PhD position on radar detection of logging in tropical forests

Are you passionate about the reducing illegal timber trade from tropical forests? Do you aspire developing scientific tools to curb illegal trade? Then this PhD position could be a good fit for you! We are looking for a bright and highly qualified team player in this applied research project.

The illegal trade in tropical timber is a major environmental problem. New international legislation aimed at curbing this trade requires independent techniques to verify timber origin. In this NWO-funded research project we develop these tools.

We have two PhD vacancies: this PhD focuses on radar remote sensing to detect logging activities; the other PhD analyses timber forensic data with geostatistical tools to verify timber origin. You can apply only to one of the positions.

You will use novel satellite radar techniques to detect logging activity and logging intensity across pantropical forests. These will then be applied to verify claimed locations of timber origin. Your results are used to develop a publicly accessible dashboard to validate the claimed timber origin. Authorities, timber industry and NGOs are members of the project’s user committee. In addition, the project involves international partners in Central Africa, South-East Asia, and South and North America.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Process and analyse novel satellite radar data
• Develop and test remote-sensing methods to detect logging occurrence and impact
• Lead analyses and writing of multi-authored scientific publications, culminating in a PhD thesis
• Collaborate with international partners and members of the user committee
• Provide your data and results for the timber verification dashboard

Your team
You will work at Wageningen University, with possible trips to visit international collaborators and conferences. No fieldwork is foreseen. The research is embedded within the Forest Ecology and Forest Management group and the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing. You will be part of the Timtrace team, consisting of 2 PhD candidates, a post-doc and your supervisors. You are supervised by prof. dr. Pieter Zuidema and dr. Johannes Reiche (PhD1)