Project Description

This project is part of the GreenControl programme which is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and 11 companies. This programme encompasses 7 PhD students appointed at the universities of Wageningen, Delft, Eindhoven and Twente. Within GreenControl, you will work in parallel with another PhD in the same group focusing on water related traits and colleagues across different disciplines, technology companies and growers, ensuring that your research results are directly usable in operational climate-control strategies.

As a PhD candidate, you will help shape the future of plant-centred climate control by developing approaches to monitor and interpret canopy-level photosynthesis using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and microclimate data. You will work with chlorophyll fluorescence imagers, leaf-level validation sensors, and multilayer photosynthesis models to quantify how microclimate gradients affect electron transport rate (ETR), photosynthetic efficiency, and yield.

Why This Scholarship Stands Out

This PhD is unique because it focuses on a cutting-edge technique: chlorophyll fluorescence imaging for monitoring photosynthesis at the canopy level. The GreenControl programme is a large-scale collaboration between four Dutch universities and 11 companies, meaning your research has direct industrial relevance. You will work with chlorophyll fluorescence imagers, leaf-level sensors, and multilayer photosynthesis models, gaining skills in imaging, data integration, and plant physiology. For a student interested in how plants convert light into energy, this is an opportunity to combine experimental plant physiology with quantitative modelling, working closely with technology providers and growers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Designing and executing greenhouse and vertical-farm experiments using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and supporting sensors
• Use and validate multilayer photosynthesis models that integrate ETR, absorbed light, CO₂, temperature and microclimate gradients
• Investigating short- and long-term regulatory processes, including acclimation of photosynthetic capacity
• Collaborating with technology providers, growers and researchers to integrate imaging-based insights into climate-control tools

Candidate Profile and Eligibility

My Application Strategy

1. Highlight your experience with photosynthesis measurements – Mention any work with gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, or photosynthetic rate measurements
2. Emphasize quantitative skills – Modelling, data analysis, or image processing experience is valuable
3. Show interest in controlled environment agriculture – Greenhouses and vertical farms are the application context
4. Demonstrate ability to work across disciplines – You will collaborate with engineers, growers, and technology providers
5. Keep application documents to max 3 pages total – CV and motivation letter combined. No grades or transcripts at this stage

What They Offer

Who Should Apply

This PhD is perfect for a student with a background in plant sciences, plant physiology, or environmental sciences who also enjoys working with imaging and data analysis. If you are interested in how plants convert light into energy through photosynthesis, and want to develop skills in chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, multilayer modelling, and climate control, this project offers training across experimental plant physiology and data science. Candidates with experience in modelling, data analysis, or image processing are especially encouraged. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys bridging the gap between experimental measurements and modelling frameworks.

Useful Links

• PhD Crop Canopy Transpiration Netherlands | Wageningen University
• PhD Forest Tree Genomics Sweden | SLU Umeå UPSC
• More PhD Positions