Type of Project: Internship/BSc or MSc Thesis
Starting date: from December 2024 onwards
Duration: minimum 5 months
Location: Wetsus – European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology (Leeuwarden, Netherlands)
Allowance: – The allowance for students is €200. The student can apply for ‘Wetsus Grant’ allowance (€200 extra; an internal committee decides if the allowance will be granted).
– Students can apply for Erasmus; (if the Erasmus grant is less than €400, the student can apply for the Wetsus Grant).
*The Wetsus Grant allowance is not guaranteed and must be approved by the Grant Committee.
Why is this important? Pesticide residues in agricultural soils pose significant risks to both environmental health and food safety. Microbial-mediated breakdown of pesticides is a natural solution that can mitigate these risks. However, the efficacy of microbial degradation depends on various soil parameters, many of which can be influenced by organic amendments (OAs). By understanding which parameters are most critical to enhancing this breakdown, we can improve soil management strategies, leading to safer, more sustainable agricultural practices.
What is our goal? The goal of this thesis is to identify soil parameters that are most critical to promoting pesticide degradation through microbial activity. Using this knowledge, we aim to guide the development and application of organic amendments that create optimal conditions for efficient pesticide breakdown. This will directly contribute to improving soil health and reducing environmental contamination in agricultural settings.
Internship Tasks:
You are:
We offer hands-on experience in environmental research, an international supportive learning environment, and the opportunity to contribute to solving a real-world environmental problem.
How to apply:
If interested, please submit your CV (max. 2 pages) with a motivational letter (max. 1 page) by using the form below. For more information do not hesitate to contact Marija Gadžimuradova (marija.gadzimuradova@wetsus.nl).