Prof Wilfred Otten, Dr X Zhang
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
This project is an exciting opportunity for a modeller or physicist to make a difference and advance our fundamental understanding of how soils function.
Despite the overwhelming abundance of microorganisms in soil, their activity is often located in hotspots, defined as small volumes of soil with higher process rates than the bulk soil. These hotspots can be transient and are the result of complicated interactions amongst physical, chemical and microbial processes. The exact nature of how hotspots emerge as a result of such interactions, still eludes soil scientists. The project builds upon existing 3D modelling approaches, including Lattice Boltzmann and models of fungal colony growth to identify biophysical interactions that affect the dynamics of hotspots in soil at micrometre-scales, and will upscale these to quantify how this affects evolution of CO2 and contributes to biodiversity under perturbations and global change.
The project will require a candidate with experience and interest in modelling and is particularly suited for a mathematician or physicist with interest in environmental modelling or theoretical ecology, or for an environmental scientist with experience in the development of models. Applicants should hold a minimum of a UK Honours Degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in subjects such as Physics, Mathematics, Ecology or Environmental Science.
For further details please contact Prof Wilfred Otten: [Email Address Removed]
Funding Notes
The studentships are fully funded for UK residents*, with fees paid and a stipend of £14,296 (2016/17 rate) tax-free per year. There is also a research training support grant to support the project. Usually a studentship is for three and a half years.
*Full studentships are available to UK and EU candidates who have been ordinarily resident in the UK throughout the 3-year period immediately preceding the date of an award. EU candidates who have not been ordinarily resident in the UK for the last 3 years are eligible for "tuition fees-only" awards (no maintenance grant). Unfortunately studentships are not available to International students. Further details about eligibility can be found on the STARS website.
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