The Geography Department and Coastal and Marine Resources Centre of University College
Cork, Ireland, have two funded research studentships available to commence in October
2008. The studentships cover university fees at the EU level, and an annual stipend. The
PhD project aims to address issues of the use of Geoinformaticstechnologies for
predicting the effects of climate change with respect to those coastal areas that are
most at risk. The potential benefits of integrating remotely sensed data derived from
satellite, airborne and field sources, with other spatial information
will be considered. Automated image processing routines will be developed in
order to better understand the coastal system at present. Through scenario testing of
potential climatically induced terrestrial, marine and meteorological changes,
the response of different coastal habitats will be modelled to provide greater
insight into the present and future functioning of marsh, dune, lagoon and estuarine
environments along the Cork coastline. The use of geovisualisation for communication of results
to local interest groups will also be explored.
The MSc project will explore the utility of high spatial resolution,
multispectral
optical and SAR satellite data to map the habitat distribution and
vertical
expansion/contraction and stability of raised bogs. Methods to
characterise habitat
distribution include the investigation and classification of the
combined multispectral
optical and SAR data. Advanced supervised classification techniques
will be explored
using both hard and soft/fuzzy classifiers in attempting to classify
peatland species
and habitats. Interferometric techniques, using a time series of C-
band and L-band SAR
images, will be used to determine the feasibility of identifying and
quantifying
centimetre level vertical displacements within the bog.
Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 Honours degree or
equivalent in an Earth,
Environmental or Engineering Science discipline. Experience in remote
sensing, image
processing, quantitative environmental science and in undertaking
fieldwork would be an
advantage. For further information please contact
Dr Fiona Cawkwell (e-mail: f.cawkwell@ucc.ie, telephone: +353 (0)21
490 2707) for the
PhD project or
Dr Ned Dwyer (e-mail: n.dwyer@ucc.ie, telephone: +353 (0)21 470 3104)
for the MSc
project. Applicants should send a copy of their CV, with the names
and addresses of 3
referees, plus a brief statement outlining their academic interests
and their reasons
for wishing to undertake this research project to the email addresses
above. Closing
date for applications is 25th July 2008.
—-
Dr. Fiona Cawkwell
Lecturer in Physical Geography
Department of Geography
University College Cork
Cork, Ireland
tel. +353 021 490 2707
fax. +353 021 427 1980
<mailto:f.cawkwell@ucc.ie>f.cawkwell@ucc.ie
<http://www.ucc.ie/academic
//www.ucc.ie/academic/geography
<http://www.ucc.ie/academic
//www.ucc.ie/academic/geography