PhD Climate change & vector borne disease TU Delft & KNMI

The combination of water-rich landscapes, (exotic) mosquitoes, high numbers of (migrating) birds, international trade and travel and high population density makes the low-lying delta in the Netherlands vulnerable to future outbreaks of vector borne diseases.

In addition, climate change and climate change mitigation measures will likely result in changing mosquito, reservoir host and virus ecology. Rapid sea level rise is a threat resulting from climatic change threat, which results in increasing salinization of coastal areas with large expected impacts on biodiversity and land use. Moreover, also subsequent water management changes are expected to affect mosquitoes and birds.

In this frontrunner project of thePandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center (PDPC)on Climate Change & Vector Borne Diseases, 3 PhD students will work with a large team of senior researchers across a range of disciplines including environmental sciences, epidemiology, ecology, virology, climate science, ornithology and veterinary sciences, to study the relation of climate change and salinization on vector borne diseases

In this position your focus will be on salinization of ground and surface water as function of climate, land use and water management changes; the most relevant factors affecting mosquito ecology.

You will work with a wide range of models to create consistent scenario’s in-line with the latest KNMI climate scenario’s, answering how global climate change along with regional changes in land use and water management will impact the local climate change in the Dutch Delta, with detailed information on especially salinization.

You will work closely with two other PhD students in this project, who will focus on mosquito ecology (LU; WUR) and on transmission of viruses from migrating birds to urban areas (EMC, UvA)