[ES_JOBS_NET] Fully Funded PhD studentship available

Wed Aug 19 21:10:17 MDT 2015

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen Grimes <stephen.grimes at plymouth.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, Aug 18, 2015 at 9:27 AM

Dear All

Please can you bring this fully funded PhD studentship to the attention of
any students you may know who may be interested and who have graduated this
year.

Cheers Steve

*Investigating the occurrence and impact of Early Eocene*

*hyperthermal events*

*Director of Studies: **Dr Stephen Grimes*

*Other Supervisors: Prof. Gregory Price, Dr Christopher Smart, Dr Meriel
FitzPatrick.*

*Internal and External collaborators: Dr Paul Sutton (PEGG), Dr Hayley
Manners (PEGG),*

*Prof. Malcolm Hart (CRES, Emeritus Professor), Prof. Melanie Leng (BGS,
Nottingham,*

*Centra DTP), Prof. Richard Pancost (Bristol, GW4+ DTP) and Dr Kate Littler
(CSM Exeter,*

*GW4+ DTP)*

*Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship. The studentship
is*

*expected to commence on the 1**st **October 2015 or 1**st **January 2016.*

*Project Description*: The Early Eocene is a time of significant and rapid
climate change, including

events referred to as thermal maximums, which occurred during the lead up
to the Early Eocene

Thermal Maximum (Zachos et al. 2008). The most prominent of these thermal
events is the Eocene

Thermal Maximum 1 (ETM1) event, which is also known as the Paleocene Eocene
Thermal

Maximum (PETM). This proposed studentship will look at two relatively small
(when compared to

ETM1), but significant events, that of ETM2 (also known as ELMO) and ETM3
(also known as the

X-event), which have not been investigated in as much detail as ETM1 (Stap
et al. 2010). The

student will build upon an extensive pilot study which has identified a new
location in the UK, and

possibly Spain, where these two thermal events are likely to be recorded in
relatively expanded

sections. Using a combination of facies analysis, stable isotope
geochemistry (including carbonate

and bulk organic matter, plus individually picked wood material),
dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy

and a published magneto-stratigraphy for the new field based locations; the
student will first confirm

the existence of ETM2 and possibly that of ETM3. Once this has been
achieved the student will

investigate the impact of one, or both, of these events using organic
geochemical techniques

(TEX86, MBT/CBT, BIT index and possibly Delta D) to record the marine and
terrestrial temperature

changes associated with both events and to ascertain if there is evidence
for a change to the local

hydrological regime occurring at the same time and whether this impacted
upon the local

foraminiferal assemblage. The student will also ascertain if there is any
evidence for an underlying

cyclostratigraphical signal associated with both of these events which
could be used to develop age

models for the events in collaboration with an external collaborator (Dr
Kate Littler).

Use of CRES/University Equipment: In addition to FZB117, which will be used
to disaggregate

samples and pick wood / foraminifera, the following university instruments
will be used. 1) The

isotope ratio mass spectrometer (for analysis of foraminifera and
individually picked wood samples).

2) Palynological microscopes in FZB116. 3) The new LC/MS instrument will be
used for TEX86 and

MBT/CBT, plus BIT Index, in collaboration with Dr Paul Sutton and Dr Hayley
Manners.

External facilities that will be used, via facility applications with
external collaborators (Prof.’s

Pancost and Leng) include the Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility
(LSMSF) at Bristol (for

GC-IRMS analyses related to Delta D analysis) and the carbon isotope
facility at NIGL, Keyworth

(for bulk carbon isotope analysis of very low TOC samples). Palynological
preparation will be done

at either BGS Keyworth or at PalyTech processing limited.

*Key Aspects of Research Training for the Student*: This proposal will
allow the student to be trained

in a range of key techniques including stable isotope geochemistry,
micropalaeontology, palynology,

biostratigraphy, organic geochemistry and palaeoclimatology. They will
deliver regular reports on

their progress and attend University courses on research and presentation
skills. They will also

present results from their research at national and international
conferences.

*Outputs and impacts:* The output from this research will be in keeping
with the DoS’ previous

publication record. We will aim for a minimum of 3 publications in high
impact journals like Nature

Geoscience, PNAS, EPSL and Geology. The results from this study will also
be presented at two

international conferences, AGU and EGU, and also at one national
conference, BSRG.

*References:*

Stap, L., Lourens, L. J., Thomas, E., Sluijs, A., Bohaty, S., and Zachos,
J. C. 2010. High-resolution deep-sea

carbon and oxygen isotope records of Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 and H2. *Geology,
38*(7), 607-610.

Zachos, J.C., Dickens, G.R., Zeebe, R.E., 2008. An early Cenozoic
perspective on greenhouse warming and

carbon-cycle dynamics. Nature 451, 279-283.

*Eligibility*

Applicants should have (at least) a first or upper second class honours
degree in Earth Sciences (or

a related subject) or equivalent qualification. Desirable requirements: an
MSc or MRes. The

studentship is supported for 3 years and includes full Home/EU tuition fees
plus a stipend of

£14,057 per annum. The studentship will only fully fund those applicants
who are eligible for

Home/EU fees with relevant qualifications. Applicants normally required to
cover overseas fees will

have to cover the difference between the Home/EU and the overseas tuition
fee rates

(approximately £10,800 per annum).

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact the
director of studies (Dr

Stephen Grimes, email: stephen.grimes at plymouth.ac.uk). However,
applications must be made in

accordance with the details shown below.

You can apply via the online application form which can be found at:

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/postgraduate and click ‘Apply’.

Please mark it FAO Sharon Healy and clearly state that you are applying for
a PhD studentship

within the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences and
clearly state which project

you are applying for.

General information about applying for a research degree at Plymouth
University

For more information on the admissions process contact Sharon Healy

(sharon.healy at plymouth.ac.uk).

*The closing date for applications is 17:00 on 15**th **September
2015.* Shortlisted
candidates will be

invited for interview. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all
applications.

*------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

*Dr. Stephen Grimes*

Earth Sciences Programme Manager

Associate Professor (Reader) in Stable Isotope Geochemistry & Climate Change

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SoGEES)

Plymouth University

Drake Circus

Plymouth

Devon

PL4 8AA

Office: Room 120 Fitzroy Building

Tel. +44 (0)1752 584759 (internal ext. 84759)

Fax. +44 (0)1752 584776

e-mail: stephen.grimes at plymouth.ac.uk

Personal Professional Page
<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/dynamic.asp?page=staffdetails&id=sgrimes>

Centre for Research in the Earth Sciences
<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/cres>

*Follow me on Twitter: @DrStephenGrimes*

*Follow Earth Sciences on Twitter: @EarthSciPlymUni*

[image: cid:image001.png at 01CE5C8C.E713E2A0]

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