PhD position Acoustic Sensing of Underwater Plastic

Are you interested in tackling the global plastic pollution problem through science? Do you want to develop and test new measurement methods to quantify plastic pollution in rivers? Are you motivated to work on impact-oriented research in an emerging field with high societal relevance? We are currently looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our team (4 years, full time, fully funded) at the Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group at Wageningen University.

In this PhD research project you will develop a new method for measuring underwater plastic, by collecting and analyzing Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data from experiments under (semi-)controlled, and natural conditions. You will use this to (1) detect and distinguish the most common plastic items rivers, (2) estimate total plastic transport with ADCP and validate with reference net sampling measurements, and (3) estimate trends using long-term historical ADCP datasets. You will do this for rivers in the Netherlands and Asia. You will present the project results during meetings with project partners, at (inter)national conferences, and through peer-reviewed publications.

PhD position: Acoustic sensing of underwater plastic pollution in rivers and estuaries - WUR