mathematical) skills are essential. Backgrounds in physics, geophysics, math, and engineering will be considered. Experience with Matlab or Python is desirable, as well as time series analysis experience. Experience with finite element methods or an equivalent is an asset.

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Anticipated outcomes: Active collaboration and exchange with the Army Research Lab, with potential future career opportunities. Yearly conference participation, and in depth training of data acquisition from nodal seismic instrumentation. In depth training in time series analysis, inverse theory, and exploration of learning and optimization algorithms.

High resolution seismic imaging of the Valles Caldera supervolcano (2021-2024)

This project seeks to fund 1 PhD level student through (NSF GEO #TBD).

Short description: This project aims to elucidate the structural underpinnings of the Valles caldera supervolcano, NM, in collaboration with Brandon Schmandt (UNM). Bayesian joint inversions of dispersion curves and various scattering metrics (H/V, P-receiver functions, noise autocorrelations) will be performed, and may lead to future field work in the area.

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Desired skills: Strong quantitative (mathematical) skills are essential. Backgrounds in physics, geophysics, math, and engineering will be considered. Experience with Matlab or Python is desirable, as well as time series analysis experience. 

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Anticipated outcomes: Active collaboration and exchange with the team at UNM, yearly conference participation, and in depth training of data acquisition from nodal seismic instrumentation. In depth training in time series analysis, inverse theory, and exploration of learning and optimization algorithms.

Open calls: MSc, PhD opportunities.

I am in the process of writing several proposals, some of which will go forward regardless of external funding. The department of Geological Sciences at UTEP offers teaching assistantships to help support graduate students not funded on RAs. As such, I am always looking for strong quantitative students and have a wide plethora on ongoing and potential projects that we can discuss. Should a new proposal be then be funded, a transition from TA to RA is possible contingent on performance.

Feel free to contact me at jachaput@utep.edu for more information.

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