PhD student in Physical Geography, Antarctic Ice Sheet mass loss by 2300

Department of Physical Geography is one of the major departments within the Faculty of Science. The department has approximately 110 employees and educates approximately 1 000 students annually. Our research and education is in Physical Geography, a wide-ranging scientific field dealing with the diverse physical and biological features of Earth, their characteristics, processes, patterns and interactions with humans. We study connected physical, chemical, biological, geological, environmental and social processes and changes in the world's land areas and their water, ice and geological formations, climate systems and ecosystems, in relation to each other and to human societies.We offer a stimulating and friendly environment in a diverse and international institution with research and education at a very high level. More information about us, please visit: The Department of Physical Geography

Project description

We seek to recruit a PhD candidate embedded within an international Antarctic consortium project, iQ2300. This project aims to constrain the terrestrial and marine responses of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) margin in Dronning Maud Land, across geological (>1000 yr), historical (100 yr), and recent (<10 yr) timescales, to inform ocean, atmosphere, ice sheet, and sea-level modelling components for improved year 2300 sea level rise estimates for Sweden and worldwide. The PhD project addresses the history of ice-sheet surface and volume changes by dating ice-surface changes on geological timescales using cosmogenic nuclide and luminescence dating techniques and on historical and recent timescales using snow and ice stratigraphies.

Reconstructing and predicting the response of the EAIS to climate change is one of the major challenges facing Earth scientists working to improve predictions of future sea level rise. A key component of this challenge is that the glacial history of the Dronning Maud Land (DML) margin is poorly constrained. Determination of snow and ice stratigraphies using ice-penetrating radar and firn coring, combined with ice surface lowering inferred from cosmogenic nuclide concentrations in bedrock above, and through drilling, from cosmogenic nuclide and luminescence dating on bedrock below the current ice sheet will allow rigorous testing of hypotheses of ice sheet behaviour in DML. Field results will be used to constrain numerical ice sheet model simulations of past ice sheet behaviour (and climate) and to inform forward models of Antarctic cryosphere evolution. Specifically, investigating whether the DML sector was thinner within recent millennia is key for the initialization of ice-sheet models trying to capture future changes.

The PhD research project will be conducted as part of WP11 in iQ2300. The student is expected to engage in Antarctic fieldwork 2026-27, to perform ice-penetrating radar analysis and firn coring (in collaboration with WP8), constrain the past history of the EAIS extent in Dronning Maud Land, and help to integrate the empirical constraints in a numerical ice sheet model (in collaboration with WP1, 12).

Supervision in this international project is provided as collaboration between researchers from Stockholm University, Via University College, Denmark, and Purdue University, USA.  Information about the iQ2300 project can be found on the Polar Research Secretariat homepage. 

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

In order to meet the specific entry requirements, and to fulfil the general syllabus for doctoral studies in Physical Geography, the candidate for this position should have acquired a total of at least 240 higher education credits (of which at least 60 at advanced level), or acquired in some alternative way, the equivalent knowledge in the fields of Earth Science, biology-Earth science, Geography, or other relevant natural or engineering scientific disciplines. This program should include independent work totaling at least 30 higher education credits, of which 15 credits are at an advanced level.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity:

• Familiarity with geomorphology, glaciology, and paleoclimatology
• Prior experience with fieldwork in polar or high mountain conditions, ice-penetrating radar techniques, Quaternary dating methods, or GIS
• Capacity for analytical and creative thinking
• Initiative
• Independence
• Ability to collaborate
• Written and oral proficiency in English.

The assessment will be based on previous experience and grades, the quality of any prior degree projects, references, relevant experience, the candidate’s written motivation for seeking the position, and virtual interviews of several leading candidates.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact Professor Arjen Stroeven, phone: +46 70 5702810, arjen.stroeven@natgeo.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.