EPSRC PhD Studentship in: Determining the impact of developing a 24/7 supply of drinking water on assets, communities and the environment in Nepal?

The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Water Centre in collaboration with The Beacon Project and the Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience.

EPSRC PhD Studentship in:
Determining the impact of developing a 24/7 supply of drinking water on assets, communities and the environment in Nepal?

Stipend: This post will fully cover university tuition and provide a tax-free stipend for UK students of £19,000 per year.

Closing Date for Applications: 31 March 2020
Start Date: 28 September 2020 (contract duration 4 years)

Hundreds of millions of people across the world experience intermittent water supplies. This limited water supply has implications for the health of the receiving population, but also has a social and economic impact to communities, limiting potential for development in other areas.

The student will have the potential to impact the lives of people worldwide by undertaking research with the Beacon Project, a long term collaboration between Anglian Water and WaterAid (and alliance of partner organisations) to investigate the impact of transitioning an Intermittent Water System to Continuous Supply.

The student will assess whether 24/7 supply is the most appropriate solution or managed and controlled intermittency is viable. If 24/7 supply is the most appropriate intervention, how do utilities transition from intermittency to continuous? Finally, the student will assess if the solution to a system is transferable (scalable) to other locations in Nepal and worldwide? Or is every location so specific that general rules for implementation are likely to cause more problems than they solve?

The Beacon Project is currently working in Lahan, a city in southern Nepal, and this will provide key case study information but the student will need to draw on information from around the world.

The research programme to be completed in this project will be undertaken as part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience (CDT WIRe). CDT WIRe is a collaboration between the three leading UK Universities in water resilient infrastructure. Students will benefit from a bespoke training scheme delivered by world leading experts from academia and industry, access to world leading experimental and computational facilities as well as close and regular contact with industry and end user partners. CDT WIRe is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community, and offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies. For further information on the CDT WIRe scheme visit the web site at: https://cdtwire.com/

The project will be supervised by Dr Richard Collins and Prof Vanessa Speight in collaboration with partners from Anglian Water and WaterAid UK.

The student will spend the majority of their time at the University of Sheffield but will be required to undertake research visits to Nepal for data collection.

Eligibility Criteria
Normal EPSRC funding eligibility applies to this award, so students must have a relevant connection with the UK (usually established by residence).

The selection criteria for the position are a good first degree in relevant science or engineering discipline and enthusiasm and passion for the topic area. Experience in water engineering of intermittent systems or working in Nepal would be a benefit.

How to apply
Interested candidates should email a covering letter and their Curriculum
Vitae to Lindsay Hopcroft ([Email Address Removed]).
For information and informal enquiries please contact: Dr Richard Collins, [Email Address Removed] or Prof Vanessa Speight, [Email Address Removed]