CEDAR email: PhD Student position available in the Space Physics Group, Physics Department, University of Otago, New Zealand

[Craig Rodger]

The Space Physics group at the Physics Department, University of Otago has 
a funded PhD student position available. The position is funded through 
the New Zealand Marsden Fund project "Evaluating the Impact of Excess 
Ionization on the Atmosphere", led by Associate Professor Craig J. Rodger. 
The project will start from 1 March 2011, and the PhD student position is 
also intended to start from that date, but will be open until it is 
filled.

The project will investigate the precipitation of energetic electrons from 
the Van Allan radiation belts into the atmosphere, detected by the 
AARDDVARK network. The Space Physics Group has previously developed 
techniques to extract precipitation fluxes from AARDDVARK observations of 
subionospheric VLF propagation. The PhD project will refine these 
techniques, and validate the fluxes by comparison with other satellite- 
and ground based datasets. The study will be conducted at the University 
of Otago in collaboration with researchers at the British Antarctic Survey 
(Cambridge, UK). It is likely that the project will involve a period 
visiting the British Antarctic Survey, and may involve some instrument 
maintenance trips to Antarctica and/or the Arctic.

Information on the group can be found at its webpage:
 	http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/nx/space/space-physics-home.html
Information on the AARDDVARK network can be found at its webpage:
 	http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/space/AARDDVARK_homepage.htm

QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates should have received a master's degree in 
science or engineering, or a similar degree at an equivalent academic 
level, at the start of the PhD project. A candidate is sought with good 
background in physics with experience in computational modelling and 
electromagnetism. The ideal candidate would be proficient in Matlab and 
have experience in Space Physics, Ionospheric, Upper Atmospheric and/or 
Geophysics.

APPROVAL and ENROLMENT:  The study will be under the University of Otago 
PhD programme, and the scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to 
academic approval. For information about the requirements for enrolment 
and the general planning of PhD study at the University of Otago see 
http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/phd/index.html

SCHOLARSHIP:  The PhD scholarship is NZ$25,000 for each of three years, 
plus the payment of University of Otago tuition fees for 3-years (excludes 
sundry fees and insurance). This rate is equivalent to a University of 
Otago Prestigious Doctoral Scholarship, and candidates for the current 
position will be expected to be of this standard.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO: Otago University is the oldest University 
in New Zealand (established 1869), with roughly twenty one thousand 
students and its main campus located in Dunedin in the South Island. The 
University of Otago has an international reputation for research 
excellence and is New Zealand's top-ranked university for research 
quality.

FURTHER INFORMATION on the project: Assoc. Prof. Craig J Rodger, 
crodger at physics.otago.ac.nz  (+64 3 479 7749).



Dr Craig J. Rodger
Department of Physics			Phone: +64 3 479 4120
University of Otago                     Fax:  +64 3 479 0964
PO Box 56, Dunedin 9016
NEW ZEALAND