PhD Studentship: Investigating and mitigating the environmental impacts and health effects of residential wood burning In Southwest England and Wales, NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2025 Entry Ref 5408

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP).  The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners:  British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,  the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.  The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/ 

Project details

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via h.zhang5@exeter.ac.uk

Project Aims and Methods

Woodburning produces fine particles, black carbon and other emissions, imposing challenges for human health and climate change. In Southwest England and Wales where high level of socioeconomic inequality exists, there are not just households who cannot afford alternative energy apart from woodburning during winter, but also households who regards wood burner as a middle-class purchase. This project aims to understand wood-burning and associated emissions in Southwest England and Wales, and also possible interventions to reduce air pollution from woodburning, ranging from retrofitting existing wood-burners to trading in existing wood-burner for an electric substitute.  
The doctorate researcher will be able to co-develop one or more of the following directions: 1) surveying the prevalence of wood-burners in Southwest England and Wales; 2) examining the contribution of residential wood burning on ambient air quality in Southwest England and Wales; 3) comparing differences in exposure, wellbeing and potential health effects among participants whose residence has traditional wood-burner, electric wood-burner, and neither; 4) investigating the attitude, awareness and behaviours of using wood-burners; 5) evaluating alternative interventions to abate pollution and improve health, with barriers and facilitators mapped.  
The doctorate researcher will be mentored by a supervision team from University of Exeter, Bristol and Cardiff university.  

Training

The DTP offers funding to undertake specialist training relating to the student’s specialist area of research. 

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