Collaborate with us: We welcome potential collaborators for future projects related to natural climate solutions, soil health, greenhouse gas monitoring, ecosystem modeling, precision agriculture, and other themes specified on the About page.
Join our group: We encourage motivated graduate students, undergraduate students, post-baccalaureate students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars to join our lab. For any questions, please contact me at yushuxia@ldeo.columbia.edu or use the contact form below.
For prospective Ph.D. students:
I recruit Ph.D. students through Columbia’s DEES program (https://eesc.columbia.edu/content/graduate-prospective-students) during fall semesters. Please note that there is no spring admission per program policy.
Finalists for 2025 have already been identified and encouraged to apply, so I am no longer conducting interviews for 2025 applications. I will begin evaluating candidates for Fall 2026 (anticipate at least one new student) later in 2025.
Information for international students can be found here: (https://www.gsas.columbia.edu/content/information-international-applicants). Please provide evidence of English proficiency test results when reaching out about the Ph.D. position.
For prospective postdoc researchers:
I recruit postdoctoral researchers through LDEO. The postdoc position will be based in Palisades, NY. Due to university policy, postdoc positions are only offered to applications who obtained their Ph.D. degrees in 2022 or later.
The application for 2024 is currently closed but will reopen in Spring 2025 (delayed due to current university policy). I anticipate recruiting two postdocs to start no later than 2025 Fall. Stay tuned for the official advertisement and application link.
Prospective postdocs are also strongly encouraged to check out the following resources and discuss your interests with me directly:
Postdoctoral Fellowships in Earth, Environmental, and Climate Sciences at Lamont: https://lamont.columbia.edu/about/postdoctoral-fellowships - Deadline is around November
Postdoctoral Research Program at Columbia Climate School: https://www.climate.columbia.edu/postdoctoral-research-program - Deadline is around November
Postdoctoral Fellowships at Columbia’s Data Science Institute: https://datascience.columbia.edu/research/postdoctoral-researchers/ - Deadline is around December
NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Earth Sciences: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/ear-postdoctoral-fellowships-ear-pf - Deadline is around October
USDA Postdoctoral Fellowships: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/agriculture-food-research-initiative-education-workforce-development - Deadline is around September
For other interested students:
I recruit intern students mainly through the following programs:
SSFRP for high school students: https://lamont.columbia.edu/education-outreach/student-summer-opportunities-SSFRP
DEES or E3B senior thesis for Columbia undergraduate students: https://eesc.columbia.edu/content/senior-capstone
Summer internship for undergraduate students: https://neighbors.columbia.edu/content/lamont-doherty-summer-internship-program. This program is only open to U.S. citizens or green card holders. - Deadline is around February
Bridge to Ph.D. Program in STEM for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree: https://bridgetophd.facultydiversity.columbia.edu/. This program is only open to U.S. citizens or green card holders. - Deadline is around February
INSPIRE Geoscience Bridge to Ph.D. Program for post-baccalaureates interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Geoscience: https://inspire-geoscience.org/bridge-to-phd. This program is only open to U.S. citizens or green card holders. - Deadline is around February
E3B’s M.A. Program: https://e3b.columbia.edu/e3b-ma-program/ - Deadline is around January
SUSC’s M.S. Program: https://www.science.ei.columbia.edu/ - Deadline is around November (Spring)/ January (Fall)
Various opportunities for Columbia Climate School students: https://www.climate.columbia.edu/student-opportunities
Opportunities for Barnard students: https://envsci.barnard.edu/envsci%20opportunities_and_affiliations
Additionally, I occasionally recruit lab technicians to work on soil sampling and soil health tests. Ideal candidates should have extensive field and laboratory experience, along with a B.S. or M.S. degree in soil science or related disciplines. I anticipate recruiting a new lab technician for Spring or Fall 2025. Stay tuned for the official advertisement and application link.
For senior researchers who obtained their PhDs before 2022:
Please consider joining my lab through visiting scholar programs, such as the Fulbright Program (for international scholars) and the INSPIRE Fellows program (for early or mid-career faculty in the U.S.).