PhD position - Towards a better representation of snow in the boreal forest within the SVS2-Crocus model
Description
If the forest were an isotropic environment, as many models assume, forecasting spring floods would be much easier. However, the forest is a mosaic of closed-canopy zones and gaps of various sizes. This complex structure has multiple hydrological repercussions during the winter months. For instance, it modulates snow accumulation on the ground, which is greater in the gaps than under the canopy due to interception. It also controls the drivers of snowmelt, which vary considerably across the landscape, as well as the ground's thermal regime and infiltration capacity. In SVS2-Crocus, the model being developed for the next version of Environment and Climate Change Canada's hydrometeorological forecasting platform, the canopy is described as a homogeneous medium. This prevents the model from capturing the heterogeneous nature of the snow on the ground.
The aim of this PhD project is to improve the representation of interactions between snow and boreal forests within the SVS2-Crocus model by including the effects of canopy heterogeneity (i.e. the presence of gaps and areas of closed canopy) on the snowpack. The first phase of this project will be based on field work. This will involve detailed monitoring of snow stratigraphy in the boreal forest, building upon our team's existing experimental set-ups at two sites in the Canadian boreal forest. The candidate will then gain familiarity with the high-resolution forest snow model, FSMCRO, by comparing model outputs with observations. Based on FSMCRO, SVS2-Crocus will be simplified to account for heterogeneous canopies. These new implementations will then be tested against our observations and on a larger scale in different boreal forest biomes.
Research Field
- Snow
- Boreal forest
- Field work
- Climate change
- Modeling
- Hydrometeorology
- Cryosphere
- Northern studies
- Cold regions hydrology
Research Supervisors
Daniel Nadeau
Giulia Mazzotti
Research Environment
Departement of Civil and Water Engineering
Université Laval (UL) is the oldest French-speaking university in North America. It is home to some 47,000 students in 17 faculties, 60 departments and schools, and nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate programs in all fields of knowledge. Université Laval offers strong graduate programs in northern research. Although it is a French-speaking university, it is very common to complete graduate studies in English.
Web Site
Financial Aid Available by Program of Study
Doctorate in Water Engineering
Program descriptionFinancial Aid Available*
Financial Aid Related to Research Project
$30000 per year for 4 years.
Funding of 30,000 CAD/year available for 4 years, plus a supplement of 3,000 CAD/year from Université Laval's Faculty of Science and Engineering and teaching assistant contracts. Possible start dates: September 2025 or January 2026. The student will be supervised by Professor Daniel Nadeau (Université Laval) and co-supervised by researcher Giulia Mazzotti (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement – Grenoble).
Program-Specific Financial Aid
Graduate Studies Awards
| Milestone |
Amount |
Progression scholarship 1 - 7
|
7 x $1,600 |
| Progression scholarship 8 |
$800 |
| Total |
$12,000 |
Université Laval: Student Financial Aid
Supplemental Tuition Fee Exemption Scholarship Program: Entitles international students to pay Canadian student tuition fees, for overall savings of around $49,000.
* Amounts shown represent maximum financial aid available. Certain conditions apply. Subject to change without prior notice. For further information, contact sponsoring organizations directly.
Desired Profile
- Forestry, Geography and Geomatics
- Science and environment
- Engineering
- Civil and Water Engineering
- Geography
- Water Engineering
Requirements and Conditions
- MSc degree in engineering, physics, environmental sciences or geography
- Desirable: experience in data analysis, modeling and/or field work
- Motivation, teamwork and communication skills
- Programming experience (Python, R, Matlab or equivalent)
Required Documentation
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitæ
- Student transcript
Please email Prof. Daniel Nadeau (daniel.nadeau@gci.ulaval.ca) and Dr. Giulia Mazzotti (giulia.mazzotti@inrae.fr) with your CV, a short cover letter, examples of previous research (M.Sc. thesis or published articles), and the names of two references.
Find Out More
Daniel Nadeau
Professeur titulaire
Département de génie civil et de génie des eaux
daniel.nadeau@gci.ulaval.ca