We have 131 urban PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Exponential growth of the built environment, associated with rapid urban expansion and increasing urban populations, is already placing considerable pressure on the urban water cycle, critical infrastructure, and urban waterways that represent primary pathways (or conduits) within this cycle. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Cuthbertson, Dr A Black, Dr S Halliday

3 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Investigating perceptions and barriers to climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in urban and peri-urban environments

Kingston University Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Throughout the history of nature conservation there has been major conflicts of interest between different stakeholders, for instance, between national governments and local communities. Read more

Supervisor: Dr K Brown

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Leverhulme Doctoral Programme for Regenerative Innovation (Regnr8-i): The city as a Living Lab - Novel monitoring and machine-learning based modelling of trees for the bioengineering of the urban environment

University of Dundee UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science

Urban trees are an important nature-based solution to improve the social and environmental benefits of urban ecosystems, which are often not equitably distributed across urban landscapes. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Ciantia, Dr A Morel, Mr KF Frediani, Dr D Boldrin

3 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for Urban Air Quality Simulation and Management

Canterbury Christ Church University SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

This research project offers an exciting opportunity for individuals passionate about addressing the critical issue of urban air quality through cutting-edge computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. Read more

Supervisor: Dr H Hassanin

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Leverhulme Doctoral Programme for Regenerative Innovation (Regnr8-i): Sustainable Green Urban Spaces: Assimilation of Citizen-Science Data for Air Quality Monitoring via Digital-Twin Simulation

University of Dundee UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science

Green urban spaces offer vital clean-air zones for residents, but their typical proximity to major traffic routes poses significant challenges for air quality monitoring and maintenance. Read more

Supervisors: Dr T Eaves, Prof M Woods

3 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Heat, Health and Human Geographies: Exploring Caribbean Responses to Urban Heat Stress through Creative Ethnographic Methods

University of Liverpool School of Environmental Sciences

The University of Liverpool invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship to conduct a piece of ethnographic research exploring the experiences, responses to and understandings of health and increasing urban heat in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Read more

Supervisors: Dr SJS Smith, Prof CP Pearson

28 June 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Transition Engineering Lab on the Housing Ecosystem. The Problem of Finding an Affordable, Decent Place to Live, within a Net Zero Community. A breakthrough in the accelerated transition of cities to net zero, thriving environments

Heriot-Watt University School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society

Research Group: Institute of Life and Earth Sciences

This project will be based at Heriot Watt Orkney campus. Rapid emissions reductions[1] require transition of personal transport and freight, and reduction of energy in buildings and embedded in vehicles, and construction in urban areas. Read more

Supervisor: Prof S Krumdieck

30 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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PhD Studentship (3 years): Developing a Digital Twin for Designing Disaster-Resilient Smart Cities

Aston University College of Business and Social Sciences

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship, supported by the College of Business and Social Sciences to be undertaken within the Department of Operations and Information Management at Aston University. Read more

Supervisor: Dr M Sajadi

3 June 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Urban gardens to improve health, biodiversity and climate-change resilience in cities in Bangladesh

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Bangladesh has some of the most densely-populated cities facing overlapping risks of health, climate and urbanisation. Read more

Supervisors: Dr HE Elsey, Dr AH Haque, Prof P White

19 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Urban gardens to improve health, biodiversity and climate-change resilience in cities in Bangladesh

University of York Hull York Medical School

Bangladesh has some of the most densely-populated cities facing overlapping risks of health, climate and urbanisation. Read more

Supervisors: Dr HE Elsey, Dr AH Haque, Prof P White

19 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Intervention without violation of natural order: A complex adaptive systems (CAS) perspective of sustainable urban development

Edinburgh Napier University School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment

The rise to prominence of the concept and practice of sustainable development over the past few decades has paralleled an increasing number of theoretical platforms upon which to understand the concept. Read more

Supervisor: Dr CM Moobela

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Building-resolved large-eddy simulations of wind and dispersion over a city scale urban area

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Supervisory Team. Zhengtong Xie, Lois Huggett @metoffice. Project description. Read more

Supervisor: Dr Z Xie

31 August 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Assessment Framework for Inclusive Sustainable Public Places

Edinburgh Napier University School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment

Traditional social life. While the social aspect is the most recognisable benefit known for urban places, many other benefits could be identified. Read more

Supervisor: Assoc Prof I Kenawy

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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STRESSORS: Monitoring and Assessment of Urban Nature-based Solutions

Heriot-Watt University School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit. Read more

Supervisors: Dr D Green, Dr S Arthur, Dr N Archer, Dr E Jew, Dr O Moore

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Examining relationships between human well-being and avian biodiversity within natural and urban soundscapes - ESRC WGSSS studentship

Bangor University College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

The School of Environmental and Natural Sciences at Bangor University are delighted to offer a fully funded Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) (ESRC DTP) studentship starting in October 2024. Read more

Supervisor: Dr F St John

21 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Valuing green and blue urban landscapes

Kingston University Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment

During this prolonged period of neo-liberal development our discourse in the West has become fragmented between a growing concern for climate change/sustainability and a continued need to promote intensive growth and prioritise the needs of capital. Read more

Supervisor: Dr P Garside

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Binks Institute for Sustainability: Practical and theoretical approach to sustainable urban, suburban, and rural densities.

University of Dundee Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

The aim of this research is to develop prototypes for the city edge, comprising new high density communities that create more housing and more greenbelt at the city edge. Read more

Supervisors: Dr L Holm, Dr H Al Waer

30 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Shaping healthy urban environments: from the microbiome to the metropolis

University of the West of England, Bristol College of Health, Science and Society

An opportunity to apply for a funded full-time PhD in the College of Health and Social Sciences, UWE Bristol. The studentship will be funded by UWE Bristol. Read more

Supervisor: Dr AT Tabor

24 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Using physics-informed neural networks and data assimilation to predict and improve urban air quality

University of Southampton Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Supervisory Team. Sean Symon and Christina Vanderwel. Project description. Read more

Supervisor: Dr S Symon

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Smart Cities 4.0

Edinburgh Napier University School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment

The intelligence of smart cities has been the subject of much academic debate over the past 20 years. This PhD opportunity shall study the latest version of smart cities as the urban and regional innovation system of the fourth industrial revolution. Read more

Supervisors: Prof MD Deakin, Assoc Prof S Jaradat

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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PhD Study in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning

University of Sheffield Department of Urban Studies & Planning

All our PhD students have the support of two (or more) supervisors to guide them through their projects, a dedicated training programme of support within our Department (which includes weekly workshops), and wider training provided by the University and the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP). Read more

Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide) Social Sciences Research Programme

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Ignition and fire spread processes in the Wildland Urban Interface

King’s College London Department of Engineering

This PhD project in fire science interlinks prevention and protection from wildfire risk, by focusing on providing a clearer understanding of uncontrolled fires and the conditions that cause them to arise in the wildland urban interface. Read more

Supervisor: Dr FR Restuccia

1 July 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Investigate the Effects of Spending Time in Natural Environments Compared with Urban Environments on Cognition, Wellbeing, and Brain Activity.

Atlantic Technological University Research

The Postgraduate Research Programme Translational Health Research Innovation preVention & Equity (THRIVE) offers 12 PhD research scholarships to commence in 2024. Read more

Supervisors: Dr MON O'Neill, Dr EL Laird, Dr EMacG Mac Giolla, Dr AD Dwivedi

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Leverhulme Doctoral Programme for Regenerative Innovation (Regnr8-i): Catalysing thriving and inclusive places for lasting urban regeneration: Another Eden in the City of Dundee

University of Dundee UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science

This Regnr8-i Studentship will explore how the creative economy can contribute to urban and regional development during the prevailing climate emergency, inclusive of both planned and autonomous adaptations. Read more

Supervisors: Prof J Rowan, Ms CS Sweeney, Mr BP Parkin, Prof GH Hutton

3 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Leverhulme Doctoral Programme for Regenerative Innovation (Regnr8-i): Designing Just and Resilient Urban Landscapes - A Framework for futures and strategic decision-making for Blue and Green Infrastructure (BGI)

University of Dundee UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science

Many cities have a significant amount of grey infrastructure (paving and asphalt) and dysfunctional green or blue spaces. Access to and use of green and blue space are disproportionately limited in areas of deprivation, and further affected by poor air quality, heat stress, and flooding. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Woods, Dr H Al Waer, Prof S Dawson

3 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Urban flooding: Blue-green infrastructure as a strategy for resilience

University of Salford School of Science, Engineering and Environment

Information on this PhD research area can be found further down this page under the details about the Widening Participation Scholarship given immediately below. Read more

Supervisors: Prof N Entwistle, Prof M Hardman

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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AI-Driven Digital Cities for Crime Modeling and Economic Analysis

University of Birmingham School of Chemical Engineering

AI-Driven Digital Cities for Crime Modeling and Economic Analysis. Project description. The project aims to develop a methodology for designing AI-driven digital twins of real cities. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Alexiadis, Dr T Abadie

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Localised urban heat island monitoring to improve regulatory overheating risk assessment of domestic buildings

Leeds Beckett University School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing

The School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing at Leeds Beckett University is currently accepting applications for up to 4 funded full-time PhD Research Studentships. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Parker

17 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Blue Spaces in Urban Places: Lipidomics Underpinning Community Empowerment

Sheffield Hallam University Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre

The Industry and Innovation Research Institute (I2Ri) draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. Read more

Supervisors: Dr R Schwartz-Narbonne, Dr ML Lacey, Dr R Sharpe

10 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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PhD Studentship: Assessing the impact of deep shafts in urban areas - (ENG 1764)

University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering

Construction of large and deep shafts in urban areas is necessary for various construction activities, such as tunnel construction where shafts serve as integral components of the tunnel construction and often operational phases. Read more

Supervisor: Dr A Marshall

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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We have 131 urban PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

urban PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

We have 131 urban PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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