PhD studentship: Modelling the Economic, Demographic, Regulatory, and Environmental Determinants of the Cost of Water Service Provision
Application details:
Start date of studentship: 01/1/2021
Interview date: tbc
Supervisors:
Primary supervisor: Prof Dr David S Saal
Secondary supervisor: Dr Maria Nieswand
Challenging the way we think about water.
Would you like the opportunity to work on a PhD project which provides excellent potential for both academic publication and launch of a potential research career, while also working closely with managers to apply your research findings?
If you are passionate about using both empirical and theoretical methods to model and understand the relationship between operational and managerial factors that influence firm performance, this could be the perfect role for you.
In your project, you will work closely with one of the UKs largest water companies, Anglian Water, to develop conceptually robust cost models of the economic, engineering, environmental, demographic and regulatory factors influencing water and wastewater service costs, and then use your models to identify internal best practice
You’ll also have the opportunity to work closely with Anglian’s managers and engineers to support them with assessing costs and help to influence operational performance improvements and strategic decision-making. This exciting project will therefore also give you an opportunity to both understand and make real-world impact on firm performance.
Why Loughborough University?
Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014). In choosing Loughborough for your research, you will be based in the School of Business and Economics and be supervised within the Centre for Productivity and Performance whose members are leaders in the theory and application of cost and performance modelling.
You will further benefit from comprehensive Doctoral College support,, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.
Find out more:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/study/phd/
Entry requirements:
- You should be quantitatively minded and interested in applying your skills to real world problems
- A UK Master’s degree or the international equivalent, ideally in operational research, economics, water and wastewater engineering, business management, or other related subjects
- Excellent communication skills
- Flexibility and willingness to travel
- English Language requirement of IELTS band 7.0 or above with not less than 7.0 in each component.
Funding information:
Starting in January 2021, the studentship is for 3.5 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £15,285 p/a plus tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. To qualify for this full award, all applicants must meet the EPSRC eligibility criteria including the UK residency requirement. See https://epsrc.ukri.org/skills/students/guidance-on-epsrc-studentships/eligibility/
Contact details:
Name: Professor David Saal
Email address: D.S.Saal@lboro.ac.uk
Telephone number: +44 (0) 1509 227 123
How to apply:
Applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select Business School
Please quote reference number SBE-DSMN20