Folkert Boersma

This postdoctoral project focuses on satellite-based monitoring of shipping emissions , with the goal of detecting and quantifying emissions from individual ships using observations from space. The research sits at the interface of satellite remote sensing , atmospheric chemistry , atmospheric modelling , and inverse methods , and is aimed at improving how ship plumes can be identified and translated into quantitative emission estimates. At Wageningen University & Research, you will work within the Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) group , an interdisciplinary environment that combines atmospheric composition, meteorology, modelling, Earth observation, and data analysis. The project builds on an existing Wageningen framework that brings together satellite NO₂ observations , AIS-based ship activity , meteorological information, and atmospheric modelling to identify ship plumes and estimate NOₓ emissions . Your research will involve developing improved plume-detection and interpretation methods for satellite observations, including plume-specific air mass factors and NO₂ profiles; combining satellite, AIS, meteorological, and bottom-up emission data to attribute plumes to individual vessels; examining how plume detectability changes under different wind, boundary-layer, background pollution, turbulence, and photochemical conditions; and applying inverse and data-driven approaches to estimate ship emissions and separate ship-related pollution from other sources. You will also help scale the work to large satellite and AIS datasets, contributing to automated workflows and a database of space-based ship-emission estimates. The position offers room to shape the balance of tasks according to your expertise and interests, while contributing to the AVES II and CAMS2_53c projects and publishing results in international scientific journals. The role is supervised by Prof. Folkert Boersma and Prof. Maarten Krol and is embedded in a collaborative, international research setting with academic, governmental, and other project partners.

A new PhD position is available in the group of Associate Professor Folkert Boersma at Wageningen University & Research, starting in 2026. The research will focus on wildfires, utilizing satellite instruments and remote sensing to address urgent questions about environmental change. The project is ideal for candidates passionate about environmental science and earth observation. Details about the application process are available via the provided link. The university is located in the Netherlands and is known for its strong research in environmental and earth sciences. No specific funding or eligibility details are mentioned in the post. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply and share the opportunity with others.