Current opportunities
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work on a new NERC-funded project: ‘Ghosts from summers past: quantifying the role of vegetation legacy to climatic extreme’. For more details, please click me .
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work on a new NERC-funded project: ‘Ghosts from summers past: quantifying the role of vegetation legacy to climatic extreme’. For more details, please click me .
The global terrestrial carbon and water cycles are inextricably linked, dominated by leaf-scale processes (e.g., photosynthesis and stomatal conductance). Consequently, we construct global vegetation models using leaf-level understanding of plant responses to environmental cues. However, when we evaluate model prediction at ecosystem scales (~km2), we find critical discrepancies in estimated and observed carbon and water fluxes, signifying an important gap in our understanding of leaf-to-ecosystem scaling. Furthermore, datasets derived at leaf-, canopy- and ecosystem- scales are rarely consistent. Our inability to explain these biases in both models and observations limits our capacity to accurately predict vegetation responses to future climate.
The student will have the opportunity to develop novel hypotheses to examine why leaf, canopy, and ecosystem-scale fluxes differ. The student will leverage ecosystem modelling alongside a suite of evidence streams including: leaf-level photosynthesis; sap flow (to monitor individual tree water use); cutting-edge canopy solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) measurements (proxy for canopy-scale photosynthetic activity); eddy-covariance; and LiDAR (to quantify canopy structural variability). In particular, the student will deliver new process-orientated insight into how the exchange of carbon and water varies at contracting time scales (e.g., seasonal, annual), as well as during summer temperature extremes. The project will focus on Forest Research’s Alice Holt (Hampshire), an 80-year old lowland oak plantation eddy covariance (H2O/CO2) flux site.
This project will draw on supervisory expertise that bridges ecophysiology, model-data fusion, vegetation modelling, and remote sensing. The PhD will split into achievable milestones, allowing the student to work clearly towards targets (including scientific papers), while still maintaining intellectual freedom to refine project directions.
Candidate requirements:
A strong background in biology, mathematics, physics, atmospheric science, engineering or a similar quantitative science are encouraged to apply. Programming experience with C/C++, Fortran 90, Python or R is highly desirable, but not essential. A strong drive to understand the dynamics of plant ecosystems is essential. We welcome and encourage student applications from under-represented groups. We value a diverse research environment.
Interested students should contact me directly to discuss the project. The deadline for applications is the January 9th 2023. Further application details can be found at: click me.
Other opportunities
Potential students that have an interest in exploring research questions related to the response of the carbon and water cycles to global change are encouraged to get in contact. Students should have a background in biology, mathematics, physics, atmospheric science, engineering or a similar quantitative sciences.
I would also be very keen to welcome visitors so please get in contact!
The city of Bristol is a great place to work and live.
Graduate
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NERC-funded PhD studentships primarily open to UK students with a limited number for international students
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South West Biosciences PhD studentships primarily open to UK students with a limited number (~30%) for international students
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Bristol’s International PhD studentships more information for international students can be found here. Country specific information to help you translate Bristol’s grade expectations can be found here
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Lady Emily Smyth studentships open to MRes students
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China Scholarship Council – University of Bristol joint-funded Scholarship are for students from the People’s Republic of China
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US-UK Fulbright scholarships are open to US citizens (NB. Dual US-UK citizens are eligible to apply)
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Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for candidates from least developed countries in the Commonwealth
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Zutshi-Smith Scholarship are for students from India, with preference given to applicants of Kashmiri origin
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Master’s by Research (MScR) in Global Environmental Challenges
Fellowships
There are a number of fellowships available (this list is not exhaustive) and I would be extremely happy to act as mentor and support applicants interested in coming to Bristol, please get in touch!
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Newton International Fellowships scheme is open to non-UK early career scientists
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EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship scheme is open to EU citizens that would like to work in the UK