Employment & Opportunities

Call for abstracts: Tipping Points in the Earth System - session at EGU 2021 (ITS3.1 / NP0.1)

There is a call for abstract submissions to the session on Tipping Points in the Earth System at the next (online) EGU General Assembly (vEGU21, April 19-30 2021).

Tipping Points in the Earth System

Several subsystems of the Earth system have been suggested to react abruptly at critical levels of anthropogenic forcing. Well-known examples of such Tipping Elements include the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the polar ice sheets and sea ice, tropical and boreal forests, as well as the Asian monsoon systems. Interactions between the different Tipping Elements may either have stabilizing or destabilizing effects on the other subsystems, potentially leading to cascades of abrupt transitions. The critical forcing levels at which abrupt transitions occur have recently been associated with Tipping Points.

It is paramount to determine the critical forcing levels (and the associated uncertainties) beyond which the systems in question will abruptly change their state, with potentially devastating climatic, ecological, and societal impacts. For this purpose, we need to substantially enhance our understanding of the dynamics of the Tipping Elements and their interactions, on the basis of paleoclimatic evidence, present-day observations, and models spanning the entire hierarchy of complexity. Moreover, to be able to mitigate - or prepare for - potential future transitions, early warning signals have to be identified and monitored in both observations and models.

This interdisciplinary session invites contributions that address Tipping Points in the Earth system from the different perspectives of all relevant disciplines, including

• the mathematical theory of abrupt transitions in (random) dynamical systems,
• paleoclimatic studies of past abrupt transitions,
• data-driven and process-based modelling of past and future transitions,
• early-warning signals,
• the implications of abrupt transitions for Climate sensitivity and response,
• ecological and societal impacts, as well as
• decision theory in the presence of uncertain Tipping Point estimates.

Abstract submission deadline is Jan 13, 2021.

Sedimentary Geologist - Department of Earth Sciences at Oxford

The Department of Earth Sciences and St Peter’s College are recruiting an Associate Professor of Sedimentary Geology to start from 1 August 2021, or as soon as possible thereafter. This is a joint appointment: the person appointed to the Associate Professorship will also be appointed to a Tutorial Fellowship at St Peter’s College and will be a trustee and member of its Governing Body. The appointment will be initially for five years at which point, upon completion of a successful review, the post holder will be eligible for reappointment to the retiring age.

They welcome applications from scientists researching sedimentary geology, petrology, earth surface processes and sedimentology, and from those using expertise in a broad range of related disciplines to study sedimentary processes, and the roles of sediments in the past, present and/or future Earth system. Related disciplines within sedimentary geology include, but are not limited to, aspects of earth surface processes, sedimentology, stratigraphy, palaeontology, mineralogy, geophysics, geochemistry, geomorphology, or tectonics. Possible areas of interest encompass: the role of sediments in weathering and the carbon cycle, in renewable energy and the green economy, source-to-sink studies, landscape evolution, modern and ancient carbonate depositional systems, geohazards, and/or evolution of the surface of Earth and other planets through time.

The successful candidate will have a doctorate in the field of sedimentary geology or a closely related subject. The main duties of the post are to carry out research at an international level, to participate in the administration of the department and governance of the college, and to teach, supervise, and examine undergraduate and postgraduate students. They will be expected to participate in and contribute to the administration of the Department and the administration and governance of the College.

The closing date for applications is midday (UK time) on Friday 15th January 2021. Interviews will be held 15-16 March 2021 in Oxford. Apply here.

Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OCE-PRF) - Natural Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences has issued a Program Solicitation for the 2021 Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OCE-PRF). Information on the awards can be found here.

News & Events

MSc Thesis Defense: Hannah McSorley

Title: Spatial and temporal variation in natural organic matter quantity and quality across a second growth forested drinking water supply area on Vancouver Island, BC

Date & Time: Thursday, December 17th at 3:00pm

Place: Zoom