Depending on how you meet the EPSRC's eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to a full or partial award. A full award covers tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and an annual stipend of £13,863. A partial award covers fees at the UK/EU rate only.

Duration: 3 years

Start date: September 2015

Sponsor

EPSRC DTA, in collaboration with the iBUILD (Infrastructure BUsiness models, valuation and Innovation for Local Delivery) Centre.

Project Description

Green infrastructure (GI), nature used as an infrastructure system, has been receiving increased interest and application in recent years, this in part is due to drivers such as climate change and urbanisation.  There are multiple benefits associated with GI ranging from providing solutions to stormwater management, regulating urban heat and improving air quality, to aesthetic and well-being outcomes. 

This PhD will explore interdependencies associated with GI in an urban context, methods for valuing GI and how new or existing business models need to emerge to fund and finance GI.

This study would consider:

• Understanding and valuing of GI at different scales; value could include environmental, economic, social, ecological, cultural definitions; scale could be defined in a range of ways e.g. physical, benefit, governance and management.
• Current configuration, connectivity, and benefits of GI in an urban area.
• Apply and review a range of evaluation tools to the case study area.
• Interdependencies between GI and ‘grey’ infrastructures.
• Future demands on or for GI, identifying obstacles or limitations.
• Application of business models to fund GI provision.

Name of the Supervisor(s)

Dr Claire Walsh (School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences)

Dr Guy Garrod (School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development)

Professor Richard Dawson (School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences)

Person Specification and Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to achieve, a minimum of an upper-second class or equivalent in a science, engineering, geography or quantitative social science discipline. Candidates with experience of, or keen ambition to work in a multi-disciplinary environment would be viewed favourably.

Candidates need to demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills, experience or willingness to learn applying existing models, and analysing data using GIS.

Candidates need to meet EPSRC eligibility criteria for EPSRC DTA awards.

The studentship is only available for UK/EU students.

How to Apply

All applicants should complete the University’s postgraduate application form. Only mandatory fields need to be completed. However, you will need to include the following information:

• Insert the programme code 8040F in the programme of study section.
• Select PhD School of Civil Engineering and Geoscience-Civil Engineering (Water) as the programme of study.  
• Insert the studentship code CI729 in the studentship/partnership reference field.

Attach a covering letter and CV.  The covering letter must state the title of the studentship and quote reference code CI729.

Further Information

Two of the three iBUILD studentships will be funded with standard EPSRC DTA grants. 

For further details, please contact: 
iBUILD Director: richard.dawson<στο>newcastle.ac.uk
iBUILD Manager: claire.walsh<στο>newcastle.ac.uk