Three PhD positions on Delta Adaptation

Three PhD positions are offered at the Department of Physical Geography at Utrecht University. Are you passionate about contributing to research on climate change impacts, which are becoming increasingly urgent? The Department of Physical Geography seeks a team of three PhD candidates who will each work on a separate project:

1. Global Delta Adaptation Physical Solution Space aims to understand adaptation measures in deltas globally to climate-driven flood- risk due to sea- level rise and changes in river flows. You will work on a quantitative approach to assess the effectiveness and physical feasibility of different adaptation measures and pathways under a range of climate and socio-economic scenarios. Methods include model-based flood- risk analysis and pathways generation, which will result in an assessment of delta adaptation pathways and resources globally.
2. Rhine-Meuse Delta Adaptation to Extreme Compound Events focuses on understanding adaptation measures and pathways to uncertain compounding climate extremes such as extreme rainfall, river flow, and storm surge. You will work on modelling water management and land use change measures under scenarios involving multiple hazards for the Rhine-Meuse delta. With this model you can assess the physical feasibility of adaptation measures that work with the functioning of the natural environment (“What does the delta want?”). The research will be carried out in collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch government authority for public works and water management.
3. Strategies to Enhance Sedimentation for Delta Adaptation is about sedimentation in deltas as adaptation strategy to relative sea-level rise. You will explore strategies to reintroduce sedimentation to discover their potential and limitations worldwide. You will develop a generic modeling approach to quantify the effectiveness of these strategies in reducing flood risk. This model can then be used to better understand the role of sediments in delta adaptation, and their potential in combination with other adaptation measures to enhance delta sustainability.