Examples of PhD projects available

An overview

There will be several PhD positions open for application with a deadline of November 1, 2024. For details of the application procedure see this page. The positions are available in all the research areas in which the Observatory is active. This page will give a broad overview of possible research projects . However, research in different areas is possible and not all projects that might be offered are listed. The faculty research interests provides more background information.

  • Detecting planet formation in the youngest protoplanetary disks
    Supervisor: Melissa McClure
    Description: Planet formation occurs in short-lived protoplanetary disks of dust and gas around young stars. The final stage of gas giant formation can be studied directly in mature disks (e.g. PDS 70b/c), but at the earliest stages (<1 Myr) disks are still embedded in the their natal envelope and difficult to detect. JWST enables detailed observations of the inner regions of these young disks for the first time. The student will model data from several Cycle 1-3 programs to study where and when planets can form at this young age.
    Note: This PhD position will be offered contingent on a pending funding grant that will be known by late October.

  • Resolving stellar populations in distant massive galaxies with the JWST
    Supervisor: Mariska Kriek
    Description: In recent years, it has become apparent that massive galaxies formed and evolved much faster than predicted by theoretical models, with many already mature when the Universe was only a fraction of its current age. However, we still have a limited understanding of how these galaxies formed so quickly, why many of them had already ended their star-forming phase, and how they evolved into the massive galaxies we see in the present-day Universe. A PhD position is available in the group of Prof. Kriek to work on the stellar populations of massive galaxies over cosmic time, using novel Cycle 3 observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. The PhD candidate will work with both ultradeep spectroscopic and photometric data to derive spatially resolved stellar populations. For this analysis, we will develop new forward-modeling routines to analyze these datasets simultaneously. The resulting stellar population maps and stellar mass distributions will provide novel insights into the star-forming, transitional, and quiescent phases of massive galaxies.

  • Into the unknown - Discovering the stars and exoplanets emitting at low-frequencies
    Supervisor: Joseph Callingham
    Description: In this project, you redefine our understanding of radio stars and exoplanets via the development and application cutting-edge interferometric techniques to produce the deepest and most detailed radio surveys ever conducted. You will become a world expert in radio interferometry, working with the lowest frequency data to uncover radio-bright stellar systems, including potential exoplanets, and contribute to discoveries in sub-stellar object magnetism. With priority access to key LOFAR surveys and the opportunity to lead follow-up observations with top-tier telescopes, you'll be at the forefront of characterizing the low-frequency sky. This project will position you as a leader in a new and rapiding developing area of astrophysics, equipping you with vital skills for the upcoming Square Kilometer Array (SKA) era. Experience with radio astronomy would be valuable (but not a requirement).
    Note: This project is jointly administered by Leiden Observatory and ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy. The successful candidate will be expected to spend at least 2 days a week at the headquarters of ASTRON in Dwingeloo. Such a combination will allow the candidate to experience how a research institute and observatory are operated. Teaching assistant loads will be adjusted accordingly.

  • Hunting for the beat - Detecting periodicity from star-planet interactions
    Supervisor: Joseph Callingham
    Description: Recently, we have discovered stars emitting at the lowest radio frequencies with the radio telescope LOFAR. However, we are not certain what is exactly producing this emission. It is unclear if the emission is stellar in origin or, potentially, produced due to the presence of a close-in exoplanet. Your research will focus on searching for periodic signals from quiescent stellar systems - the expected signpost of a star-planet interaction. With access to hundred of hours of pre-approved LOFAR observation time, you'll be well-equipped to make revolutionary discoveries. This project not only offers the chance to become a world leader in low-frequency stellar system research but also position you with skills that will be valuable in the upcoming Square Kilometer Array (SKA) era. Experience with radio astronomy, exoplanet, or stellar science would be valuable (but not a requirement).
    Note: This project is jointly administered by Leiden Observatory and ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy. The successful candidate will be expected to spend at least 2 days a week at the headquarters of ASTRON in Dwingeloo. Such a combination will allow the candidate to experience how a research institute and observatory are operated. Teaching assistant loads will be adjusted accordingly.

  • Pushing the next generation of astronomical instruments towards the fundamental limit with meta-materials
    Supervisor: Sebastiaan Haffert
    Description: The era of the 39-meter European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will offer unprecedented sensitivity and spatial resolution, enabling new discoveries in all areas of astronomy and astrophysics. Among its top priorities is the discovery and characterization of Earth-like planets that could have climates like ours and where life could form and evolve - potentially answering one of the oldest questions of humankind; are we alone? Realizing such a grand goal will only be possible if we invent and implement new technologies to fulfill the ultimate potential of the ELT. Since the ELT observes through Earth?s atmosphere, severely degrading its performance, Adaptive Optics (AO) is required to compensate for atmospheric turbulence. Leveraging metamaterials, an exciting new class of optical components, we will push AO systems to their theoretical limits, facilitating the characterization of Earth-like planets. Optical metasurfaces, constructed with nanoscale structures using advanced lithographic techniques, provide unparalleled manipulation of their optical characteristics. This capability allows them to surpass previous limitations in the design of adaptive optics (AO) components. In this project the applicant will work together with Dr. Sebastiaan Haffert to develop optical meta-material components for the Extremely Large Telescope. The new technology will be tested on-sky at world-leading observatories to demonstrate their potential for the ELT.
    Note: this position is contingent on the availability of funding.

  • Detection of high-energy neutrinos from tidal disruption events with the KM3NeT telescope
    Supervisor: Sjoert van Velzen
    Description: The origin of high-energy neutrinos is unknown. Uncovering potential sources is important because neutrinos provide unique information about the processes of particle acceleration under extreme conditions. Using data from the IceCube telescope, we have recently obtained evidence that stellar tidal disruption events could produce a significant fraction of the detected high-energy neutrino flux. In this project we are going to test this hypothesis using data from a new neutrino telescope: KM3NeT. This telescope is under construction, but already operational and thanks to its excellent angular resolution, it can match IceCube in sensitivity for multi-messenger searches. The PhD candidate will be working closely with KM3NeT group at NIKHEF. The candidate will help with efforts to calibrate the detector, in particular the sky localization algorithms. At the end of the project, we will be able to test the connection between high-energy neutrinos and tidal disruption events with a new neutrino dataset. Candidates with a background in (experimental) astroparticle physics are preferred, but all candidates will be considered.


  • Stars tidally disrupted by supermassive black holes
    Supervisor: Elena Maria Rossi
    Description: Prof. Elena Maria Rossi advertises a project on numerical and theoretical studies of stars tidally disrupted by supermassive black holes (called Tidal Disruption Events, TDEs) at the centre of galaxies. The ultimate goal is to realise the potential of TDEs to signpost quiescent supermassive black holes and measure their masses and spin, essential clues to their (still unknown) formation and highly debated co-evolution with their host-galaxy. The student will work with state of the art simulations and theoretical tools to predict lightcurves and spectra of TDEs in an unprecedented large range of black hole masses and other parameters. The student will also develop a formaward model that given a scenario for supermassive black holes formation in the early universe, predicts the TDE rate as a function of black hole mass in the local universe and assess the prospect to use current and future TDE survey data to reveal the origin of supermassive black holes.
    The student will be embedded with a group formed by two other PhD students and a post-doc. This position is funded by an NWO, VICI grant