Research project:

We are seeking a motivated PhD student to investigate whether waste water treatment plants (WWTP) outfalls in the Metro Vancouver area are a significant source of microfibers and microplastics in the Strait of Georgia. Ultimately, this project aims to inform provincial and federal frameworks and policy for mitigating microplastic pollution at the source. The candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team that includes biological, chemical and physical oceanographers, and civil engineers specializing in WWTP. The student's project will be conducted in collaboration with Metro Vancouver Liquid Waste Management Services, and under the supervision of three PIs whose research focuses on chemical and biochemical processes in the marine environment and sewage treatment plants. It will include laboratory work for the development of efficient sampling equipment and microplastic extraction protocols, as well as field work to collect samples at point sources and in the water column of the Salish Sea. The candidate will also interact with physical oceanographers to integrate their data into predictive numerical model to evaluate the ultimate fate of microplastics and microfibers in the Strait of Georgia.

Ideal Applicant Profile:

The project is extremely challenging and will require determination and a positive attitude. We are looking for a self-motivated graduate student driven to pursue a career at the cutting edge of science, able to work independently, and with strong analytical skills and proven academic excellence in chemistry, biochemistry or environmental biogeochemistry.

Email enquiries/applications to Professor Maite Maldonado - mmaldonado@eoas.ubc.ca

This posting is for the UBC Vancouver campus [ www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/vancouver-campus ] in British Columbia, Canada.

Please refer to reference number MC-55696 during correspondence about this position.

To express interest and initiate contact to the principal investigator applicants are encouraged to follow the instructions as provided in the position description or to submit the form on the Mendeley Careers website. Please note that applicants will have to complete an online application to the University of British Columbia [ www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission ] and gain admission as a graduate student to the university. Applicants should review the graduate program profile [ www.grad.ubc.ca/node/4063 ] to learn about admission requirements, application deadlines, program duration, tuition, or to read student and alumni stories. Please visit the researcher profiles of the supervisors () for this position to learn more about their research.

About UBC

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC's entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

Doctoral studies at UBC Vancouver

UBC is a public university with a comprehensive program offering - covering all major academic disciplines and degree levels, with both research- and course-based program options. More than 50,000 students attend UBC Vancouver. As a PhD student at UBC Vancouver you'll be part of a diverse community of over 3,600 doctoral scholars at an institution that recognises and rewards the significant contributions of doctoral research. UBC is at the forefront of responding to and building on the extraordinary changes happening in our societies and our world, through reimagining approaches to research graduate education and exploring flexible methodologies for learners to develop needed expertise. UBC's Public Scholars Initiative [ www.grad.ubc.ca/psi ] for example is a pioneering program designed to encourage and support doctoral students to reimagine the PhD, contribute to the public good, and with their doctoral work rise to the challenges that increasingly define our times.

At UBC, you will be supported with a range of professional development [ www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/professional-development ] workshops and services, and we'll partner with you to ensure you have a graduate game plan [ www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/professional-development/graduate-game-... ] for academic and professional success.

You are encouraged to review the awards and scholarship database [ www.grad.ubc.ca/scholarships-awards-funding/award-opportunities ] to determine funding opportunities for your doctoral degree. UBC Vancouver guarantees a minimum of CAD $22,000 of funding [ www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/minimum-funding-policy-phd-students ] to eligible students for your first four years of PhD study with many programs offering higher funding packages. Funding highly varies by program and will be commensurate with qualifications, experience and awards secured. Most international students benefit from the International Tuition Award [ www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/international-tuition-award ] and PhD students usually qualify for the President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award [ www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/presidents-academic-excellence-initiative-phd-award ].

About Vancouver

Vancouver is a dynamic, cosmopolitan and progressive city, consistently ranked as one of the top cities to live in the world. Canada's third largest city has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches, and four seasons per year, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow in the mountains. It's the perfect backdrop to your academic research.