2026 Internship Opportunities

Vegetation phenology, which refers to the study of cyclic and seasonal vegetation events and their relationship with climate, is essential for understanding the behaviour of terrestrial ecosystems and their connection to broader processes and variability within the climate system. Changes in vegetation phenology can have a significant impact on the exchange of carbon, water, and energy between the land surface and the atmosphere, thereby influencing surface conditions, ecosystem function, and climate feedbacks. At the same time, soil temperature and moisture conditions are among the key drivers of plant phenology, meaning that accurately representing these variables is critical for the correct modelling of vegetation dynamics. However, these processes are complex to model, and as a result, phenological changes and their interactions with land-atmosphere processes are often poorly represented in Earth System Models. For instance, Land Surface Models used in the latest phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (i.e. CMIP6) generally produce a delayed vegetative active season, mainly characterised by a delayed start and peak of the growing season, as well as a poor ability to capture the length of the growing season. The availability of new satellite data and products provides an opportunity to improve our understanding and representation of soil-vegetation-atmosphere processes, which are often underrepresented in models. Such data can foster improvements in Earth System Models by enhancing the representation of soil hydraulics and, in turn, vegetation phenology. Developments in the representation of vegetation spatial and temporal evolutions may impact the representation of the interactions between soil, vegetation, and atmosphere.

The student will investigate the influence of a set of soil hydraulic, vegetation, and atmosphere conditions on the main vegetation phenophases in existing simulations. The student will also explore the projected evolution of the principal vegetation phenology timings during the 21st century.

The student needs a preliminary knowledge of data analysis techniques. During the internship, the student will improve the ability to analyze climate model outputs using state-of-the-art climate data analysis tools. The student will also explore the configuration, representation of land surface processes, and infrastructure of a state-of-the-art Earth system model.

Physics, environmental science

Basic knowledge of data analysis techniques and computer languages (e.g. python, C, C++, Fortran)

The student must bring a laptop

• Prior reading articles and preliminary research on handling CMIP6-like climate data (i.e. netcdf format) are suggested in preparation of this internship.
• Student(s) are responsible for securing accommodations for the duration of the internship.
• Students will need to consult UHS for travel medical requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of entry requirements and to obtain any necessary documentation. Valid passport required. Students are required to register their travel with the University through Enroll My Trip. Information related to the University’s Permissible Travel Guidelines can be found here. Funding is contingent on travel registration and University approval.