The University of Groningen (https://www.rug.nl/) offers a 4-year M20 Program (https://uef.nl/en/projects/m20-en) funded PhD position for a project to develop a “sustainable seascape heritage science and policy program in the Afsluitdijk Area of the Netherlands”. The project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Groningen Institute of Archaeology of the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Spatial Sciences and GELIFES of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The project is supervised by Canan Çakirlar, Laura Govers, Daniella Vos, Federica Marulo, and Willemien de Kock as part of the Environmental Heritage Research Group of the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development (RAS - https://www.rug.nl/rudolf-agricola-school/research/sustainable-landscapes-and-regions/environmental-heritage-research-group?lang=en).
The Dutch government transformed the dynamic Zuiderzee into a controlled freshwater lake, erasing intertidal landscapes and island cultures through top-down engineering in the early 20th century. Today, with climate change demanding difficult choices, there is an urgent need for inclusive, bottom-up dialogues that respect local voices and ecosystems, and work towards interconnected futures of all communities, human and non-human. The PhD candidate will study the impact of the Afsluitdijk on the ‘natural’ sea ecosystem of the Zuiderzee, as well as the landscape and sustainability perceptions of largely disconnected stakeholder communities, including scientists and local fisherpeople. The former will be achieved through a biomolecular-archaeological analysis, and the latter will be examined through archival research and interviews. The tension in between the reconstructed human and more-than-human experiences will be spatially and temporally analysed through an interactive map co-created by governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.
The candidate will participate in PhD/i - learning community for interfaculty PhDs (https://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/during/phd-i/phd-i?lang=en).
Tasks and responsibilities:
Carry out original interdisciplinary research combining fields of marine (historical) ecology, heritage, and spatial policy design in consultation with the supervisors.
Write and submit a PhD consisting of 2 co-authored peer-reviewed articles, an annotated digital interactive map, and a science-based policy document within the period of the 4-year appointment.
Present preliminary research results at scientific workshops and conferences.
Organise at least 2 collaborative knowledge dissemination activities with the academic community, NGOs, policy makers and other stakeholders.
Teach courses at bachelor’s and/or assist at Master’s level.
The University of Groningen
Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 33,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.