Postdoc in marine climate change and algal biophysics!

Impact of Environmental Stress on Reef-Forming Marine Algae

Applicants are sought for an exciting 24-month interdisciplinary postdoctoral position, jointly hosted by the Umeå Marine Sciences Centre, the Department of Ecology & Environmental Science, the Department of Physics and IceLab, at Umeå University!

Marine photosynthesis supports almost all ocean life, especially in the coastal zone. The underwater environment is, therefore, of critical importance for ocean health. Unfortunately, climate change and human activity are causing significant environmental change. Marine heatwaves and coastal darkening are two important stress factors that have gained attention lately, however, their combined effects on coastal ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this project, the postdoctoral fellow will quantify the stress response of red coralline algae to heatwaves and darkening. These morphologically complex seaweeds create algae reefs worldwide but face extinction because of climate change and human pressures. The fellow will have the opportunity to investigate coralline algal physiology, using (1) ultrafast spectroscopy to quantify changes in energy transfer upon light excitation, and (2) single-cell spectroscopy to quantify cellular biochemistry, metabolism and calcification. Support and training will be provided as required, depending on the candidate’s incoming expertise. This unique multidisciplinary approach will significantly advance our understanding about the resilience of coralline algae to projected environmental change, with unprecedented insight into the mechanisms of response and the variability within individual organisms.

The fellow will work with Drs Heidi Burdett and Nicolò Maccaferri, and Prof. Magnus Andersson, with access to world-leading computational and experimental facilities for photosynthesis science, light-matter interaction modelling and experimental optics.

This postdoc opprotunity part of the IceLab Multidisciplinary Postdoctoral Program. The fellow will be housed in IceLab and hosted by the Department of Ecology & Environmental Science and the Department of Physics. More details on the job specification and the application process are available here, with an application deadline of 21 September 2023. Informal enquiries can be sent at any time to Heidi Burdett (heidi.burdett [at] umu.se).