PhD Studentship at the University of Bristol

The third and final IAGP PhD studentship is now open for applications.  The 3.5 year EPSRC funded PhD studentship will be based at the University of Bristol, supervised by Professor Andy Ridgwell.  The project is titled, 'Assessing the effectiveness and side-effects of carbon dioxide removal geoengineering'.  Assessing the effectiveness and side-effects of carbon dioxide removal geoengineering Suggested means of directly removing CO2 from the atmosphere to reduce the future extent of climate change span marine and terrestrial biospheres, from enhancing marine productivity to adding lime to the ocean. As part of a EPSRC-funded consortium, this project will use Earth system models to provide a unique assessment of carbon dioxide removal geoengineering proposals. Supervisors: Professor Andy Ridgwell (University of Bristol). Value of studentship: Standard EPSRC tax free stipend (currently £13,290 p.a.). There is international consensus that dangerous levels of climate change must be avoided. In the absence of (or in addition to) radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, schemes to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, such as through stimulating marine productivity via nutrient fertilization, enhancing the weathering of rocks on land, or even adding lime to neutralize the increasing CO2 acidity in the ocean, have been devised to help limit the future extent of climate change. However, despite the effort and scientific ingenuity being brought to bear in thinking up such 'geoengineering' schemes, most remain un-quantified in their effectiveness and many contain the potential for serious side-effects and risks to the environment and ecosystems. This project will provide a comprehensive assessment of the risks and benefits of carbon dioxide removal geoengineering proposals. The research will be based around the 'UVic' Earth system model -a model already established use in geoengineering research (e.g. Matthews & Caldeira [2007]; Matthews et al. [2009]; Oschiles et al. [2010]) and whose efficiency will enable large physics ensembles of transient experiments to be conducted as well as in testing a wide variety of CO2 removal schemes. Proposals will be assessed against a range of metrics of mitigation efficiency as well as for potentially unwanted marine geochemical and ecological impacts. This project offers an unrivalled chance to develop expertise in global carbon cycle and climate modelling and provide policy-relevant knowledge in the new field of geoengineering research. The student will be based in the School of Geography, Bristol Research Initiative for the Dynamic Global Environment (BRIDGE) group of the School of Geographical Sciences - a RAE 6* Department with a formal Graduate School and excellent facilities for doctoral research including high performance computing, software and logistic support essential to the success of such a project, but will also be part of a larger, EPSRC-funded consortium (IAGP). The project is fully-funded for 3 1/2 years. The deadline for applications is Friday 31st December 2010. For more information contact:  Professor Andy Ridgwell (email: andy@seao2.org, tel: +44 (0)117 954 6858).