Current Research Positions
Current undergraduate paid and unpaid research positions and general faculty research projects for undergraduate researchers.
Carbon Cpature and Geologic Storage
Duration: ongoing - get in touch: tip.meckel@beg.utexas.edu
The Gulf Coast Carbon Center often engages with undergradutes in geology, EER, and petroleum engineering on topic related to carbon capture and geologic storage (CCS).
Posted by: Tip Meckel
UTIG Undergraduate Research Opportunities Fellowship in "Sediment Microplastics in Austin's Waterways"
Duration: Fall 2023 semester
The UTIG Undergraduate Research Opportunities Fellowship in "Sediment Microplastics in Austin's Waterways" is open to third and fourth year JSG undergraduates for the fall, 2023 semester (September-December). Fellowship recipients will process sediment samples from Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake to extract microplastics (at the sedimentary lab at Pickle Research Campus) as part of a baseline study funded by UTIG and the City of Austin. The project includes optional opportunities for local field work, independent research projects, and publication. Get involved!
Fellows will receive a monthly stipend of $500/month. No experience necessary! To apply, email resume and brief statement of interest to Marcy Davis (marcy@ig.utexas.edu) and Cornel Olariu (cornelo@jsg.utexas.edu). Please include your major, year in school, and contact information in the body of the email.
Posted by: Cornel Olariu
MTMOD Megathrust modeling framework
Various summer projects and undergraduate research opportunities
Posted by: Thorsten Becker
Summer intern/undergrad job Summer 2023 at TACC
The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) is seeking a summer intern to join the HighPerformance Computing group for the Summer 2023. The position is supported by the
Seismic COmputational Platform for Empowering Discovery (SCOPED) project funded by
NSF. The intern will primarily work on polishing and writing documents of the software tools
supported by SCOPED. The tools are written in Python and C++, so basic understanding of
these languages will be helpful. Additionally, experience with docker containers is preferred.
Responsibilities:
• Review and revise existing documents of software tools and containers
• Find and correct any issues in the documentation
• Improve the wording and presentation of the documents
• Work collaboratively with the development team to ensure accuracy and consistency
in the documents
Requirements:
• Must be currently enrolled in a bachelor's or master's degree program at UT
• Basic understanding of Python and C/C++ languages
• Familiarity with docker containers is preferred
• Exceptional precision and accuracy when reviewing and editing documents to ensure
they are error-free.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with the development team
• Background in Seismology is a plus
Required Materials
• Resume
• Letter of interest
To apply, please send your resume and letter to Ian Wang (iwang@tacc.utexas.edu) via
emails before Apr 15, 2023. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage
individuals from underrepresented groups to apply
Posted by: Thorsten Becker
Sedimentological characterization along the North Slope of Alaska
Duration: ~4 months
The Arctic is melting! How will the earth’s frozen surface and subsurface respond to a warming world? We are looking for a summer student intern (fully paid) to help us characterize the geology of Arctic seabed in northernmost Alaska. The project is funded by Sandia National Labs and provides the student with an opportunity to interact with a potential future employer while enhancing our climate security. The student will be introduced to a diverse array of data types including seismic reflection, core data, and remote sensing observations. This work will provide the broader UT-Austin and Sandia team with a better understanding of Arctic shelf geology and help guide planning efforts for future site surveys and data collection. Results will impact decisions and serve as excellent exposure to problem solving in the field of geosciences.
Posted by: Matthew Malkowski
Geomechanics and Geofluids Research Jobs for Undergrads
Do you want to study the Earth while learning the ins-and-outs of cutting-edge laboratory equipment, from maintenance to experiment design? UT GeoMechanics and GeoFluids investigates fluid flow and deformation in Earth materials using lab experiments, field work, and computer modeling.
We seek hard-working and detail-oriented students with a passion for learning. You will assist with ongoing projects: offshoots could lead to your senior thesis.
Tasks will include everything from the routine to the experimentally complex. You will work independently or with staff and researchers on experimental setup, equipment maintenance, laboratory clean up, sample preparation, data analysis, and a host of other tasks.
For more information contact Josh O'Connell.
Learn more about our research projects at UT GeoMechanics and GeoFluids.
Posted by: Peter Flemings
Analyzing seismic data using machine learning techniques
Seismic recordings are used to detect earthquakes and to create images of the Earth’s interior. Seismic data contain rich patterns that can be discovered for extracting detailed information. Newly developed machine learning techniques aid in the discovery process. Deep learning has been used to detect arrivals of seismic signals from earthquakes and volcano eruptions and to extract from subsurface images such features, as faults, channels, salt bodies, etc. In detecting geological features, computational algorithms prove to be as powerful or even more powerful than the human eye, especially in higher dimensions.
In this project, we are adopting the latest ideas from the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve the resolution ability of seismic images. Our objective is to advance the state of the art in discovering seismic data patterns. The approaches include unsupervised learning for analyzing seismic waveforms and compressing data in the transformed domain and supervised learning for teaching the computer how to imitate the work of human interpreters.
We are seeking an enthusiastic student to participate in this project. The student will develop data-analysis skills and contribute to an open-source software project. Some prior familiarity with seismology and machine learning, as well as some prior experience with computer programming using Python are helpful but not required
Posted by: Sergey Fomel
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates
This summer program trains and supports undergraduates to undertake environmental science research. Details may be found at https://www.esi.utexas.edu/education/summer-research-experience-for-undergraduates-reu/.
Posted by: Jay Banner
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates
This summer program trains and supports undergraduates to undertake environmental science research. Details may be found at https://www.esi.utexas.edu/education/summer-research-experience-for-undergraduates-reu/.
Posted by: Jay Banner
Stable isotopes as hydroclimatic indicators
I am looking for an undergraduate student researcher to work on the analysis of stable isotopes in natural waters and plant materials. No experience necessary. The student researcher will be trained in extracting water samples on a vacuum system and analysis of stable isotopes using a laser spectrometer. Depending on progress, there may be opportunities to publish this research
Posted by: Timothy Shanahan
Paleoclimate reconstructions in the southern Rocky Mountains
I am looking for one or more undergraduate student researchers to work on paleoclimate reconstructions in the southern Rockies using geochemical indicators in lake sediments. No experience necessary. Depending on progress, there will be opportunities to publish.
Posted by: Timothy Shanahan