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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact details:
School:
Dr Dagmar Stengel
Dagmar.stengel@nuigalway.ie
Botany and Plant Science,
School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute
Has project been agreed with head (or
nominee) of proposed registration school?
yes
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Algal BioSciences, Botany and Plant Science, and Ryan
Institute
http://www.nuigalway.ie/botany/stengel_home.html
Research group / centre website:
www.ryaninstitute.ie
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/botany/stengel_home.html
http://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/naturalsciences/dagmarstengel/
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
If you are already involved in relevant scholarly activities relating to Brazil, please mention them here.
PI Research Interests:
- application of algae (seaweeds and microalgae) in biotechnology and environmental research (e.g.
climate change, environmental impact assessment, water quality)
- sustainable utilisation of algal (e.g. seaweed) resources
- impacts of environmental variability in algal biochemical (e.g. bioactive) composition and feedback
mechanisms
- targeted cultivation of algae for optimised production of biomass and metabolites with commercial
value or potential
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Effects of climate change on selected key macroalgae from Ireland and Brazil
The use of primary meteorological and biological indicators of climate change has received
considerable attention in terrestrial ecosystems, but effects of current predicted global change on
marine primary producers, in particular macroalgae, are still poorly understood. This project will
evaluate ecological, physiological and biochemical responses of key macroalgal communities to
assess future impacts of temperatures (both sea and air), CO2-concentrations and UV-radiation (and
combinations thereof) in lab and field experiments, as appropriate. The results of this research will
have implications for the future monitoring of coastal ecosystems, as well as the sustainable
exploitation of seaweed resources. Keystone species that characterise different functional marine
algal communities (e.g. canopy-forming fucoids, sensitive under-storey species, kelps) will be
exposed to combinations of predicted ranges of environmental conditions and results compared
with current productivity rates to predict potential effects of climate change on marine algal
communities. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms of acclimations to climate change, and
potential feedback mechanisms, will be assessed to help predict potential long-term ecological
changes at both species and community level. Research will include both in situ and controlled
experiments to allow the assessment of natural variation in primary productivity under
environmental conditions of selected species; in laboratory experiments algae will be exposed to
environmental parameters imposed by predicted climate change (single and multiple stressors).
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
NUI Galway projects should emphasise features that are not typically available in Brazil – specific equipment,
multi-disciplinarity, aspects of structured programme, links with industry, placements, links with other research
groups etc.
Dr Dagmar Stengel is a lecturer in marine plant science and Leader of the Algal Biosciences Research
Theme and Research Group Leader in the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway. Her research focuses on
advancing fundamental and applied aspects of the biology, ecology and biotechnology of both
macroalgae (seaweeds) and microalgae. Current research projects include aspects of sustainable
commercial utilisation of algae and their role in marine ecosystem functioning and climate change
research. The laboratory is well equipped for ecophysiological and analytical/biochemical research
(e.g. HPLC, GC-MS) and algal cultivation under different regimes. A strong network of collaborators
assures access to further facilities if required. The PI is currently collaborating closely with several
seaweed/algal companies and the research group has access to high natural algal diversity in a wide
range of near-pristine habitats on the Irish west coast.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Dagmar.stengel@nuigalway.ie
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Marine Botany, Botany, Marine Science, Biotechnology, Environmental Science
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
v
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
v
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
v
Marine Sciences
v
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): Y
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): Y
Suitable for either Y