PhD Studentships - Process Industries: Net Zero - Chemical Engineering for Sustainable Wastewater-to-Resource Systems

Award Summary

100% fees (UK Home only), a minimum tax-free annual living allowance at the 2026/27 UKRI rate) (note that the 2025/26 rate is £20,780), and a research training support grant of £20,000.

Overview

This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ). The aim of the PINZ CDT is to train the next generation of chemical engineers and chemists to develop the new processes, process technologies and green chemistries required for the process industries’ transition to Net Zero.

This PhD will focus on scaling up and optimising MEC technology for real industrial wastewater, bridging fundamental science with engineering design and energy/resource recovery. The student will investigate how process intensification, energy integration, and resource recovery pathways can be combined to make MECs economically and environmentally viable at scale. The project is part funded by MetZero and will involve close collaboration with them.

Research Aims:

Process Intensification & Scale-Up

• Design and evaluate scalable MEC architectures (cassette and containerised).
• Use CFD modelling and lab pilots to optimise hydraulics, mass transfer, and electrode configurations.

Energy Integration

• Quantify full energy balances of MEC operation.
• Explore integration with renewable energy and wastewater treatment plant energy flows.
• Benchmark kWh saved per kg COD removed to build the business case.

Resource Recovery Pathways

• Optimise MEC conditions for selective recovery of hydrogen, ammonia, and nutrients.
• Assess techno-economic potential for integration into breweries, distilleries, and utilities.

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

1 October 2026

Award Duration

4 years

Application Closing Date

28 November 2025

Sponsor

EPSRC

Supervisors

Dr Richard Law

Dr Elizabeth Heidrich

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. We’re looking for motivated candidates with a background in chemical engineering, bioelectrochemical engineering, environmental engineering, or related disciplines. Interest in sustainability, circular economy, and process innovation is essential. Good organisational and communication skills, and the ability to work independently and in a team are essential.

Home students are welcome to apply and if successful will receive a full studentship. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills. 

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: 8856F
• Leave the ‘Research Area’ blank
• Select ‘PhD in Process Industries; Net Zero (PINZ)‘ 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 into the application form  
• The studentship code PINZ01-26 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• ‘Research Proposal’ – 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.

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application.

Contact Details

pinz.cdt@ncl.ac.uk