About the award
Supervisors
Primary supervisor: Professor Raziyeh Farmani, University of Exeter
Secondary supervisor: Professor Albert Chen, University of Exeter
Industrial Supervisor: Mark Veasey
The University of Exeter’s Department of Engineering is inviting applications for a PhD studentship funded by the partner Liverpool Victoria General Insurance Group Limited, to commence on 1 November 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.
This PhD project aims to explore how emerging datasets could provide value to the UK’s insurance industry through a combination of data analytics, modelling, and scenario analysis techniques to provide support for strategic decision-making and inform policy. The candidate will identify the existing data gaps in quantifying flood risk and explore best practices for data processing and integration into hydraulic modelling and risk assessment.
This project will create a novel methodology for analysing the datasets to achieve meaningful improvements in flood risk assessment research, including assessing potential impact caused by flooding, evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions for flood risk reduction, and quantifying flood risk under plausible future climate, land use changes and socioeconomic development scenarios e.g. urban planning. The outcome will provide a holistic assessment of flood risk for future strategies and climate adaptation policy making.
The collaboration involves a project partner who is providing funding and other material support to the project, this means there are special terms that apply to the project, these will be discussed with Candidates at Interview and fully set out in the offer letter.
For eligible students the scholarship will cover home tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £20,780 for 4 years full-time. The student will be based in the Centre for Water Systems https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/centres/cws/) in Engineering Department in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy and spend most of their time at the Streatham Campus in Exeter.
Research on this project will be desk-based and will require programming skills. It will suit those who are creative and open to new ideas. Occasional visit to a case study area may be needed, though no field work is planned.
The studentship will be awarded on the basis of merit.
International applicants need to be aware that they will have to cover the cost of their student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.
The conditions for eligibility of home fees status are complex and you will need to seek advice if you have moved to or from the UK (or Republic of Ireland) within the past 3 years or have applied for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Students who pay international tuition fees are eligible to apply, but should note that the award will only provide payment for UK fees and UKRI equivalent Stipend. International students must be able to demonstrate they are able pay the difference between UK and overseas fees.
Entry requirements
Applicants for this studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of civil or environmental engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, geography or related subjects. Applicants will need to have programming skills and experience.
If English is not your first language, you will need to meet the English language requirements and provide proof of proficiency. Click here for more information.
How to apply
Apply now
To apply, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button above. In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents.
• CV
• Letter of application (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project), maximum one page in length.
• Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)
• Names of two referees familiar with your academic work (you are not required to obtain references yourself; we will request references directly from your referees if you are shortlisted)
• If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English
The closing date for applications is midnight on 5 September 2025. Interviews will be held virtually or on the University of Exeter Streatham Campus in the second week of September.
All application documents must be submitted in English. Certified translated copies of academic qualifications must also be provided.
Please quote reference 5594 on your application and in any correspondence about this studentship.
Summary
| Application deadline: | 5th September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Number of awards: | 1 |
| Value: | Home (UK) tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate of £20,780 per year (2025/26 rate) |
| Duration of award: | per year |
| Contact: PGR Admissions Team | PGRApplicants@exeter.ac.uk |
