Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences: PhD Projects 101

What harm can microplastics cause to human health and can they get into our food? Joanna Jesionkowska, a research student at The Open University, looks into this here.

PhD student, Stacy Phillips, explains how researching granites in Eastern Bhutan can give clues about the evolution of the Himalayan mountain belt. 

Meadows are not just about wildflowers, they’re also about hay as an agricultural crop. But they don’t make it like they used to. PhD student, Vicky Bowskill, explains how researching seasonal changes in the nutritional content of hay can help conserve the UK's precious species-rich floodplain meadows.

How can fossil fish teeth allow us to understand past deep ocean circulation? PhD student, Sophie Alexander, explains...

Researching the Indian summer monsoon can allow us to develop a better understanding of our changing climate says PhD student, Katrina Nilsson-Kerr.

We know that microplastics have found their way into our food chain. Understanding the sources of microplastics, their journey to our plates, and what we can do to reduce the risks is essential for tackling this pressing issue.

Less than 10% of the ∼1500 active subaerial volcanoes around the world are monitored with appropriate frequency says PhD student, Nikola Rogic.

Carbon isotopes found in deep water fossils offer an insight into deep ocean circulation says PhD student, Andrew McIntyre. 

Within the comfort of my office and a computer model, Andreas Wernecke explains his research at The Open University.

Eleni Wood explains how the science of 'geochronology' can be used to effectively analyse the history of a mountain range.

By understanding the ways in which minerals combine to form rocks like the way words link to form sentences, we can start to unravel the secrets of the earth. 

In this free course, Moons of our Solar System, explore the many moons of our Solar System. Find out what makes them special. Should we send humans to our Moon again?

This free course, Galaxies, stars and planets, is a general introduction, including scale of the universe from the very large to the very small; orbits and gravity; the Solar System; the Sun and other stars; galaxies and the composition of astronomical objects.

This free course shows you how to navigate the night sky, and introduces the wide variety of objects it contains. You will develop a hands-on understanding of telescopic observations using the Open University’s own robotic telescope facility COAST sited on the island of Tenerife. Supported by your own measurements we illustrate how stars...