Deadline: 02 August 2024.

Applications are sought for a 4-year PhD scholarship position on the research topic of ‘Investigating Nitrate Leaching in Irish Agricultural Lands: A Site-Scale Model Based Approach to Assessing Cover Crop Management Practices’. The scholarship is funded by Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority, under the Walsh Scholarships Programme .

1. Background:

Nitrate leaching from agricultural lands is a pervasive environmental concern worldwide, in particular in locations such as Ireland where agricultural activity covers a large proportion of the landscape. Elevated nitrate levels in water bodies, stemming from agricultural activities, compromise water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and human health. To address this challenge, the development of more sustainable practices are imperative, with cover crops emerging as an important part of potential solutions. However, cover crop adoption faces uncertainties regarding efficacy and cost-efficiency and the impacts of diverse cover crop management practices remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to bridge these gaps using a site-scale agronomic modelling approach to assess the effects of varied cover crop strategies on nitrate leaching.

The Walsh Scholarship will:

• Develop a site-specific water quality model tailored to the Irish agricultural landscape, incorporating local soil characteristics, climate data, and crop types, following a review of existing models.
• Collate, and where needed collect, field data on cover crop performance, including growth, nutrient uptake, and nitrogen release dynamics.
• Assess the impact of different cover crop species and management practices on nitrate leaching under varying soil and climate conditions.
• Quantify the economic feasibility of implementing effective cover crop strategies for nitrate reduction in Irish agriculture.

The successful candidate will join a team with a track record of success in this research topic, and have access to the top-class research infrastructure and development facilities (PhD training and professional development).

The doctoral candidate will be supervised jointly by Dr Fiachra O’Loughlin, University College Dublin ([email protected] ) and Dr Russell Adams, Teagasc ([email protected] ).

The successful candidate will be registered as a PhD student at University College Dublin (UCD) and would have the option of being located at either Teagasc (Johnstown Castle, Wexford) or UCD.

II. Requirements:

Applicants must have:

• A first class or upper second-class honours degree in engineering (Civil or Environmental), agricultural science, environmental science, physical geography or a related subject.
• A Master’s degree, or international equivalent, in engineering, agricultural science, environmental science, physical geography or a related subject.
• Experience with computer programming (Ideally C# or Python).
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data management skills.
• Good communication and writing skills as evidenced through recognition of written work as part of undergraduate and Master’s degrees.
• Ability to work to deadlines and produce effective timelines that achieve key aims.
• Ability to work effectively within a team and by one’s self.
• Willingness to attend relevant workshops, and to present research at national and international conferences.
• For applicants whose first language is not English, requirements are outlined here.

3. Award

• The PhD scholarship comprises a stipend of €25,000 per annum, and University fees up to a maximum of €6,000 per annum. The scholarship will run for a maximum of 4 years (48 months) from the date the student commences (Ideally 1st September 2024).

4. Application procedure

• Applications should be sent by email to Dr Fiachra O’Loughlin ([email protected] ) and Dr Russell Adams ([email protected] ) (please include both supervisors in your email) on or before 2nd August 2024.
• The application should include: 1) CV, 2) Masters/Undergraduate academic transcripts, 3) A cover letter outlining your motivation for applying and what makes you the right candidate; and 4) Contact details of two academic referees.
• Please submit these documents as one pdf or word file, titled with “LastName_WalshScholar2024”.
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview.
• For further information, please contact Dr Fiachra O’Loughlin ([email protected] ) or Dr Russell Adams ([email protected] ).