A new exciting PhD opportunity is now open on modelling CO2 fluxes of Irish Peatlands with the EPA-funded AIMINGPEAT research project!

The PhD titled "Advanced Integrated Measurements and Modelling Approaches for Predicting Carbon Emissions and Removals from Irish Peatlands" will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Alina Premrov at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science, Sligo, Ireland, in close collaboration with Dr. Matthew Saunders, Trinity College Dublin, School of Natural Sciences, Botany Discipline, Plant Ecophysiology Research Group, Dublin, Ireland.

Expected Start Date: Late 2025 / Early 2026, earlier preferred.

Candidate Requirements:

• Applications are invited from graduates holding a first or 2.1 class honours degree or M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences, Soil Science, Plant Biology/Botany, Agricultural Science, Atmospheric Physics, Biochemistry, Physical Geography, Biogeochemistry or related discipline.
• Candidates should be highly interested in interdisciplinary research approaches and enjoying data-handling and data-analyses, extensive environmental modelling, including statistical/empirical, process-based, and coupled/hybrid modelling approaches.
• Applications are sought from candidates with knowledge of data handling/processing and statistical analyses , basic software and R programming language for statistical computing and graphics (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing). Knowledge of other programming languages, such as Python is desirable. Research experience in handling large datasets, environmental modelling, GIS, remote sensing and related disciplines would be a distinct advantage.
• Candidates should exhibit skills in writing reports, preparing scientific journal publications, delivering presentations, working both independently and in a team, and being highly self-motivated. Fluency in English is essential, and candidates whose first language is not English need to meet ATU’s minimum English language requirements.

AIMINGPEAT Research Project Background and Description

Peatlands are significant carbon ( C ) reservoirs, with their C sink strength influenced by multiple factors. Despite historical losses, Ireland still possesses substantial peat resources but lacks a comprehensive system for accurately accounting for peatland emissions.. Peatland ecosystems are crucial for national and international climate mitigation goals, especially in achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 through restoration. The AIMINGPEAT project aims to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emission/removal reporting for Irish peatlands and identify effective management interventions, focusing on the main drivers of GHG dynamics, especially in degraded and rehabilitated peatlands. The research under the AIMINGPEAT project further strives to introduce a comprehensive modelling framework encapsulating statistical/empirical and/or hybrid/coupled modelling approaches/tasks to using the biogeochemical process-based models. Modelling C exchange in rehabilitated/restored peatlands can be challenging due to their unique conditions and heterogeneous nature, and advanced modelling approaches are needed to address these challenges. While some country-specific emission factors have been incorporated into recent NIR, default Tier 1 emission factors are still used in the absence of specific data. The research under AIMINGPEAT project aims to tackle these gaps and has been designed to consider both CO2 and CH4 emissions/removals. The research focuses on improving current national inventory reporting (NIR) for CO2 and CH4, assisting climate neutrality assessment. The project further strives to establish links between analysing GHG emissions/removals at various scales, producing outputs that advance the state-of-the-art and support knowledge transfer to the scientific community and beyond.

Funding Notes: AIMINGPEAT research project is funded under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 (Project Ref. 2024-CE-1289). The EPA Research Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Learn more about the opportunity here!