PhD position in computational science to uncover how ecological communities respond to climate-induced stress

The Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics is looking for a PhD student in computational science to uncover how ecological communities respond to climate-induced stress. The position is for four years of full-time doctoral studies. The employment starts in August 2025 or according to an agreement. The application deadline is February 16. The research school for stress response modelling in IceLab Starting in the spring of 2025, Umeå University’s interdisciplinary research hub, IceLab, will offer doctoral positions through the new Stress Response Modelling Research School. Funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish Research Council’s centres of excellence, this research school focuses on modelling adaptive mechanisms in living systems under stress. It offers an extensive complexity science course package for doctoral students. This doctoral position presents a unique opportunity to join a cohort of other doctoral researchers in the research school and learn alongside each other in carefully designed courses that align with the excellence centre’s multidisciplinary theme. The program prepares next-generation computational biologists with strong complexity thinking and tools applicable to living systems across organizational scales, addressing major environmental and life sciences challenges. Courses will cover topics such as complexity science, mathematical modelling in evolution, ecology and plant biology, along with transferable skills, including interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. You will also be offered opportunities for research exchanges and form an integral part of the supportive and stimulating IceLab research environment. Join IceLab to work at the forefront of multidisciplinary science, integrating mathematical modelling and data science with diverse disciplines, including ecology, plant physiology, and molecular biology. Your research will deepen our understanding of how living systems respond to stress and environmental change, and we will help you grow and thrive in your scientific career. Read more about IceLab (https://icelab.se/) and the host department for this PhD position, the Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics (https://www.umu.se/en/department-of- mathematics-and-mathematical-statistics/). Project description: As climate change transforms the environment, it is also altering the distribution of plants and animals across the planet. These changes impact natural regions, or bioregions, where species coexist. To protect biodiversity, it is crucial to understand how these regions are formed and how they respond to environmental shifts. This involves uncovering the key mechanisms that define bioregion boundaries and predicting their responses to a changing climate. To address these challenges, this PhD project will work closely with experts in ecology, biodiversity, and computational modelling. We will develop and apply innovative data-driven methods to map bioregions and predict how they may change over time. By integrating advanced tools to analyse large datasets on species, their evolutionary histories, and the environments they live in, the project aims to uncover the processes that shape bioregions and identify areas where biodiversity faces the greatest risk. The project will use methods developed by our group, such as the Infomap Bioregions platform, which helps researchers create detailed maps of biodiversity. You will also work with models that can include many types of information, from species’ relationships to climate conditions, to provide a clearer picture of how ecosystems evolve and respond to change. The interdisciplinary research project involves international collaborations, offers research visits to leading institutes and presents an exciting opportunity to tackle critical questions about the future of biodiversity. New insights will provide a foundation for enhancing efforts to protect ecosystems against the mounting challenges posed by climate change. Umeå offers excellent working and living conditions. The city is young and located right next to a large river. It is surrounded by forests and lakes and lies close by the sea. In the vicinity there are plenty of opportunities for both indoor and outdoor activities. For further information and instructions on how to apply, see: https://umu.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:776295/

Last updated: 18 December 2024