The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering (WISE CDT) is a partnership between the University of Exeter, University of Bath, University of Bristol and Cardiff University. All four partners are part of the GW4 Water Security Alliance (www.gw4water.com), which pursues a common vision of addressing the impact of global change on water to benefit people and ecosystems.

The WISE CDT builds on existing excellence in research, education and scholarship across the GW4:

• Exeter: urban water, hydroinformatics;
• Bath: water treatment, quality, chemistry;
• Bristol: hydrology, hydroinformatics;
• Cardiff: hydro-environmental modelling, hydroinformatics.

All four partner universities have strong links with internationally competitive research groups, most being within the subject areas of water informatics, science and engineering.

About the Centre for Doctoral Training

The WISE CDT PhD is a four-year programme. All entrants are based together at the University of Exeter for the first year Postgraduate School, where they pursue a programme of Master’s level modules. These provide a solid understanding of water informatics and related topics, plus wider research skills, before students commence their PhD research project.

Our students continue to join together as a cohort for training and regular events such as research seminars, Industry Day, Summer School and outreach activities. Our four-year transferable skills programme supports students in the development of key communication, teamwork, problem-solving and presentation skills, as well as preparing them for PhD submission, proposal writing and their future career.

More than 50 academic and industrial supervisors, bringing different areas of expertise and at varying stages of their careers, engage with and support our students on their PhD journeys. Students are offered valuable opportunities to attend and present at UK and overseas conferences. Essential to the WISE CDT is integral, ongoing engagement with industry and the programme enables our students to pursue research visits at UK-based companies or at leading overseas academic institutions.

The WISE CDT programme operates a principle of “guided freedom”, which gives students the responsibility and resources to influence their training programme.

WISE CDT Students at Avon Damn Reservoir, Dartmoor

Research areas include:

• Sustainable water resources management under climate, demographic, urbanisation, regulatory changes
• Management of water and wastewater infrastructure systems across the full urban water cycle covering a wide range of issues
• Management of flood risk, urban drainage and pollution events for more resilient societies and ecosystems
• Innovative water and waste water treatment leading to increased water recycling, reuse and recovery contributing to more circular economy
• Computational hydro-environmental models for predicting flow, water quality and sediment transport processes.

Please see our website for more details: www.wisecdt.org

WISE CDT Student Team Building Activity