Funded PhD scholarship opportunities at the University of Bari, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali.
The PhD is funded by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (the Italian Space Agency), and the title of the project is "The astrobiological potential of authigenic clays from hypersaline environments".

The deadline for applications is the 22nd of July 2024.
 
The call document can be found here: https://www.uniba.it/en/phd-courses/phd-1/40th-cycle/call-phd-selection-a-y-2024-2025/xl-ciclo?set_language=en

Below is an outline of the research activities and the qualifications required. Please do not hesitate to contact me in case you need more details.
 

This project is focused on the mineralogical and geomicrobiological characterization of authigenic clay minerals from hypersaline lakes for the assessment of Mars present and past habitability. The candidate will focus on the mechanisms that form these minerals in the Makgadikgadi Basin of Botswana and their potential of preserving, and even fostering, microbial life. Field campaign and preliminary sedimentological analysis will be performed at the partner institution in Botswana. Further mineralogical and organic matter characterization will be performed using Raman spectrometry, IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Microbial communities, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic components, will be investigated by metagenomics, to extend our knowledge in the adaptation of microorganisms to an extreme environment. Candidates should have a strong background in geology and possibly a basic knowledge in one or all the analytical techniques outlined above.