ENWAT Project
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Publication date: Oct 5, 2023
| Position-ID: | 1344 |
| Faculty/ Facility: | Civil- and Environmental Engineering |
| Institute/ Facility: | Civil- and Environmental Engineering : IWS – Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems |
| Research Association: | Environment Water (ENWAT) |
| Teaching Obligation: | No |
| Application deadline: | 11/05/2023 |
| Anticipated Start Date: | 10/01/2024 |
About Us
The international Doctoral Program “Environment Water” (ENWAT) of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Stuttgart, Germany, in collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) opens a call for max. 2 PhD positions for research in Environment Water. Each project involves high-quality research and state-of-the-art techniques and is supervised by excellent researchers. We are looking for highly motivated and talented students with a passion for science. Candidates must demonstrate an excellent performance in their previous academic education.
Title: Laboratory tests to quantify the required bedload for a sustainable development of nature-like rivers
Advisor: PD Dr. Stefan Haun
Research group / department: Department of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management (LWW), Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems (IWS)
Keywords: Gravel bed rivers, bedload transport, morphodynamic river system, physical model experiments
Introduction / Background
Anthropogenic actions in rivers are often associated with altering the bed load regime. These disturbances result in most cases in changes in the morphodynamic system and hence, a significant impairment of native animals, plants, and their habitats.
To achieve good ecological status, in accordance with the water framework directive, the re-habilitation of the bed load regime of watercourses is required. However, so far, no in-depth knowledge is available on the required bed load to restore a channel form, a dynamic morphological system, and to ensure a heterogeneous substrate that is as close to nature as possible.
With the help of physical model tests, new insights will be gained in order to be able to determine the required bedload for future renaturation projects. Through a systematic approach, we will investigate which boundaries are necessary so that typical morphological structures and river dynamics develop. This new knowledge will not only result in approaches, which can be used in already altered systems, but also in new methods and formulae.
Your Tasks
Research goals and methods to be used
First, the Ph.D. candidate shall review key and state-of-the-art literature on river morphology and dynamic river systems to become familiar with this research area. Simultaneously, a literature review on physical model experiments with moveable beds shall be conducted.
Based on the findings an artificial test bed will be elaborated at the hydraulic laboratory, and systematic experiments will be conducted. Here the boundaries, such as the slope of the initial channel, bed load supply and discharge will be altered. Additionally, conducted repetition experiments enables us to make robust and reliable conclusions. Data obtained by a laser scanner and distance sensors will provide the necessary data to elaborate an approach to quantify typical morphological structures. Here the use of machine learning and statistics is necessary.
In the final step, the transferability of the results will be investigated and an answer will be given to the question if the findings can be transferred to natural rivers with different boundaries (e.g., discharges, grain size distributions, etc.).
Contact for research questions
PD Dr. Stefan Haun, University of Stuttgart, stefan.haun@iws.uni-stuttgart.de
Contact for administrative questions (e.g. on the admission process)
Dr. Gabriele Hartmann, University of Stuttgart, gabriele.hartmann@f02.uni-stuttgart.de
Your Profile
Prerequisites
Good knowledge in statistics, sediment transport and programming is required.
Knowledge in physical modelling and machine learning is welcome
Further Prerequisites:
- Resume/CV showing the applicant’s background, professional skills, a list of publications and oral and poster presentations as well as additional achievements (scholarships, awards etc.)
- M.Sc., Dipl.-Ing. or equivalent degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Management, Environmental Engineering or related sciences
- B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Management, Environmental Engineering or related sciences
Copies of Certificates and Transcripts, including all undergraduate level certificates and university degrees. All documents, which are not in English or in German, must be accompanied by copies of a legally certified English translation (for the application we will accept copies; but please be aware, that originals or legally certified copies will be needed for the final phase. In case any differences between the copies and the originals show up, the application will be dismissed.)
Please make sure, that the copies of the transcripts show not only the grades but also explain the home grades’ system (please add copy of the description of grade scale).
- At the time of application, generally no more than 6 years should have passed since the last degree was gained.
- Only international (non-German) applicants can be accepted. At the time of application the candidate must not have been resident in Germany for more than the last 15 months.
- Unless native speaker: proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, etc.), or proof that M.Sc. and B.Sc. programs were held in English.
- 2 Reference letters from university professors from the applicants home university, issued during the last 2 years.
- Motivation letter describing the applicant’s work experience and research goals (1 page).
Our Benefits
Research Environment
The PhD candidate will conduct experiments in the hydraulic laboratory at IWS. Besides, the student will become part of an interdisciplinary working group consisting of post-docs and doctoral students who conduct research on morphological processes in rivers.
Employment and compensation information
Maximal Funding Period or Duration of Employment: 36 months
Type of Funding: Scholarship
Compensation: 1200 € per month
Percentage of weekly working hours (usually 39.5h = 100%):100%
Employment at the cooperation partner:
Location: Stuttgart, Campus Vaihingen
If Location other than Stuttgart or additional location(s):
Contact Details
Contact person: Gabriele Hartmann
Mail: gabriele.hartmann@f02.uni-stuttgart.de
Phone: +49 711 685 66585
Website: https://www.enwat.uni-stuttgart.de/
At the University of Stuttgart, we actively promote diversity among our employees. We have set ourselves the goal of recruiting more female scientists and employing more people with an international background, as well as people with disabilities. We are therefore particularly pleased to receive applications from such people. Regardless, we welcome any good application.
Women who apply will be given preferential consideration in areas in which they are underrepresented, provided they have the same aptitude, qualifications and professional performance. Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given priority.
As a certified family-friendly university, we support the compatibility of work and family, and of professional and private life in general, through various flexible modules. We have an employee health management system that has won several awards and offer our employees a wide range of continuing education programs. We are consistantly improving our accessibility. Our Welcome Center helps international scientists get started in Stuttgart. We support partners of new professors and managers with a dual-career program.
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