Developing water leaders of tomorrow – it’s what we do. As a member benefit, graduate assistantships and other student opportunities from UCOWR institutions are posted here. To post your announcement, please email either 1) a PDF of your announcement, or 2) a web link to an already posted announcement, to Kristy at ucowr@siu.edu. The announcement must be a PDF or link and you must be a UCOWR member. UCOWR will post submissions below.
Students! Check below for graduate opportunities in water resources.
MS Description – Water Resource Benefits of Regenerative Ag Practices
Location: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Effective Date: Fall/Winter 2025
Responsibilities: The student will work collaboratively with Dr. Kevin Wagner and other faculty at Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, and West Texas A&M University on a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded project to evaluate the impact of regenerative agricultural practices including cover cropping, crop rotation, no-tillage, and prescriptive grazing on soil, water, crop yields, greenhouse gases, carbon sequestration, and economics. Our goal is to intensify agricultural production while simultaneously maximizing ecosystem benefits and environmental sustainability.
We are seeking a graduate student that will focus on evaluating the impacts of regenerative agricultural practices on soil moisture, infiltration, and surface runoff water quality and quantity in southwestern Oklahoma. The student will be responsible for soil and water monitoring and data collection, experimental site maintenance including maintaining automated samplers, and delivering water quality samples to the lab for water quality tests. In addition to field work, the student is expected to analyze data and interpret results, present at local, regional, and national meetings, and prepare manuscripts for publications in peer-reviewed journals. The research from this project will help to inform producers on cost-effective and environmentally friendly practices to enhance water and other natural resources.
Stipend and Qualifications: Applicants will possess a B.S. degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Plant and Soil Sciences, Water Resources Management, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, or a related field. This position requires a moderate degree of physical labor and strong attention to detail. The applicant will also be expected to possess a driver’s license and be comfortable working both independently and in a team environment. Effective written and oral communication skills are also required. Preference will be given to those with field experience working with water quality sondes and automated samplers, experience with statistical analysis, and those that have a background in agriculture. Admission to Oklahoma State University is required. Requirements for admission to Oklahoma State can be found at (https://gradcollege.okstate.edu/application-process/index.html). This graduate research assistantship includes a monthly stipend and tuition and fee waivers. A student health insurance plan is also included.
Respond By: Sending a cover letter describing research interests and experience, resume or CV, academic writing sample, and the names and contact information of three references to:
Dr. Kevin Wagner
245 Ag Hall
Stillwater, OK 74059
Deadline of Application: 11/15/2025
