Environmental Change

A fully funded PhD (DPhil) position is available at the University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute (ECI), within the School of Geography and the Environment, starting April 2026. The project, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, focuses on AI, remote sensing, and forest resilience to climate, with a particular emphasis on public health implications. The successful candidate will join the Biodiversity and Earth Observation (BioEO) group and work under the supervision of Dr Jesús Aguirre Gutiérrez, with co-supervision from Dr Andre Acosta, Dr Milton Barbosa, and Dr Claudia Torres Codeço. The research will investigate how climate-driven stresses are reshaping forest functional strategies in the Amazon and how these changes intersect with public health and socio-economic vulnerability. The project integrates functional ecology, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, epidemiology, and socio-environmental modelling. Applicants should have a master's degree with distinction in a relevant field, strong quantitative and programming skills (R required, Python desirable), and experience with GIS/remote sensing and large datasets. The studentship covers university fees, a maintenance stipend at the standard UK doctoral rate for up to three years, and supports research, travel, and fieldwork costs. The application deadline is 7 November 2025. Applications must be submitted through the University of Oxford’s online system for the DPhil in Geography and the Environment, with Dr Jesús Aguirre Gutiérrez as the proposed supervisor and reference code '26SOGE01'. For more information, contact the supervisory team or visit the project and university websites.