PhD Student Opportunity in Ocean Oxygen Physics at University of Victoria, BC, Canada
We seek a motivated PhD student to study oxygen cycling in the NE Pacific, its physics and biological productivity, as a member of the Ocean Gases Lab. This position is based at the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria in beautiful Victoria, BC, Canada starting in summer or fall 2025. Marine production of organic matter transforms carbon dioxide to organic carbon, some of which sinks to the deep ocean where it is sequestered away from the atmosphere for many years. The rate of this “export” of organic carbon affects global climate and can be determined from the simultaneous production of oxygen in the surface ocean. Accurate estimates of this rate are possible from ships, but these are limited in time and space. New oxygen measurements from profiling floats (https://argo.ucsd.edu) offer the potential to greatly expand these biological carbon export estimates. To determine this carbon export from oxygen measurements, a detailed mass balance method must be developed to estimate all the physical fluxes of oxygen (air-sea exchange, mixing, transport) after which the remaining oxygen unaccounted for is the net biological production. This position is for a PhD student who will advance the quantification and interpretation of biological production rates from dissolved oxygen data collected in the subarctic NE Pacific as part of the Argo Canada program.
Prospective students must have the ability to program and perform detailed computational analyses, to think logically, and to work independently. We are looking for a student who is bright and self-motivated with good communication skills. The project may also include development of empirical relationships based on existing hydrographic data and/or comparison to satellite estimates of productivity. A background in ocean sciences, experience in analysis of large datasets, and familiarity with programming and scientific analysis software such as Python or MATLAB are all strong assets. This position is partially funded through the Pacific Rim Ocean Data Mobilization and Technology (PRODIGY) program (https://eoas-prodigy-2021.sites.olt.ubc.ca/) providing students with enhanced training and networking opportunities.
For further information, contact Dr. Roberta Hamme at . Most international students should take the GRE and may need to demonstrate English proficiency through tests like TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB.