Award Summary
Fully funded Studentship: fees, annual living allowance (£20,835), training support grant.
Overview
Uncontrolled runoff from urbanisation and more frequent extreme convective rainfall under climate change is increasingly recognised as a major global societal challenge. Blue Green Infrastructure (BGI) is one solution to help mitigate surface water flooding, and can also provide a wider range of benefits related to biodiversity, health and water quality. Robust models are needed for comprehensive understanding of flood risk and its impact, alongside tools that assess the effectiveness of management solutions, to inform decision making and policy recommendations.
This project will use the CityCAT model: this provides capability for accurate and fast modelling of urban drainage, handling the full complexity of flow paths on impermeable surfaces, green space, buildings, pipe networks and BGI features. An optimisation tool has been developed that uses a genetic algorithm to optimise the location of BGI taking surface water flood risk reduction and the cost of different interventions into consideration.
This PhD, in collaboration with stakeholders will, develop a flexible interactive framework that builds upon this optimisation tool to a explore wider decision space around the design of BGI, including: incorporating relevant policy levers and management strategies, climate change projections/rainfall events, broader BGI design constraints and other multiple benefits of BGI, e.g. connectivity for ecological and biodiversity benefits or urban heat mitigation. Working across two demonstrator case studies in the UK and Ireland you will identify synergies and areas of best practice from a policy and regulation perspective. A policy internship at a relevant organisation is embedded into this programme.
Number Of Awards: One
Start Date: 15th September 2025
Award Duration: 3.5 Years
Application Closing Date: 27th July 2025
Sponsor: Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water Sunflower Charitable Foundation PhD scholarship
Supervisors
Professor Claire Walsh, Dr Vassilis Glenis, Professor Hayley Fowler (Newcastle University)
Professor Jennifer McKinley (Queen’s University Belfast)
Eligibility Criteria
You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project. Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are essential requirements.
UK and Irish national applicants are welcome to apply.
How To Apply
You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal
Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.
Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:
· search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8040F
· Research Area: Civil Engineering
· select ‘PhD Civil Engineering (full time)’ as the programme of study
You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:
· a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) – upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form
· the studentship code ENG155 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field.
· when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal – select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.
Contact Details
Claire.Walsh@newcastle.ac.uk
