A fully funded PhD scholarship is available with Dr. Bing Guo at Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of Surrey, UK, in collaboration with James Hutton Institute.
The fund covers student tuition fees, plus a stipend of £15285 per year. The scholarship is SCENARIO programme, Natural Environment Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership with University of Reading, the University of Surrey, and other institutes.
Deadline: 22 January 2021.
Topic: Understanding risks and optimising anaerobic digestion to minimise pathogen and antimicrobial resistance genes entering the environment
The project aims to:
evaluate pathogen/ARG content of common AD feedstocks
understand the role of feedstock type and process conditions on pathogen/ARG persistence
compare persistence of pathogens/ARG in traditional organic waste-amended soils vs. digestate-amended soils.
Requirements:
A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each).
Candidates will ideally have a Masters’ Degree in biological sciences, environmental science, environmental engineering or a related topic or a good (2.1 or 1st class) honours degree in the above subject areas. They will show an aptitude for understanding process control and working in a precise manner. They should be a self-starter with the confidence to interact with a wide range of contacts from academic to laboratory staff and industrial contacts and they must demonstrate enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Experience in microbiology, molecular biology or environmental engineering would be advantageous.
How to apply: https://research.reading.ac.uk/scenario/apply/
Apply using the University of Reading online application service. You will need to create an account with the online application service. This projects reference number is SC2021_36 under the SCENARIO theme of BC, Biogeochemical cycles.
The selection process will be a few rounds between the supervisors and the SCENARIO panel. Please make sure you have the following documents.
CV
Official transcripts of your higher education qualifications, inclusive of grades
Contact details of two academic references
Evidence of your proficiency in English if English is not your first language
Statement of your research interests: a 1- or 2-page document that motivates your choice of projects based on your academic background and interests. This is also where you could add evidence for your research ability and/or relevant past experience (placements and internships, past research projects, relevant summer jobs, etc.).