About the Project
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the Red-ALERT CDT, hosted by Bangor University for entry in September 2025.
Overview of the Research:
The Natural Environment Research Council funded RED ALERT Centre for Doctoral Training will provide training in water-based early warning systems for environmental and public health protection focused around four UK and three international Living Labs aimed to provide the in-depth knowledge and enable a step-change in managing environmental and public health.
This is an exciting opportunity to conduct a fully-funded PhD project at the Environment Centre Wales (Bangor University & UKCEH) to explore how manure management and extreme weather events (drought and flood) affect pathogen survival and transfer from agricultural land to water. This project will be based in the Conwy River ‘Living Lab’.
The Conwy River, estuary and coastal zones suffer from microbial pollution from agriculture, wastewater, septic tanks, and hospital discharges. Finding new ways to monitor pathogens such as Verotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, model their dispersal and fate, and predict human exposure risk is a major challenge.
Due to climate change, intense rainfall events are becoming more frequent. They have potential to prolong pathogen viability and promote runoff, leading to pathogen transfers from land into watercourses. In addition, new policies will require UK farmers to improve manure application methods to reduce ammonia emissions, e.g. use trailing hose, shallow injection or rapid incorporation. These application methods may increase pathogen viability compared to surface broadcast manure that is prone to desiccation and subjected to UV irradiation.
In this project you will:
· Quantify pathogen loading to land via livestock excreta and measure pathogen concentrations in soil and watercourses.
· Use remote sensing data to map field topography and risk of pathogen transfers.
· Design and conduct plot-scale experiments to explore the interactions of manure application method and extreme weather events on pathogen survival in soil and transfer to watercourses.
· Generate new data for input into predictive models, e.g. SWAT, for estimating the impacts of livestock systems on water quality in an era of climate change.
You will learn a wide variety of skills, covering: sampling methods, laboratory analysis of genetic material including conventional plating methods as well as targeted (qPCR) and untargeted (metagenomic/barcoding) approaches for pathogen detection, remote sensing, modelling approaches and working with farmers and other stakeholders.
Project Keywords: Pathogens, livestock, slurry management, extreme weather, mathematical modelling
Industrial Partner:
Natural Resources Wales are the industrial partner on this project.
Candidate Requirements:
We are looking for an enthusiastic student with a natural science degree (1st or 2.1) in subjects like Microbiology, Soil Science, and/or a related Environmental Science topic, with demonstrated strong analytical and quantitative skills. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.
An interest in learning about hydrological modelling and pathogen survival is expected. Prior experience in qPCR or metagenomics to determine the composition and activity of microbial communities, and in ‘omics technologies is desirable. You will also need to have or acquire an understanding of ruminant livestock systems.
*Non-UK applicants must meet the programme’s English language requirement prior to a formal offer being made.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:
We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
Enquiries and Applications:
Formal applications should be submitted via the Red-ALERT CDT online application form prior to the closing date of this advert.
Funding Notes
Candidates may be considered for a NERC Red-ALERT studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend (£19,237 p/a in 2024/5) and access to a training support budget.
