Departmental Unit № 1
Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science
PhD in Geography
100% Full Funding Guaranteed (Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantships)
Funding Package: 100% tuition waiver + 9-month living stipend (~$22,500–$25,500/yr + summer teaching) + university health insurance subsidy.
Fall Priority Deadline: January 15 (Fall Priority)
GRE Policy: Not required / Waived
English Minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.5
MA in Geography (Thesis Option)
Eligible for GTA/GRA Tuition Waivers and Stipends
Funding Reality: KU Geography routinely funds thesis master's candidates via GTA appointments with complete tuition remission.
Application Deadline: January 15
Admissions Advisory: If full funding is required and MS is self-funded, students are strongly advised to apply directly to the PhD track.
Vetted Matched Scholars (2 Profiles)
Prof. Xingong Li
Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Science
In Plain Terms · What This Scholar Does:
He writes computer code that processes ultra-detailed laser elevation maps to simulate how floodwater spreads across valleys and town streets when heavy rainstorms hit.
Core Research Topics: GIS, hydrological modeling, remote sensing of cryosphere, spatial algorithm design, flood inundation modeling.
Recent 2024–2026 Works & Grants: Developing scalable high-performance GIS terrain routing algorithms to simulate flash flood inundation and surface water flow over high-resolution LiDAR digital elevation models across Midwestern river basins (USGS / NSF 2024–2026).
Laboratory Instruments & Methods: Python, C++, parallel spatial computing, DEM hydrological conditioning, ArcGIS Pro, Google Earth Engine.
Recruiting Context: Specialist in spatial computing algorithms and GIS terrain hydrologic modeling.
Candidate Match:
GISHydrologyFlood StudiesEnvironmental Modeling
Tailored Cold-Email Opening Hook:
"Discussing your interest in parallel GIS hydrological algorithms, LiDAR DEM processing, and flood inundation modeling in your group."
Prof. Amy Burgin
Professor of Ecology and Environmental Studies
In Plain Terms · What This Scholar Does:
She places underwater chemical sensors in prairie streams to measure how natural wetlands can 'digest' and clean up toxic agricultural fertilizer runoff before it causes green poisonous algae in city lakes.
Core Research Topics: Aquatic biogeochemistry, wetland water quality, agricultural nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms, stream nitrate dynamics.
Recent 2024–2026 Works & Grants: Deploying in-situ optical nitrate and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) sensors in agricultural streams and prairie wetlands to quantify denitrification rates and prevent toxic cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water reservoirs (NSF Ecosystem Studies 2024–2026).
Laboratory Instruments & Methods: SUNA optical nitrate sensors, automated ISCO water samplers, ion chromatography (IC), continuous dissolved gas membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS), wet lab analytical assays.
Recruiting Context: Joint appointment with the Kansas Biological Survey; extensive experimental water testing infrastructure.
Candidate Match:
Water QualityEnvironmental PollutionWet Lab Environmental TestingHydrology
Tailored Cold-Email Opening Hook:
"Discussing your interest in aquatic biogeochemistry, in-situ nutrient sensor networks, and wet-lab water quality analysis in the Burgin Lab."