About the Department

The Department of Environmental Science is one of the biggest departments at the Faculty of Science. The department consists of four units with more than 170 researchers, teachers, doctoral students and technical/administrative staff from over 30 countries.

Research and teaching focuses on chemical contaminants, atmospheric science, biogeochemistry and (eco)toxicology.

Project Description

This PhD thesis project will be conducted within the Swedish Space Research School (SSRS), with funding from the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA).

Planetary Protection regulations promulgated by the Committee on Space Research set limits for microbial contamination of celestial bodies, particularly those that may harbor extant life (e.g., Mars). This project aims to develop an exposure-based approach to define "safe" chemicals and materials for use on Mars and other celestial bodies.

The research will involve adapting chemical and material exposure assessment models developed for Earth's environment to the Martian environment and scenario-based modelling to analyse alternative societal and policy development options for space exploration and colonization.

Qualification Requirements

General and specific entry requirements for doctoral studies in Environmental Science must be met, including a second-cycle degree or equivalent and at least 45 second-cycle credits in natural sciences with a 30-credit thesis project.