PhD Fellowship opportunity funded by the Wits–CNRS PhD Joint Program 2026: Physico-chemical and radiatives properties of mineral dust from emerging sources in Southern Africa
Biogeosciences (BG)
Climate: Past, Present & Future (CL)
We invite applications for a PhD Fellowship on a research project investigating the emerging role of anthropogenic dust in the Southern African climate system. This interdisciplinary collaborative project between the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand aims to strengthen international relations and promote knowledge exchange towards addressing pressing global challenges.
Project Overview
Mineral dust from aeolian erosion of bare dry soils is a key component of the Earth’s system, affecting climate by interacting with radiation, clouds, and ecosystems. Because of changes in land use and climate, new mineral dust emission sources are emerging, with little to no knowledge about their intensity and properties. This PhD aims to evaluate the climate-relevant properties of new and emerging dust in the regional context of Southern Africa, where rapid climate change and anthropogenic pressures are significant. The PhD is based on laboratory experiments using an existing collection of topsoil samples and established experimental procedures at LISA/CNRS. Soils will be used to generate airborne dust aerosols, ensuring direct comparability between the parent soil materials and the emitted dust fractions. Extensive chemical analysis of both the parent soils and the laboratory-generated aerosols will be conducted using the analytical platforms available at LISA/CNRS, with the objectives of (i) determining the chemical and mineralogical composition, particularly the compounds responsible for light absorption and hygroscopicity, as well as specific chemical tracers for source attribution; (ii) evaluating predictive relationships of changes in composition occurring during emission and transport; (iii) confronting results with satellite observations and existing model parametrisations. The PhD findings are expected to improve the assessment of the climate impacts of dust aerosols in the present and future climate of Southern Africa.
Candidate Profile
We seek applicants with: *
- Strong background in atmospheric chemistry and physics *
- Familiarity with analytical chemistry *
- Experience with quantitative data analysis *
- Programming skills are an asset, but candidates are expected to acquire them *
- Good knowledge of spoken and written English
The student will be supervised by Dr Clarissa Baldo and Dr Paola Formenti. The full-time PhD position will be based in Créteil, France, but the candidate will also be required to travel to the WITS Institute in South Africa as part of the joint programme. External collaborations with the Free University of Bruxelles, the IPGP in France, and JAMSTEC in Japan are envisaged.
Funding & Duration
The PhD position is funded for 3 years starting from 1 October 2026.
Here is the link to the job offer published on the LISA/CNRS website.
Applicants should submit a single PDF including a cover letter, CV, contact details of two referees, and academic transcripts to Dr Clarissa Baldo and Dr Paola Formenti at the following addresses: clarissa.baldo@lisa.ipsl.fr; paola.formenti@lisa.ipsl.fr
Application Deadline
We will begin considering applications immediately and aim to appoint the candidate by 01 Juin 2026. Applications will, however, continue to be accepted until a suitable candidate has been identified.