Three PhD research studentship opportunities within the School of Geography, Earth
and Environmental Sciences.
Applications are invited for three PhD research studentships to start in October 2011. All
studentships will be based in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.
The School has three Research Centres and there will be one studentship associated with
each of these.
Further information on the Research Centres and the individual projects can be found from
the following links:
Biogeochemistry Centre (BGC) (http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/bgc)
 Development of analytical techniques to distinguish current and past exposures to
polychlorinated biphenyls, Dr Gwen O'Sullivan (DoS) and Prof. Paul Worsfold
 Identification of sources of plastic debris in marine and shoreline environments using
Stable Isotope Analysis, Dr Gwen O'Sullivan (DoS) and Prof. Steve Rowland
Further details on the above projects can be found at;
http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/beach
Centre for Research in Earth Sciences (CRES) (http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/cres)
 Tectonic geomorphology, faulting and seismic hazard in Western Turkey
Supervisors: Dr Sarah Boulton and Prof Iain Stewart (University of Plymouth), Dr Alex
Whittaker (Imperial College, London), Prof M Cihat Alçiçek (Pammukale University,
Turkey)
 High latitude climate during the Cretaceous (CASE award).
Supervisors: Dr Gregory Price and Dr Matthew Watkinson (University of Plymouth),
Dr Martin Munt (Natural History Museum; CASE supervisor)
 Mantle melting and osmium alloys: evidence for mantle ‘super-events’
Supervisors: Dr Arjan Dijkstra, Dr Mark Anderson and Dr Antony Morris (University of
Plymouth)
 Palaeocene dyke swarms of Northern Ireland: a new window into flood basalt
plumbing and regional extension
Supervisors: Dr Graeme Taylor and Dr Mark Anderson (University of Plymouth), Dr
Mark Cooper (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland)
Further details on the above projects can be found at;
http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=28236
Centre for Research in Environment and Society (CeRES)
(http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/ceres)

Physical Geography
a) Quantification of past Mediterranean vegetation using the Landscape Reconstruction
Algorithm, Ralph Fyfe (DoS), Neil Roberts
b) The sea-level jump associated with the 8.2 ka climate event; Roland Gehrels (DoS),
Tim Daley
c) Hydrogeomorphological processes for river restoration and catchment management;
Will Blake, Pete Downs (DoS)
d) Quantifying the impact of rapid base-level change on fluvial systems, Western
Mediterranean; Anne Mather (DoS), Matt Telfer, Martin Stokes
e) Reconstructing Holocene megadroughts from eastern Mediterranean lake sediment
records, Neil Roberts (DoS)
Further details on the above projects can be found at;
http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=30896
Applicants should have (at least) a first or upper second class honours degree in an
appropriate subject and preferably a relevant MSc or MRes qualification.
The studentships are supported for 3 years and include full Home/EU tuition fees plus a
stipend of £13,590 per annum. The studentships will only 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 £9,450 per annum).
For an application form and full details on how to apply, please visit
www.plymouth.ac.uk/postgraduate. Applicants should send a completed application form along
with a covering letter detailing their suitability for the individual studentship to Catherine Johnson,
Faculty of Science and Technology Research Office, Room A103, Portland Square, Plymouth
PL4 8AA or e-mail catherine.johnson@plymouth.ac.uk.
Further information on the terms and conditions of a PhD at the University of Plymouth can
be found on www.plymouth.ac.uk/graduateschool
CLOSING DATE: 12 NOON WEDNESDAY 23rd MARCH 2011. Interviews are likely to be held
in April. Applicants who have not received an invitation to an interview or an offer of a place
by the end of May 2011 should consider that their application has been unsuccessful on this
occasion.