PhD Studentships (2), Hydromet Group

Centre for Hydrology, Micrometeorology and Climate Change,
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University College Cork,
Ireland

Duration: 3 years.
Closing Date: October 13th, 2006.
Value of Studentships:€19,000 per annum (plus fees).

The two studentships are due to start in January 2007.

1. Nitrous oxide flux evaluation by eddy covariance and process models

The successful applicant will measure and analyse nitrous oxide fluxes at an agricultural site using the eddy covariance technique with a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer. The flux measurement area will be assessed by footprint modelling. The work will also include numerical modelling of the flux data using a biogeochemical process model with soils, meteorological and land management data.

2. Nitrous oxide flux evaluation by closed chambers and empirical models

The successful applicant will use the closed chamber technique to measure nitrous oxide fluxes from several agricultural sites in southwestern Ireland. Air samples collected from the chambers will be analysed in the laboratory by gas chromatography. The student will examine temporal and spatial variability of fluxes and undertake modelling of the flux data using empirical or semi-empirical models.

The successful candidates will:

• Possess an undergraduate (first or upper second class) or Masters degree in Environmental Science, Ecology, Meteorology, Engineering, Applied Physics or a related discipline.
• Have numerical analysis skills in FORTRAN, Matlab, IDL, C/++ or a similar environment.
• Possess a full clean driving licence.

Further information on the research activities of the Centre and on the posts is available at http://www.hydromet.org/. For informal discussion contact: Dr. Paul Leahy (paul.leahy@ucc.ie) or Prof. Ger Kiely (g.kiely@ucc.ie).

Candidates should submit a letter outlining their suitability for the position, a one-page summary of how they would approach the research topic and a full curriculum vitae, to include the names, addresses and emails of three referees, to:

Dr. Paul Leahy,
Centre for Hydrology, Micrometeorology and Climate Change,
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University College Cork,
Ireland. 
Email: paul.leahy@ucc.ie

The positions are funded by the 2006 Research Stimulus Fund Programme of the Irish Department of Agriculture and Food.