Earthwatch Europe is advertising three PhDs that use citizen science to monitor terrestrial environments. Closing date for applications is 8th January.
1. Development of eDNA approaches for monitoring ecosystems by citizen scientists, University of Leicester - https://centa.ac.uk/studentship/2025-l11-development-of-edna-approaches-for-monitoring-ecosystems-by-citizen-scientists/ Highlights: * developing methods and infrastructure for in-field sequencing of eDNA by citizen scientists * improving community ability to assess biodiversity * enabling monitoring of species that might otherwise be intractable, e.g. cryptic, nocturnal, rare 1. Small and beautiful: Assessing the importance of Miyawaki ‘Tiny forests’ for urban biodiversity, University of Birmingham - https://centa.ac.uk/studentship/2025-b27-small-and-beautiful-assessing-the-importance-of-miyawaki-tiny-forests-for-urban-biodiversity/ Highlights: * The doctoral researcher will work with a multidisciplinary team of scientists (landscape ecologists, entomologists, ornithologists, forest ecologists) to develop a sample framework to understand biodiversity patterns across ‘Tiny forest’ plots, distributed across a gradient of urbanisation in the West Midlands. * The project design, characterised by plots of the same size, is a natural experiment that permits testing of hypotheses related to the important habitat area/habitat configuration debate in landscape ecology. * Project results will be used to inform landscape managers and those working in nature conservation on how to use woodlands to support urban biodiversity with Earthwatch and local residents who generate the citizen science data. 1. Can village ecologies be truly sustainable in the Anthropocene, University of Leicester - https://centa.ac.uk/studentship/2025-l20-can-village-ecologies-be-truly-sustainable-in-the-anthropocene/ Highlights: * Build a high-resolution model of a village community’s interactions with its local biosphere * Evolve strategies for enhancing biodiversity and a seamless connection between the urban and countryside * Work with a village community to plan strategies that will enhance biodiversity for many generations to come, and through stakeholders apply your strategies in other contexts CENTA is currently awaiting confirmation of funding under the BBSRC-NERC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) scheme, which is the new name for Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs). This funding will support cohorts starting from 2025 onwards. We anticipate receiving further information by late October or early November 2024. The availability of funding for both studentship pathways, and for all projects listed on our website, depends on this confirmation Dr Claire L Narraway (she/her) Senior Researcher – Tiny Forest<https://tinyforest.earthwatch.org.uk/>; NATALIE<https://www.natalieproject.eu/> I may work outside of office hours but do not expect you to read or reply to my emails outside of your regular working time. [cid:[email protected]]<https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz/> Please donate<https://earthwatch.org.uk/support-us/donate/> to help more people take action to protect the nature around them. Connect with Earthwatch on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/earthwatcheurope/>, Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/earthwatcheurope/>, X (Twitter)<https://twitter.com/Earthwatch_Eur/> and LinkedIn<https://uk.linkedin.com/company/earthwatcheurope>. This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views, which are not the views of Earthwatch Institute Europe unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system, do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that Earthwatch Institute (Europe) monitors e-mails sent or received. Further communication will signify your consent to this. Conservation Education & Research Trust also known as Earthwatch Institute (Europe) is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales under company number 4373313 and charity number 1094467. The registered address is, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DE England. To unsubscribe from this list please go to https://community.esa.org/confirm/?u=RhPWqPxFwODKvbkiT32nkIqRrsiSgulp
