Glacial records from New Zealand’s Southern Alps provide insight into global climate change through linkages to Southern Ocean conditions, which control global greenhouse gas exchange. More expansive older (pre- 50,000 years) glacial ice limits suggest that 1) either the climate was significantly colder and/or wetter in the past, allowing greater glacial mass or 2) that tectonic uplift and erosion have preconditioned mountain valleys to restrict ice extent due to valley deepening, producing less extensive ice margin positions with time.
We seek applications for a PhD position to combine field mapping and cosmogenic exposure dating to model past glacier extents in the Clutha and Rakaia Valleys to test end-member hypotheses. The PhD student will work with Dr David Fink (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) on developing the 10Be-26Al chronology. The candidate will be supported by other team members working in luminescence dating and tectonic modelling with Jamie Shulmeister and Leighton Watson (Canterbury), Tammy Rittenour (Utah State) and Glenn Thackray (Idaho State).
The University of Canterbury PhD scholarships are for 3 years at NZ$35,000/year + tuition fees and student levies. All fieldwork costs will come from the project and students will spend time at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation in Sydney.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th of May at 23:59 New Zealand time. Interviews will take place with short listed candidates during the following weeks.
This is a readvertisement of a previously advertised position. If you have previously applied, you will be automatically reconsidered and do not need to apply again.
Please note that this is the first step in the application process. The successful candidate will then have to apply to University of Canterbury and, if an international student, will need to apply for a student visa. For information about the formal application process for a PhD at the University of Canterbury, see here: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/study/uc-graduate-school/future-research-students/become-a-research-student. International students may need to take an English language test and will be required to submit their academic transcripts to a grade conversion website to convert different grading scales into a New Zealand scale. The successful candidate should expect to start by August 2026.
Supervisors
Primary Supervisor: Leighton Watson
Second Supervisor: James Shulmeister
Key qualifications and skills
The project will involve field mapping and cosmogenic exposure dating. Prior experience in geological/geomorphological fieldwork and/or laboratory experience with dating methods will be advantageous.
Does the project come with funding
Yes:
- Scholarship for 3 years at NZ$35,000 + tuition fees and student levies.
- All fieldwork costs will come from the project.
Final date for receiving applications
Sunday 17th of May at 23:59 New Zealand time
How to apply
The PhD is open to all qualified candidates irrespective of nationality. To apply, please contact leighton.watson@canterbury.ac.nz by email with the subject line “Cosmogenic NZ PhD” and provide the following: A one-to-two-page cover letter explaining why you are interested in this project, what are your career aspirations, and how this PhD project will assist you in achieving those goals Your CV and copies of undergraduate/masters academic records (note that these do not need to be “official” versions at this stage) Contact details for two academic references. This is a readvertisement of a previously advertised position. If you have previously applied, you will be automatically reconsidered and do not need to apply again.
Keywords
Geology, glaciers, cosmogenic, geomorphology
