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Postgraduate Research Vacancies

Two Funded PhD Opportunities

AIMINGPEAT Research Project: “Advanced Integrated Measurements and Modelling Approaches for Predicting Carbon Emissions and Removals from Irish Peatlands”


Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science,
Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Sligo, Ireland
Duration: 4 years

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.

Main Objectives:

Two Funded PhD Opportunities:

Under the AIMINGPEAT research project, applications are invited for two separate funded PhD research opportunities on integrated measurements and modelling approaches for predicting C emissions and removals from Irish peatlands:

Each of the two PhD positions provides coverage of EU University fees and a stipend of €25,000 per annum for four years.

The two PhDs will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Alina Premrov (alina.premrov@atu.ie) at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science, Sligo, Ireland, in close collaboration with Dr. Matthew Saunders saundem@tcd.ie), Trinity College Dublin, School of Natural Sciences, Botany Discipline, Plant Ecophysiology Research Group, Dublin, Ireland. At later stages, the project will also work closely with Dr. Jagadeesh Yeluripati (Jagadeesh.Yeluripati@hutton.ac.uk), The James Hutton Institute, Information and Computational Sciences Department, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.

Expected Start Date: No later than September 2025, earlier preferred.

Candidate Requirements:

Application Procedure:

Interested applicants should submit their application, within a single PDF document, consisting of a CV with educational background, transcripts of degree results, list of publications and conference presentations, a short (1–2 page) letter of motivation, and names and contact details of 2 referees, directly to Dr. Alina Premrov alina.premrov@atu.ie. The motivation letter should clearly state how the applicant’s research interests and skills relate to the research project outlined above. Please specify which of the two PhD opportunities you are applying for, or indicate if you wish to be considered for both, noting that only one can be pursued if selected. Please ensure that all required documents are included and that your application is complete before submission.

By submitting their application as outlined above, applicants consent to having their application documents forwarded to and evaluated by the selection committee.

Please only apply if you are eligible for EU fees.

Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr. Alina Premrov alina.premrov@atu.ie. ATU is committed to embedding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Application Deadline: 3rd June 2025. Early application is strongly recommended.

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.