DANIDA – University of Pretoria Research Bursary 2023 | R250 000 p/a
Pretoria University, Aarhus University, and DANIDA invite applications for the 2023 PhD research bursary programme.
Bursary value: R250 000 per annum.
A study of the ecological state and restoration potential of unmanaged urban green spaces in the City of Tshwane
Tasks of DANIDA:
Funding is available for PhD candidates in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at
The University of Pretoria (UP) is participating in a DANIDA-funded project collaboration on
Aarhus University and the University of Pretoria formed the Consortium for Sustainable Cities (CONSUS).
In a nature-based solutions focused research group, the PhD candidate will work closely with other inter- and transdisciplinary researchers.
- Based on historical aerial photos and maps of land cover covering rivers and surrounding ecosystems, establishing ecological restoration targets
- Conduct fieldwork at the study sites to evaluate the current ecological state of rivers and ecosystems around them.
- In collaboration with the research group, a community survey is being conducted to assess attitudes towards biodiversity and community-driven restorations’ ecological effects
- Work with the research group to integrate ecological expertise into landscape design prototypes.
- There will be no part-time work involved with this position. It will be necessary to meet specific project outcomes for each project
Requirements of DANIDA:
- Field experience
- Ecology, botany, zoology, socioecological sciences, environmental sciences, or a related field of study
- Good writing skills
- Collaboration and communication skills, as well as a willingness to work with other disciplines and communities
- Statistical skills
- Fluent in written and spoken English
Recommendations
- Good working knowledge of R and GIS
- A working knowledge of vegetation surveys and/or remote sensing based assessments of ecosystem ecological status
Proposed start date: July 2023
The student must be willing to study at the University of Pretoria. It will be their responsibility to conduct field surveys in the Tshwane Municipality and to engage with the community.
In addition to a CV, please include two academic references and a letter of motivation to Michelle Greve ([email protected]), as well as Ida Breed ([email protected]) and Kristine Engemann Jensen ([email protected]).
