PhD Studentship: National Scale Assessment of the Impact of Land-use and Climate Change on England’s Water Resources in the 21st Century

Newcastle University offers a PhD Studentship focused on assessing the impact of land-use and climate change on England's water resources. The position, starting on October 1, 2025, includes full fees coverage and a minimum annual living allowance of £19,237. Candidates should have a relevant degree and strong analytical skills. The project aims to develop a framework for understanding future water resource availability under changing scenarios.
Award summary

100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate). Additional project costs will also be provided.

Overview

Land use and management has a significant influence on the state of water resources in a catchment, impacting catchment yields, surface and groundwater fluxes, and infiltration rates. However, it is unclear how local changes in land use will impact regional water resources in the future, especially under a warming climate. A more complete understanding of the impacts of land use change on England’s water resources is necessary to effectively appraise Net Zero policies, but to do this requires integrated land use, hydrological and water system modelling. This project will develop a framework to quantify future changes in water resource availability in England under scenarios of anticipated land use change, water demand and UKCP18 climate scenarios. It will evaluate longer-term policy decisions relevant to water resources, including infrastructure (flood protection, storage, transfers, drainage), land use planning and agricultural policies.

Number of awards: One

Start date: 1st October 2025

Award duration: 4 Years

Sponsor: EPSRC

Supervisors: Dr Anna Murgatroyd, Dr Craig Robson, Dr Ben Smith

Eligibility Criteria

A minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (such as mathematics or theoretical physics) is our standard entry, however we place value on prior experience, enthusiasm for research, and the ability to think and work independently. Excellent Analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements. A Masters qualification is not required if you have a minimum 2:1 degree or can evidence alternative experience in a work or research-based project. If you have alternative qualifications or experience, please contact us to discuss.

For EPSRC DLA applications we are following the EDEPI competency-based framework. Please read and complete this document EPSRC DLA Competency-based assessment form (3).docx as your Personal statement, and upload this with your application. Applications which do not include this document will not be considered. Further details can be found here.

Home and international applicants (inc. EU) 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.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme.

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: 8040F
• Select ‘PhD Civil Engineering (full time)’ 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) – Use this template.
• The studentship code DLA2504 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.

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

Contact details

Dr. Anna Murgatroyd anna.murgatroyd@ncl.ac.uk

You can also contact: doctoral.awards@ncl.ac.uk for independent advice on your application.