About the Project
ACCE+ DLA is committed to recruiting extraordinary future scientists regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, faith or religious belief, pregnancy or maternity, parental or caring responsibilities or career pathway to date. We understand that a student’s potential can be shown in many ways and we strive to recruit students from all backgrounds, and support them on their scientific journey.
We have designed our application systems to identify candidates who are likely to be successful in research regardless of what opportunities may have been available to them prior to their application.
Various support and guidance on applying for an ACCE+ DLA studentship, including how to apply; what we’re looking for (including our assessment rubric); details of financial support, training, and placement opportunities available; and details of our recruitment process, can be found at https://accedtp.ac.uk/, in the ‘prospective applicants’ tab.
Project overview
This project will investigate the resilience of UK saltmarshes in the face of accelerating sea-level rise, with a focus on understanding the processes that govern their long-term stability and capacity to provide critical ecosystem services. Saltmarshes are vital coastal ecosystems, acting as natural flood defences, supporting high levels of biodiversity, and storing significant amounts of carbon. The ability of these ecosystems to maintain their surface elevation relative to rising sea levels is fundamental to the continued provision of these services. Nevertheless, this balance is increasingly under threat due to accelerating sea-level rise, human interference, and alterations in sediment supply.
Through a combination of fieldwork, laboratory analyses and numerical modelling, this project will seek to reconstruct historical sedimentation rates, quantify current marsh surface dynamics, and predict future trajectories under a range of climate scenarios. Historical sediment accumulation rates will be quantified from sediment cores using dating and age-depth modelling, providing high-resolution reconstructions of marsh development that can be compared with past changes in sea level. Foraminifera will be used as indicators of recent changes in relative marsh surface elevation, allowing exploration of accretion dynamics through space and time. Numerical modelling using Delft3D will bring together different strands of evidence, allow evaluation of the sediment budget at the scale of a saltmarsh system, and provide a predictive framework for assessing future saltmarsh resilience and consequent implications for ecosystem service provision.
The project will offer interdisciplinary training across coastal sedimentology, palaeoenvironmental proxies, numerical modelling, and environmental policy and management. The successful candidate will develop skills including field sampling and survey techniques, sedimentological analysis, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, statistical modelling, and numerical simulation. You will work closely with Natural England, including during a 3-month placement, during which time you will focus on developing practical guidance on incorporating saltmarsh accretionary balance into management decisions. Training will be supported through the ACCE+ DTP and integration within a vibrant departmental research community with a strong focus on sea-level change, coastal evolution and blue carbon. This project is ideally suited to candidates with a background in Environmental Science, Physical Geography, Earth Sciences or related disciplines, and a keen interest in coastal processes, ecosystem services and climate adaptation.
Project supervisor details and information:
- Dr Ed Garrett (University of York)
- Professor Nicoletta Leonardi (University of Liverpool)
- Dr Anissia Halwyn (Natural England)
- Professor Roland Grehels (University of York)
How to Apply
Notes and details of how to apply are available here: https://accedtp.ac.uk/how-to-apply/
All applicants to ACCE+ must complete an online application form (see the relevant webpages for full details per ACCE+ partner). This form consists of questions that replace a traditional CV, questions about the project/s you are applying to, and the questions that make up the ACCE+ guided personal statement proforma. The personal statement proforma questions are designed to standardise this part of the application to minimise the difference between those who are given support and those who are not. In addition, depending on which ACCE+ University you apply to, you may be asked to submit additional documents via email (all details are in the online form and the ACCE+ page for each University).
Candidates should not submit a separate CV and cover letter or personal statement via email. CVs and cover letters or personal statements received by email will not be considered as part of your application.
Informal enquiries about the application process may be made via our contact us page .
Part-Time Study Options
All ACCE PhDs are available as part time or full time, with part time being a minimum of 50% of full time, unless stated otherwise in the advert.
Project CASE Status
This project is a CASE project. Your project will be co-supervised by the non-academic partner organisation, and you will spend 3-6 months on a placement with your CASE partner in their workplace. You will experience training, facilities and expertise not available in an academic setting, and will build business and research collaborations.
The PhD will start in September 2026
Funding Notes
NERC ACCE+ DLA programme starts from October 2026.
UKRI provide the following funding for 3.5 years:
• Stipend (2025/26 UKRI rate £20,780)
• Tuition Fees at UK fee rate (2025/26 UKRI rate £5,006)
• Research support and training grant (RTSG).
Please note that UK visa and relocation costs cannot be covered by ACCE+ DLA
