Tag Archives: PhD thesis

PhD Position on Impacts of Multiple Stressors on beavers

UHI Logo

The University of the Highlands and Islands together with the ECOWILD “Centre for Ecologically Relevant Multiple Stressor Effects on Wetland Wildscapes” are looking for a PhD student to fill a position on the Impacts of multiple stressors (pollutants and disease) on beavers

Background

Eurasian beavers are semi-aquatic herbivorous rodents that became extinct in England around the 16th Century. Populations are beginning to return within some catchments in England, and the DRAHS programme has been set up to enable pathological investigations, tissue sample archiving, and background data collation from beaver carcasses.

This PhD will tap into this established program – and begin to build a holistic understanding of the exposure and impacts of a mixture of chemical pollutants (i.e., heavy metals, POPs, emerging pollutants) and disease agents (infectious agents, e.g., viruses, bacteria; non-infectious agents, e.g., nutrient deficiencies) within beavers, to inform future recovery. Likewise, it will help identify potential threats to other biota in the context of a One Health approach. Beavers represent a priority species for recovery and a ‘new’ semi-aquatic herbivorous biomonitoring sentinel.

Aims

This project will involve targeted and non-targeted chemical analysis of new and archived sample tissues – employing techniques including ICP-OES/MS for inorganics and GC-FID/MS, GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS for organics. State-of-the-art instruments and facilities for such analysis exist within the host institutes (UHI, HWU, UKCEH). Regarding disease detection, the PhD student will work with the DRAHS group which currently delivers all beaver post-mortem examinations, diagnostic pathology, and sample archiving. The wider stakeholder group will also facilitate access to other potentially valuable metadata such as relevant catchment water quality.

The PhD can begin to explore a range of questions, potentially including:
– Are there spatial or temporal differences in disease presence and/or chemical pollution levels that could impact beaver population recovery?
– What are the priority chemical substances of concern within (beaver-created) wetlands in England?
– Is there a link between levels of chemicals and pathological findings in the beavers?
– What is the risk from disease transmission between beavers and other biota?
– Are there new chemical indicators that could be further developed and reported on (in future) to inform environmental policy?

The student will develop expertise in analytical chemistry, disease diagnosis, chemical fate and biomonitoring, statistical analyses, policy and regulation. All within the context of a broader ecological understanding of freshwater ecosystems and wildlife health. They will benefit from the opportunity to work with project supervisors at Natural England, at the Institute of Zoology (DRAHS) and with several academic partners.   

Application details

For more information on how to apply, please visit the University of the Highlands and Islands website or the ECOWILD website. Application deadline: Thursday, January 9, 2025.

PhD Position on 6PPD in Canada

QE3 Queens Experimental Ecotoxicology for Environmental Policy Logo

The Queen’s Experimental Ecotoxicology for Environmental Policy research team is recruiting a graduate student for a MSc or PhD Position on a 6PPD Project in Ecotoxicology to join in September 2025. Applications due December 31, 2024.

Project Description

Ecotoxicologists at Queen’s University (QE3) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have come together to better understand the environmental occurrence and adverse effects of the tire antioxidant 6PPD in freshwater ecosystems. Vehicle tires commonly contain the chemical 6PPD to prevent them from breaking down, but recent scientific discoveries suggest this chemical is readily lost from tires and transformed
into breakdown products that are toxic to some fish species.
With funding from ECCC, the Queen’s team is leading an evidence review to synthesize the state of the science on 6PPD in the freshwater environment. The team will follow guidelines from The Collaboration of Environmental Evidence. The successful student will join the evidence review team and be responsible for co-writing the evidence synthesis. In addition, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop a field-based research project to address a timely hypothesis regarding the ecotoxicology of 6PPD in freshwater ecosystems.

Desired Qualifications

  • BSc-Honors (for MSc) or research-based MSc (for PhD) degree in Toxicology, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Environmental Chemistry, or related field
  • Knowledge and/or experience in aquatic ecotoxicology
  • Interest in learning the process of evidence synthesis
  • Methodical thinking and strong writing skills
  • Team-oriented & committed to equity, diversity, inclusion

Position Details

The successful candidate will enroll in a graduate program (MSc or PhD) in the Department of Biology or School of Environmental Studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The student will be co-supervised at Queen’s by Dr. Diane Orihel (Associate Professor at Queen’s University; Director of QE3 Research Group) and Dr. Stacey Robinson (Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University, Research Scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada). Queen’s University offers graduate students a competitive guaranteed stipend (consisting of a Queen’s Graduate Award, Supervisor’s Contribution, and Teaching Assistantships) with bonuses for NSERC awardees. Co-supervision provides unique opportunities to develop academic and government experiences and networks to broaden career options for the successful candidate.

Application Details

To apply, please email an application package to QE3recruitment@gmail.com (with the subject “6PPD24”) containing the following:

  • One-page cover letter explaining your interest in the project, how you meet the desired qualifications, and stating whether you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
  • University transcripts;
  • A writing sample (e.g., thesis or published paper); and
  • Contact information (name, position, affiliation, work email) for 3 references.

Application deadline is December 31, 2024, but early applications* are encouraged.
*If you are eligible for NSERC CGS-M scholarship (deadline Dec. 1), please apply as soon as possible.
We welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, LGBQT+, and persons from other under -represented groups.

Scientist on biodegradation of organic contaminants in water

UFZ HELMHOLTZ

The Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry at the UFZ in Leipzig seeks a scientist on biodegradation of organic contaminants in water for a systematic study on the persistence of organic chemicals and the formation of transformation products in the context of agricultural water reuse.

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Predoctoral researcher on organic pollutants in air, water, sediments, soils and fish

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The Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), in Barcelona, is looking for a predoctoral researcher to study organic pollutants in air, water, sediments, soils and fish along the Ebro River, and analyse trace organic pollutants present in the samples (mainly organohalogen compounds, pesticides and heavy metals).

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PhD Position in Environmental Microbiology

universität stuttgart logo

The Department of Environmental Microbiology at the Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality, and Solid Waste Management (ISWA) at the University of Stuttgart has an open position for a PhD student. The project focuses on “Arsenic Mobilization by Anaerobic Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria in Groundwater Systems in Hanoi, Vietnam.”

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