Lead Supervisor: Christian Dunn (c.dunn@bangor.ac.uk)
2nd Supervisor: Angus Garbutt (ag@ceh.ac.uk)
Associate Partner: Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (https://www.wwt.org.uk)
Project Description
Nutrient pollution of the UK’s coasts is a growing environmental and economic issue – detrimentally affecting habitats, wildlife and livelihoods. This project will calculate the full potential of saltmarshes as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) harnessing theory biogeochemical processes to remove excess nitrogen from water, in both existing and newly created saltmarsh ecosystems. Additionally, this project will provide analysis of the policy and legislative opportunities, and barriers, for delivery of coastal restoration projects aiming to reduce nutrient pollution.
There is no doubt that this project will have real-world impact, leading to nutrient neutrality mitigation payment schemes enabling the restoration and creation of internationally important wildlife habitats: saltmarshes
Aims and Objectives
Although it is known that saltmarshes sequester nitrogen through sediment burial and remove it by denitrification, the full extent of these processes have not yet been fully studied. Our project will rectify this by 1) providing evidence grade data of current nitrogen removal rates of saltmarshes 2) calculating maximum removal rates and 3) analysing the potential newly created saltmarshes have for nitrogen removal. The latter will consist of looking at two different creation techniques: traditional management realignment and a novel “drag box” method using dredged material (Figure 1). Finally, a policy framework for the delivery of coastal restoration projects for nitrogen removal will be prepared.
Project structure
Not only will the successful candidate have access to a range of supporting facilities, equipment and technical advice (including use of, and training in wetland biogeochemistry, saltmarsh ecology, landscape management and habitat creation practises, and policy frameworks), they will be supervised by scientists at Bangor University, UKCEH and WWT with the combined expertise and experience to ensure project delivery. In addition, we will work closely with all of our Associate Partners throughout to ensure the project is informed by, and delivers, relevant evidence grade data and a policy framework suitable for use by policy makers and practitioners.
The project will be supervised by Christian Dunn at Bangor University, Angus Garbutt at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Olly van Biervliet Principal Research Officer at Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Tom Godfrey at Land & Water.
Information for Applicants
How to apply
Please find below the list of PhD projects which will start from October 2023. Please click on the reference code of the project you are interested in for more information and the contact details of the Lead Supervisor. You are encouraged to contact the Lead Supervisor (stated in the description of the project) prior to the submission of your application to discuss any aspect of the project/s you are interested in. This will be informal and will have no impact on any applications that follow, other than showing your interest and enthusiasm.
To submit your application, please send to cdt-summer@plymouth.ac.uk:
- A two-page curriculum vitae (CV) – please do not include personal information, such as your portrait photograph, age, marital status or nationality on your CV.. Let us know your education history from undergraduate, work experience, employment, research and publications and any other experience you consider relevant for the project. (Do contact the team at CDT SuMMeR if you have queries (CDT-SuMMeR-PGRS@plymouth.ac.uk);
- A personal statement/covering letter (no longer than 1000 words) which explains why you consider yourself to be a suitable candidate for the PhD Project advertised, what qualifications, experience and skills you have that support your application, and what your aspirations are following on completion of this PhD. Our team is strongly committed to upholding equity, diversity, and inclusion. We expect candidates to uphold these same values and contribute to a positive, safe and inclusive environment. We invite candidates to include a statement about their experience of working across disciplines, cultures, countries or groups in their cover letter. Please ensure you state the PhD Project Reference Code for which you are applying for, on your personal statement/covering letter;
- Complete the Diversity survey at the following link: CDT SuMMeR EDI Survey Please note this is for monitoring purposes only and is not linked to your application. The raw data is being collected independently of the CDT SuMMeR Programme Office by SERIO and is being collected because we want to check how well we are improving our recruitment processes year-on-year. We want to make sure we attract the best talent by recruiting candidates from many diverse backgrounds and experiences. Only the anonymised and aggregated data will be made available to the CDT SuMMeR programme office.
- Optional: SuMMeR appreciates and values differences and seeks to attract, develop and retain a diverse mix of talented people that will contribute to and benefit from the CDT. If you wish to do so, please provide any contextual information that is relevant to your prior attainment and/or your educational pathway to this point. For example, if you are returning to the education system after a period of prolonged absence, you may, if you wish, list any relevant professional experience/qualifications that you have gained. Or, if your prior attainment was affected by extenuating circumstances that you wish to share with us, please do so (up to 500 words).
The closing date for applications is 16:00 BST on 17th January 2023.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email and invited for interview, with interviews expected to take place from the week commencing the 6th of February 2023. We regret that we may not be able to respond to every applicant. Applicants who have not received a response by this date should consider their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Eligibility
Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree in an appropriate subject and either a relevant Masters qualification or a wider range of experience in a relevant career path (which is equally as important).
Each applicant may apply for a studentship on up to three projects. Where more than one project is applied for, the supervisors of all those projects will be made aware that other applications have been made
CDT SuMMeR studentships are partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which applies the eligibility criteria laid down by its parent body, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and co-funded by the respective Hosting Partner institutes. UKRI provides details on its training grants in its Terms and Conditions for Training Funding document, including its Training Grant Guide, which can be found on the UKRI website.
International students are eligible for all UKRI-funded postgraduate studentships but UKRI will normally limit the proportion of international students appointed each year through individual doctoral training programmes to 30% of the total.
The studentship is supported for 3 years and 8 months. All UKRI-funded PhD students (UK, EU, International) will be eligible for the full award – both the stipend to support living costs (currently £17,668 per annum pro rata at the 2022/23 rate), and fees at the research organisations’ UK rate. CDT SuMMeR’s funding will not cover international fees set by universities, applicants normally required to pay International fees may have to cover the difference between the Home and the International tuition fee rates (approximately £12,697 per annum).
Please enquire with the lead supervisor on the situation regarding international fees for the project you are interested in. CDT SuMMeR’s funding will not cover costs associated with visa application or health surcharges, or additional costs associated with entry to, and living in the UK. For EU and international eligibility for UKRI studentships see UKRI’s guidance .
In case of uncertainty, the planned university of registration should be contacted for eligibility advice; or the CDT SuMMeR Programme Office: cdt-summer-students@plymouth.ac.uk
Find out more here.