About the Project
Are you interested in exploring the vulnerability of water supplies to climate change in different environments, and how nature-based solutions (NBS) could help with water resources management issues? And does gaining all round hydrological academic training in an applied industry setting sound good to you? Then this could be the PhD for you!
We’re offering a 3.5-year PhD studentship funded by Chivas Brothers, that investigates how surface water – groundwater connections contribute to the effectiveness of NBS for managing droughts and floods. NBS, such as creating temporary storage areas (Roberts et al., 2023), can help to capture and slow down runoff during heavy rainfall events, and thereby make this water available during periods when water is scarcer. However, the effectiveness of these and other NBS depends on the location and scale of management (Fennell et al., 2023a). A key knowledge gap that this project will address is how the effects of NBS at the surface are connected to deeper (ground)water sources which provide water supply, and how this varies in different landscape settings. This project builds on earlier proof-of-concept work that demonstrated the potential of NBS in UK rural uplands for flood and drought management with cost-benefits for the distilling industry (Fennell et al., 2023b). Across a range of different landscape settings in Scotland, here, we will (1) explore which water sources are most vulnerable to climate change, (2) investigate spatio-temporal variations in the connections between surface water and deeper groundwater sources, and (3) unravel the relative potential of NBS within that context. It is anticipated that the knowledge from this project will be used to provide guidance on which NBS strategies might work best where to address water supply, among other benefits, under climate change.
For more information on the context that this project will build on, please see references below and this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N029jeva1Vo&t=5s
Training:
This PhD research will be carried out at the University of Aberdeen and in collaboration with the James Hutton Institute. The studentship offers training in field and lab data collection and analyses, as well as modelling approaches, provided by a multidisciplinary supervisory team with expertise in surface and groundwater hydrology, nature-based solutions, and management of water supply. The collaboration between the two institutes will allow for the student to access a wide range of state-of the art approaches (e.g., use of stable water isotopes, geophysical monitoring techniques) and join two vibrant graduate training communities. While there is considerable scope for the student to take ownership of the project, training in field and lab data collection and analyses as well as modelling approaches will be provided. Moreover, the student will benefit from engagement with the distilling industry, which also provides skills and experience in an applied, non-academic setting.
Supervisory team: Josie Geris (University of Aberdeen), Jean-Christophe Comte (University of Aberdeen), Mark Wilkinson (James Hutton Institute) and Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers)
Candidate Requirements: Selection will be on the basis of academic merit. The successful candidate should have, or expect to obtain, a UK Honours degree at 2.1 or above (or equivalent) in a relevant topic (eg. Hydrology, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, or any other relevant numerate, scientific discipline).
An enthusiasm to carry out fieldwork, combined with laboratory experiments and data analysis with hydrological modelling is also required.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
- Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php
- You should apply for PhD in Geography to ensure your application is passed to the correct team.
- Please clearly note the name of the supervisor and project title on the application form. If you do not mention the project title and the supervisor on your application, it will not be considered for the studentship.
- Please include a cover letter (why you are a good fit and excited to research this project – Max 2 A4 pages)
- BSc/MSc Degree Certificates
- BSc/MSc Academic Transcripts and official grading systems used
- An up-to-date copy of your academic CV.
- Please note: you DO NOT need to provide a research proposal with this application.
- General application enquiries can be made to pgrs-admissions@abdn.ac.uk
Anticipated start date: Flexible but looking to start as soon as possible
Funding Notes
This 3.5-year project is fully funded by Chivas Brothers Limited.
Tuition fees will be paid at UK rates (for 2023/2024 this is £4,712). A stipend will also be provided at a rate of £18,622 for the 2023/2024 academic year. This will be paid monthly in arrears. EU candidates with settled or pre-settled status may be eligible for home fees, dependent on residency criteria.
International students can apply providing they can meet the difference between UK and International tuition fees from their own resources. For 2023/2024 this will be approximately £21,500. There is no funding included for visa applications or health surcharges.
References
Fennell, JH, Soulsby, C, Wilkinson, ME, Daalmans, R, Geris, J, (2023a) ‘Assessing the role of location and scale of Nature Based Solutions for management of low flows’, International Journal of River Basin Management, vol 21, 743-758, https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2022.2092490
Fennell, JH, Soulsby, C. Wilkinson, ME, Daalmans, R, Geris, J, (2023b) ‘Time variable effectiveness and cost-benefits of different Nature-Based solution types and design for drought and flood management’, Nature-Based Solutions, vol. 3, 100050, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2023.100050
Roberts, MT, Geris, J, Hallett, P, Wilkinson, ME, (2023) ‘Mitigating floods and attenuating surface runoff with temporary storage areas in headwaters’, WIREs Water, e1634, https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1634
