PhD: Plant Abiotic Stress Responses: Applications are now open for a four-year PhD studentship starting on 1 October 2025. This research project, based at the University of Plymouth, is focused on exploring how micro-environmental variability affects plant responses to drought and other stress factors. The project aims to better understand how plants acclimate to stress and improve predictions for crop resilience under future climate conditions.
PhD Scholarship Opportunity: Embracing the Noise – Micro-Environmental Variability as a Means to Infer Models for Plant Abiotic Stress Responses
Designation: PhD Studentship in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses
Research Area: Abiotic Stress Physiology, Plant Ecology, Climate Change Adaptation, Agricultural Resilience
Location: University of Plymouth, United Kingdom
Eligibility/Qualification:
- A first or upper second-class honours degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related field.
- Proficiency in quantitative data analysis using R is essential.
- Experience in experimental plant stress physiology and/or plant ecology is desirable.
- If English is not your first language, an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component) or equivalent is required.
Job Description: As part of this PhD studentship, you will conduct experiments on drought-stressed and control plants, such as wheat and clover, exposed to naturally occurring microenvironmental variations. You will use an array of sensors to continuously record soil and atmospheric conditions, with the aim of uncovering the relationships between plant stress responses and environmental factors. Your research will contribute to a deeper, multi-faceted understanding of drought stress physiology, which will help to select more resilient crops for the future and improve ecological models predicting climate change effects on plant communities.
How to Apply: To apply, please visit the University of Plymouth’s online application portal and select the PhD Biological Sciences programme. Under the research section, specify the following:
- Proposed project title/studentship title: 25-10 BMS S6-P1 Plessis
- For the research proposal section, upload a blank document (a proposal is not required). Ensure that you have reviewed the Doctoral College’s application guidelines before submitting. For any admissions-related queries, you can contact research.degree.admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.
Last Date to Apply: 11 April 2025
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews on 1 May 2025.
For more information or informal discussion about the project, please contact Dr. Anne Plessis at anne.plessis@plymouth.ac.uk.
