Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project: Effects of Different Algae Species on Organic Matter Enrichment of Sea Spray
School:
Professor Colin O’Dowd, MRIA, DSc, FInsP, FRMetS
Tel: +353-87-811-4988 email: colin.odowd@nuigalway.ie
Physics (Agreed with Head of School)
Research Centre:
Director: Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS)
Research centre website:
www.macehead.org
www.nuigalway.ie/c-caps
http://www.nuigalway.ie/physics/staff_pages/c_odowd/
PI name & contact details:
PI website & CV:
Summary of PI Metrics: Director of Ireland’s leading Centre for climate & air pollution research (65
researchers) with a particular focus on atmospheric composition and biogeochemical cycling, both
measurement based (at the WMO Mace Head Supersite) and large-scale climate modelling. PhDs ~20 over
last 8 years; Funding ~18M€; Large-scale international project/Coordination ~28; Publications:180 papers (5
Nature/Science), h-index 44. Awards: 2012 IoP Appleton Award; 2011 Member Royal Irish Academy; 2009
FRMetS; 2007 DSc Uni. Manchester; 2006 FInsP; 2004 Smoluchowski Award. PI has high-level collaborative
links with Brazilian Environmental Physics Professor Paulo Artaxo, University of São Paulo. Currently, we coauthor two highly-cited papers.
Project Title: Effects of Different Algae Species on Organic Matter Enrichment of Sea Spray
Project Description: Sea spray is perhaps the most important natural aerosol type in terms of cloud nuclei and
climate. Recent work has showed that plankton blooms produce organic matter which becomes enriched in
sea spray, leading to super-efficient cloud nuclei. This project will quantify the enrichment factors and the
cloud nuclei activity as a function of different algae species through laboratory based bubble-mediated spray
production experiments, along with analysis of atmospheric data from Mace Head.
Key Word: marine aerosol, sea spray, organic aerosol, aerosol evolution.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway: • NUI Galway/C-CAPS operates the world leading
marine Global Atmosphere Watch station which monitors and researches Essential Climate Variables and runs
the most sophisticated aerosol-cloud in-situ and remotely-sensed measurements operationally – no other
st
station operates the same level of instrumentation worldwide!. • The PI & NUI Galway were the 1 in the
country to implement a structured Graduate Education Research Programme (in Environment & Climate) to
enhance the learning and training experience and opportunities. • C-CAPS is heavily connected to the
leading groups in Europe having led, and participated on large-scale international projects within which
researcher exchange, summer student schools, and advanced study schools are a regular occurrence.
Excellent exposure, exchange and collaborative opportunities exist for the student (e.g. the PI produced ~20
internationally-collaborative papers in each of the last four years and has the highest research metrics within
the NUIG STEM areas currently). • C-CAPS operate large-scale climate-air pollution studies with a focus on
marine continental interactions. Although most countries have such activities, the unique opportunity offered
by CCAPS is an integrated Earth System approach specifically integrating the most current and advanced
atmospheric measurements and process in the models.
Name & contact details for project queries: as above
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geosciences
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
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
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
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): _ ____
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _____
Suitable for either/Don’t know: _____
X