Applications are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Geoscience programme. The position is available from November 2026 or later.
Title:
Constraining the temporal evolution of dust-generating deserts in northern China and South America.
Research area and project description:
Candidates are invited to apply for a PhD fellowship focused on geochronology with the aim of constraining the temporal evolution of the Taklamakan Desert in northwestern China and the arid regions of southern South America.
Dust-generating deserts are critical to Earth’s climate and ecosystems, as their supply of wind-blown dust influences atmospheric processes and fertilizes land and ocean photosynthesis. Dust derived from these deserts has influenced past and present climates and will continue to affect future climate dynamics – but the past and future influence of dust remains a major uncertainty in climate science. Despite their global importance, our understanding of when and how key dust-generating deserts formed remains limited.
Southern South America and the Taklamakan Desert in Northwest China represent key source regions for dust input to high-latitude oceans. Despite their important roles in the climate system, little is known about when they formed and how they evolved over time.
The focus of this PhD project is to constrain the temporal evolution of the Taklamakan Desert as well as key arid regions in southern South America. The successful candidate, who will be based at the Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University (Denmark), will be part of an interdisciplinary team that aims to understand how these deserts evolved over time as well as their role in the Earth’s climate system. The PhD project will mainly focus on dating samples from sediment cores drilled into the Taklamakan Desert and field samples from southern South America using cosmogenic nuclides and – to a lesser extent – luminescence dating. The project will involve fieldwork, geochemical sample preparations, data analyses, and some amount of numerical modelling. It is an advantage to have prior experience with geochemical lab work, fieldwork, and/or numerical modelling, but it is not a requirement.
The cosmogenic-nuclide burial dating will take place at the Department of Geoscience (Aarhus University, Denmark) in collaboration with the main supervisor Mads Faurschou Knudsen, whereas the luminescence work will take place in collaboration with co-supervisors Yunus Baykal and Jan-Pieter Buylaert at DTU Risø (Denmark).
The project includes several international collaborators in China, Argentina, and the US, and the PhD project may include a research visit to one of the collaborating institutions. The successful candidate is expected to join the field campaign in southern South America in early-mid January 2027.
The position is funded by the Carlsberg Foundation.
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Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants must have a relevant master’s degree or have completed at least one year of a master’s degree program, in geology, geochemistry, geophysics, or similar, by August 1, 2026. In addition, the successful candidate will have demonstrated a good command of English, an open attitude to interdisciplinary research, and the ability to work in an international environment. Previous experience with geochemistry and lab work is highly desired.
The successful candidate is expected to start around November 1, 2026, and he/she must be available for fieldwork in southern South America in early-mid January 2027.
Place of employment and place of work:
The place of work is the Department of Geoscience, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, DK-8000, Aarhus C.
Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information for this project are invited to contact: Professor, Mads Faurschou Knudsen, mfk@geo.au.dk
How to apply:
For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see the Application guide. Please read the Application guide thoroughly before applying.
When ready to apply, go to https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/apply-here/ (Note, the online application system opens 1 June 2026)
Please note:
At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.
