PhD Opportunity - The response of Southern Ocean productivity to climate change

The University of Tasmania has a long and distinguished history of innovation and research excellence.

Building on our distinctive island environment and intellectual capacity to solve global challenges, we have cemented a position within the top 2% of research institutions worldwide.

The College of Science and Engineering, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) is offering a 3-year fully funded PhD scholarship for an Honours or equivalent graduate in Oceans and Cryosphere.

This scholarship provides $27,082 per annum (2018 rate) living allowance for 3 years, with a possible 6 month extension.

This project aims to determine how the Southern Ocean responds to abrupt climate change. Rapid warming events of the last ice age provide an analogue to human caused warming. This project focuses on the contrasting biogeochemical response of different sectors and zones of the Southern Ocean. The intended outcome is a better understanding of how and why climate change impacts ocean productivity in the ecologically significant Southern Ocean.
The student will use geochemical measurements in rapidly accumulating marine sediment cores to reconstruct ocean productivity, nutrient use, and dust deposition in the Pacific and Indian sectors of the Southern Ocean. These data will be used to determine the nature, timing and drivers of the biological response to rapid climate change. There may be an opportunity to participate in research voyages to collect new sediment cores from the Southern Ocean.

The following eligibility criteria apply to this scholarship:

* The scholarship is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidates;
* The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis;
* Applicants must already have been awarded a First Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector;
*Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills.
*Candidates from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Knowledge and skills that will be ranked highly include:

*geochemistry, chemical oceanography, earth science
analytical chemistry, lab work