Category: Study

UK Space Agency-funded Mars PhD studentship at Imperial College (London, UK)

This studentship will investigate Kasei Vallis, the largest outflow channel on Mars and one of the largest channels in the Solar System, and is believed to have been formed by catastrophic megaflooding. The student will use the latest, high-resolution orbital remote sensing datasets to construct a detailed geological history of Kasei Valles, which could provide essential insight into the drying climate of Mars. The student will also become affiliated with and provide operational support to two ongoing Mars orbiter missions: the Colour and Stereo Science Imaging System (CaSSIS) onboard ESA’s TGO and the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) onboard NASA’s Mars MRO.

The project is ideal for a student interested in geomorphology, sedimentology, and planetary surfaces.

Please note that this project is separate from our other STFC projects and is guaranteed funding.

For details on the project, click >> here <<

Informal enquires are welcome to Joel Davis

>> Deadline: 1st of March 2024 <<

Nuclear astrochemistry workshop

The first meeting on Nuclear astrochemistry is being held under the auspices of the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*) in Trento (Italy) from February 26th to March 1st.

This brings meeting together disparate fields of nuclear physics with the rapidly emerging field of astrochemistry to explore the processes of star formation (and death) and planet formation and how they create the conditions that may allow life to evolve and be sustained. In the workshop, the first of its kind, we will bring together leading experts in these fields together with early career researchers who will develop this new field through observations (using JWST), theoretical models and simulations, and laboratory studies (including meteorites) to address the fundamental questions of how the elements and molecules of life are created in the universe and the consequences for the search for life beyond Earth and our solar system.

There’s funding available for both senior and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to attend the meeting with meals and accommodation included at the ECT  Villa Tambosi in Trento Italy. All ECRs are invited to present a talk at the meeting and participate in discussions leading to future initiatives for interdisciplinary projects.

>> Deadline for registering: January 31st <<

You can visit the page of the school here, and you can contact Prof Nigel Mason for further details. 

Planetary Astronomy PhD studentship at Queen’s University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK)

There’s a PhD studentship available at the Queen’s University Belfast for the project “Exploring the Solar System’s Small Body Reservoirs with Rubin Observatory“.

The project will focus on developing analysis tools and utilities for LSST Solar System science in the year leading up to the start of the survey

>> Deadline: 9th of February 2024 <<

For details on the project, click >> here <<
For details on the application process, click >> here <<.

AbGradE’s 10th Anniversary – International Astrobiology School in Florence, Italy 

As of this year, AbGradE is 10 years old!🥳

We have had many really cool events, and to celebrate all these years of activity we have decided to organise our biggest event yet: a 4-day astrobiology school!

Held in beautiful Florence (Italy) May 21-24, this school is organised in collaboration with the Arcetri Astrobiology Laboratory.

At the moment, we are asking all interested people to record their interest by filling out this form by Sunday 11th of February.

🇮🇹We look forward to seeing you soon!🇮🇹

Planetary Science PhD projects at The University of Manchester (UK)

There are several PhD projects available at the University of Manchester for a September 2024 start. These projects are in the fields of isotope geochemistry, cosmochemistry, and planetary science.

Available projects:

  • History of the Lunar Surface
  • Investigating the formation of lunar agglutinates
  • Investigating the origin of water in primitive asteroids
  • Petrogenesis of lunar mare basalts from the nearside eastern limb of the moon

>> Deadline: 5th of February 2024 <<

Full details of the projects, application process, and supervisors can be found >>here<<.

Funded PhD studentships at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory (UK)

There are several PhD projects available at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, for a September/October 2024 start. These opportunities are within the Department of Space and Climate Physics, and projects are in the fields of space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and systems engineering.

Funded Studentships:

Additionally, applications from self-funding students are welcome at any time. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their prospective supervisor and discuss the proposed PhD project before their application.

Full details of the application process, supervisors, and projects can be found >>here<<.

Webinar on how to apply for US National Science Foundation grants (all career stages)

The Earth Science Women’s Network will be hosting a webinar later this month that might be of interest to you:
a virtual workshop on Monday, January 22nd 2024, at 8:00-9:30 PM CET!

Get your questions answered by US National Science Foundation Program Officers!

How can you craft a strong proposal?
What makes a strong Broader Impact?
How do you find a program that fits your work?
This virtual workshop is open to all and will be particularly helpful to early-career to mid-career participants, especially graduate students, post-docs, researchers, and tenure-track faculty thinking about applying for NSF funding for the first time.

> Click here to register <

If you have any questions about ESWN’s events, you can email them at events[at]eswnonline[dot]org

PhD studentship on the origin of life at alkaline hydrothermal vents at Newcastle University (UK)

A PhD is available based at Newcastle University on the origin of life at alkaline hydrothermal vents, as part of the Iapetus2 Doctoral Training Scheme.

The student will use a set of state-of-the-art pressurised continuous flow hydrothermal reactors to mimic the mixing of hydrogen-rich alkaline hydrothermal vent fluids with carbon dioxide-rich seawater or freshwater over a range of different mineral substrates. They will extend exciting recent work on the successful generation of long chain fatty acids using this apparatus and assess the potential for generating a range of further biological relevant organic molecules.

This studentship aims to make a step change in our understanding of how life originated on our planet, and the potential for life to have started on other worlds.

>> Deadline: 15th of January 2024 (12PM GMT) <<

Full details of the project and the application process can be found here.

For any questions.an informal chat, you can contact Dr. Jon Telling

Funded PhD studentships at the Natural History Museum in London (UK)

There are several PhD projects available at the Natural History Museum, for a September/October 2024 start. These projects are in the fields of meteorites, mineralogy, and remote sensing.

STFC projects: (up to 2 studentships)

UK Space Agency project: (guaranteed funding)

>> Deadline: 4th of February 2024 <<

Full details of the application process, supervisors, and associated universities can be found on all the project pages.

Fully funded PhD studentships at the University of Stirling (Scotland, UK)

Fully funded PhD studentships in the realm of astrobiology and Mars exploration are available within the Earth and Planetary Observation Research Group at the University of Stirling.

  1. Preservation of Organic Carbon Compounds and Potential Biosignatures by Reactive Iron Minerals on Mars (guaranteed funding from the UK Space Agency).
  2. Carbon sequestration processes in the rusty carbon sink (competition-funded through UKRI NERC DTP Iapetus).

>> Start of programme: 1st of October 2024 <<
>> Deadline: 5th of January 2024 <<

Please contact Dr Christian Schroeder for further details and how to apply.