Application Deadline: 16 January 2026
Details
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the Red-ALERT CDT, hosted by Cardiff University for entry in September 2026.
Overview of the Research:
Viruses in our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters pose a growing global public health challenge. Highly contagious enteric viruses are responsible for hundreds of millions of infections each year. In recent years, Norovirus has made headlines closer to home: it was linked to an outbreak among athletes at the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series, and cases have been associated with Cardiff Bay.
Enteric viruses are common in wastewater, surprisingly resistant to treatment, and require only a tiny infectious dose to make people ill. Despite the significance of such viruses, we still know remarkably little about how they move, persist, and accumulate in natural water systems.
This PhD project offers a unique and exciting opportunity to change that.
About the Project
You will investigate the transport and fate of enteric viruses in the Rivers Taff and Ely and across Cardiff Bay, a dynamic urban waterbody used for recreation, tourism, and water sports.
Your work will combine:
- Field monitoring and water sampling campaigns (in collaboration with Cardiff Harbour Authority)
- 2D and 3D hydro-epidemiological modelling
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) modelling and prediction techniques
You will explore:
- How viruses travel from source into receiving waters
- How environmental conditions influence virus stability and persistence
- Where and when public exposure risks are likely to be highest, especially at recreational water sites
- How early warning and water safety management strategies can be improved
It is expected that your findings to support water managers in protecting public health and improving urban water resilience.
What You Will Potentially Gain
- Advanced skills in environmental data collection, hydrodynamic and epidemiological modelling, and AI methods
- Experience working directly with industry, government, and environmental regulators
- Training and mentorship with experts in hydro-environmental modelling, and environmental Science and Public Health
This project is ideal for someone passionate about water quality, public health, infectious disease transmission, environmental modelling, or climate-resilient water management.
Training Provided:
The student will become skilled in environmental science and water and hydro-epidemiological modelling. He/she will acquire experimental and numerical modelling skills, with the support of Cardiff and Bangor Universities. He/she will have the opportunity to gain knowledge about high-performance computing through Supercomputing Wales.
Interdisciplinarity:
This interdisciplinary project consists of civil engineers (CU) and environmental scientists (BU). The CU team will conduct hydro-epidemiological and AI modelling. The BU team will conduct virus monitoring, provide information on viruses’ behaviour and public health modelling. The project interdisciplinarity is critical to studying the biological and hydro-environmental processes of enteric viruses and their impacts on public health.
Project Keywords: Water quality, modelling, public health, environmental science
Industrial Partner: Cardiff Harbour Authority
Candidate Requirements:
Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second-Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in a relevant subject e.g. biomedical engineering, electronic engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, etc. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.
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 (ÂŁ20,780 p/a in 2025/6) and access to a training support budget.
