An Ocean on Edge: how freshwater forcing modulates the strength and stability of Atlantic Overturning Circulation

Are you passionate about climate research and keen to tackle one of the greatest climate challenges of today, the impact of ice melt on ocean circulation? Do you want to develop advanced research and technical skills including numerical modelling and analytical work to prepare for a wide range of future careers? One full scholarship is available to UK applicants for PhD study in the School of Earth and Environment, covering fees, research expenses and a maintenance stipend for 3 ½ years of study commencing in October 2026. <br /> <br /> The North Atlantic is approaching a climatic crossroads. Future melting of Greenland and shifts in storm tracks may drastically reshape the freshwater balance of the subpolar North Atlantic—a region critical for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the vast ocean engine that transports tropical heat to northern latitudes. Climate model experiments show that AMOC weakens when large fluxes of freshwater are added to the subpolar North Atlantic. This is a concern because a disruption to AMOC would cause massive upheaval in European and global climate, disrupting weather systems and driving climate extremes. The risk is underscored by evidence from ocean sediment cores of past episodes of rapid and severe AMOC weakening. Yet, large uncertainties remain regarding the likelihood of AMOC collapse; under what circumstances is it triggered, and what allows AMOC recovery? <br /> <br /> This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to address these uncertainties by examining the role of freshwater in dramatic AMOC weakening during past climates like today, focusing on the most recent episode, the so called '8.2 ka event’. The successful candidate will join our research teams at the University of Leeds and ETH Zurich to work at the frontier between coupled climate model simulations and emerging decadally resolved stalagmite records of past climate change.

<p>To better understand the influence of freshwater on the AMOC and how this freshwater could be detected in proxy records from various regions, the project will produce new simulations testing the climatic impact of freshwater addition to the North Atlantic. Guided by state-of-the-art ice sheet modelling, the new climate simulations will aim to characterise the sensitivity of AMOC to changes in Northern Hemisphere ice sheet melting, reveal the processes driving AMOC collapse and allowing for its eventual recovery, and map the climatic footprint of the event. Conservative tracers and oxygen isotope tagging of water will be used in concert with other simulated climate variables to rigorously decode the geochemical signature in cave (stalagmite) records from around the North Atlantic region, allowing translation between the geologic archives of climate change, model output and process understanding. This will advance our understanding of how stalagmite-derived climate records can be compared more directly with the ensemble of simulated tracers to constrain the range of plausible freshwater-AMOC interactions observed during real episodes of AMOC collapse. </p> <p>To facilitate this research project at the frontier of modelling and proxy interpretation, the PhD student will complete several research stays at the ETH Zurich, where the proxy records will be compiled and refined.  </p> <p>Applicant profile: The project would suit students from Physics, Mathematics, Oceanography, Meteorology, Climate Sciences, Natural Sciences, Earth/Environmental/Geographical Sciences. Experience in computer programming (e.g., Python, Fortran, C++, MATLAB, R…) or numerical modelling is highly desirable.</p> <h2> </h2> <h2><strong>Selection Process </strong></h2> <ul> <li> All applications will be considered after the deadline. Only complete applications will be considered.</li> <li>Interviews: 6th March 2026 </li> <li>The final list of awards are based on academic merit and no other factors such as financial hardship are taken into account.</li> <li>Applicants will be e-mailed within two weeks of the deadline to confirm the outcome of their application.</li> </ul> <h2><strong>Eligibility Criteria </strong></h2> <ul> <li>Applicants must be eligible to pay fees at the Home (UK) rate.</li> </ul> <p><em>If you are unsure whether you are eligible for UK fees/funding, please see our <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/undergraduate-fees/doc/fee-assessment">fee assessment page</a></em></p> <h2><strong>Other Conditions </strong></h2> <ul> <li> <p>Candidates who have previously been awarded a PhD or are currently registered on a PhD are excluded from applying. Those who were previously studying for a PhD but did not complete may be considered.  </p> </li> <li> <p>Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2026.</p> </li> <li> <p>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship, with the exception of research time spent at ETH Zurich and other shorter periods of research travel.<br />  </p> </li> </ul>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. </p> <p>•    For ‘Application type’ please select ‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’. <br /> •    The admission year for this project is 2026/2027 Academic Year. <br /> •    You will need to select your ‘Planned Course of Study’ from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select ‘PhD Earth and Environment Full-time’  . <br /> •    The project start date for this project is 1st October 2026, please use this as your Proposed Start Date of Research. <br /> •    Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is<strong> ‘An Ocean on Edge: how freshwater forcing modulates the strength and stability of Atlantic Overturning Circulation’ as well as <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/1347/dr-ruza-ivanovic">Dr Ruza Ivanovic</a> as your proposed supervisor.</strong></p> <p>More information on how to apply is available on our website<a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees"> here.</a> You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project.</p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).<br />  </p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

The minimum entry requirements for PhD study is a 2.1 honours Bachelor degree, or equivalent, in a subject relating to your proposed area of research, or a good performance in a Master’s level course in a relevant subject. A first class honours degree (or equivalent) is usually required to be competitive for scholarship funding and a Master's degree is also a valuable asset. <br /> <br /> Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or PGR Admissions Team prior to making an application.<br />

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>We are offering a fully funded scholarship to study the project  <strong>'An Ocean on Edge: how freshwater forcing modulates the strength and stability of Atlantic Overturning Circulation’</strong>, at the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds for one UK status candidate. The funding covers UK tuition fees as well as a UKRI matched maintenance stipend (currently £20,780 in 2025/26) per year, for three and a half years, subject to satisfactory progress. The scholarship will also include funding contributions towards reseach costs, consumables and training. <br />  </p>

<p>For further information please contact the lead supervisor <a href="mailto:https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/1347/dr-ruza-ivanovic">r.ivanovic@leeds.ac.uk</a> or the Admissions team <a href="mailto:ENV-PGR@leeds.ac.uk">ENV-PGR@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>