iCRAG and the Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) are delighted to invite applications from suitably qualified applicants to the iCRAG – GSI Environmental Geosciences Postgraduate Programme, supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the GSI. The iCRAG-GSI Environmental Geosciences Postgraduate Programme offers eight PhD studentships in five different Irish research-performing organisations – UCD, TCD, DCU, NUIG and UCC.
The programme will adhere to the Seven Principles of Innovative Doctoral Training and the National Framework of Doctoral Education. It will provide training with a strong disciplinary base and both a policy and innovation focus, which delivers not only a high-quality research experience and training for the student, but also preparation for varied and flexible careers in a wide variety of settings. Each student will be fully integrated into the doctoral programmes at local level and will have access to a range of academic courses, group meetings, seminars and presentations. Each postgraduate student will complete a Research and Professional Development plan, with input from their postgraduate supervisor. The Research and Professional Development plan will comprise three sections: research plan; professional development plan and doctoral studies panel meetings. The plan will give the student a framework within which to reflect on their skills as a researcher, set their goals and build a portfolio of evidence for progress review meetings and future job applications. Specific cohort training will comprise several workshops which will align with existing iCRAG activities. Each student will have the opportunity to undertake a secondment during their PhD training.
Applicants can select a project from a list of eight PhD projects (see below). Projects are fully funded for four years with a stipend of €18,500 per annum, include fees for EU applicants, and have a start date of 3rd September 2018.
List of PhD projects and supervisors
Click on the title of the PhD project to find out more about the PhD project and supervisor (redirect to iCRAG website).
Projects in italic are directly funded by GSI.
1. PhD topic: Characteristics of slow moving submarine landslides
Supervisor: Dr Aggeliki Georgiopoulou
Institution: University College Dublin
2. PhD topic: Chemosynthetic pathways to increased carbon dioxide sequestration and improved productivity in soil
Supervisor: Dr Brian Kelleher
Institution: Dublin City University
3. PhD topic: The impact of organic matter on heavy metal bioavailability in urban soils: experimental and field-based approaches
Supervisor: Dr Maria McNamara
Institution: University College Cork
4. PhD topic: The link between stress, fluid flow, and subduction dynamics: Implications for offshore geohazards and resource development
Supervisor: Dr David McNamara
Institution: National University of Ireland, Galway
5. PhD topic: Assessing the response of the AMOC during times of abrupt climate change
Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley
Institution: National University of Ireland, Galway
6. PhD topic: Spatiotemporal multiscale Modelling of Antimicrobial Resistance in The Irish subsurface Environment (SMARTIE)
Supervisor: Dr Jean O'Dwyer
Institution: University College Cork
7. PhD topic: TARGETing crystallisation for Enhanced Carbon Capture and Storage (TARGET-CCS)
Supervisor: Dr Juan Diego Rodriguez-Blanco
Institution: Trinity College Dublin
8. PhD topic: The effect of climatic warming on the frequency of volcanic eruptions in Iceland
Supervisor: Dr Emma Tomlinson
Institution: Trinity College Dublin
Eligibility
Academic Qualifications:
Applicants are expected to have a 2:1 or higher in a relevant degree, or equivalent work experience. If undergraduate examination results are not known at the time of application, a provisional offer may be made on condition that the applicant's bachelor's, or the equivalent, degree result is a first class or upper second-class honours. If an applicant does not have a first class or upper second-class honours bachelor's, or the equivalent degree, they must possess a master's degree.
EU Fees Criteria:
An EU application is one made by a person who fulfils one or more of the following criteria:
- who is ordinarily resident in the EU and who has received full-time further or higher education in the EU for three of the five years immediately preceding admission (any period of residency as a holder of a student visa (stamp 2) or a holder of a visa stamp 3 is not included in the assessment of years of residency. This criterion applies only to EU/EEA/ Swiss Confederation citizens or applicants who holds visas stamp 1, 4, 4EUFam or 5;
- who is ordinarily resident in the EU and has worked full-time in the EU for three of the five years immediately preceding admission; or
- who holds a passport from an EU State and has received full-time further or higher education in the EU for three of the five years immediately preceding admission.
Applications from children (applicant must be under 23 years old) of
- Irish State Officials, and comparable EU/EEA/Swiss State officials, who reside with that State official while posted outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland on diplomatic or consular missions
are treated as EU applications.
All other applications are non-EU applications. Students who have had periods of residence outside the EU are required to provide documentary evidence for their claim for EU fee status. This evidence must be presented with the application. Ordinarily resident means being resident in the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation for a minimum of 183 days in any one calendar year for a minimum of 3 years.
Language Requirements:
If your first language is not English, you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the PhD project(s) for which you have applied. Please click on your preferred host institution's link below for more information about their specific English Language requirements:
How to apply
Applications must be submitted via the online application portal before the deadline of 1pm, Friday 22 June 2018. If you have any queries about the application process, please email: phd.call@icrag-centre.org. Informal queries about the PhD project should be sent to the relevant PhD supervisor.
Along with the application form, all applicants need to provide the following supporting documents by the 1pm, Friday 22 June 2018.
Your application cannot receive consideration until you provide all supporting documents:
- Curriculum vitae (CV) (2-page max.) Only PDF documents will be accepted.
- Cover Letter (2 pages max PDF) Only PDF documents will be accepted. Please identify your research interests and explain why you are interested in the selected PhD project and how current qualifications and skills map the requirements.
- English Language Certification Generally, if you are from an EU country other than Ireland and the UK and wish to be considered you do need to meet your host institution's English Language requirements. Please read the Eligibility section for more information.
Important!
You should start the process of completing your application as early as possible and be aware that you may need to give your institution(s) plenty of notice of the deadline. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents meet the requirements and are submitted on time. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be assessed.
Selection Process:
Interview
The relevant PhD supervisors will call the most suitable candidates to interview. They will provide information on the interview process once the deadline has passed. If required, Skype interviews may be arranged.
Offers
Offers will be made shortly after interview. Academic transcripts will be required when a conditional of offer is made. If you decide to turn the offer down, your place will be offered to a candidate on the reserve list.
The project is part of the iCRAG programme and is supported by Geological Survey Ireland. iCRAG is funded under the SFI Research Centres Programme and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund.