PhD Studentship: Development of a robust hydrological modelling framework for drought risk assessments

Award Summary

Tax-free annual living allowance £26,546 a £20,000 research training grant and fees paid.   

Overview

Globally, drought and water scarce events pose a significant threat to water security, resulting in catastrophic direct and indirect impacts across domestic and water-intensive sectors such as agriculture, power generation, and manufacturing (OECD, 2025). Regions across England face critical water security challenges due to high population density, intensive agriculture, and shifts in climate towards drier summers and higher variability in rainfall (CCC, 2019). Without adaptation and investment, water availability is projected to fall short of meeting future demands, with supply-demand deficits becoming widespread by the 2050s. 

To effectively plan for water supply resilience, it is essential to robustly model future changes in hydrological systems. This project will develop a robust modelling framework to simulate future changes in water resources in North and East England, using a combination of physically-based hydrological modelling tools and water system models. The framework will be used to produce more transparent and physically realistic projections of water resource availability under extreme climate and demand scenarios for the region. 

The project will be conducted in collaboration with Anglian and Northumbrian Water and their stakeholders. Ultimately, the findings will provide strategic evidence for the development of long-term adaptation pathways that will help to navigate severe socio-economic disruption from drought events. 

This PhD is part of the Water Infrastructure & Resilience (WIRe) CDT funded by EPSRC Anglian Water & Northumbrian Water Group 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

28 September 2026

Award Duration

4 years

Application Closing Date

Friday 8 May 2026

Sponsor

EPSRC, Anglian Water & Northumbrian Water Group

Supervisors

Dr Anna Murgatroyd and Prof Richard Dawson at Newcastle University, Dr Geoff Darch at Anglian Water and Matt Cook and Peter Schofield at Northumbrian Water Group

Eligibility Criteria

An MEng/MSc in a relevant subject or first or upper second class UG degree (2:1). Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements. Experience working with hydrological models and hydrological data is preferred. 

This studentship is open to UK/Home applicants; the successful candidate will be based in (or around) Newcastle upon Tyne for the duration of the studentship, candidates must meet one of these criteria: 

·        be a UK national 

·        have settled status 

·        have pre-settled status 

·        have indefinite leave to remain or enter. 

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:8209F 

· Select ‘PhD Water Infrastructure & Resilience (WIRe)’ as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section: 

· ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) – upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form 

· Studentship code WRII2602 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

justine.easten@ncl.ac.uk