PhD Studentship: Building a Digital Twin of the Tees Estuary to Evaluate the Resilience of Nature based Solutions for Nutrient (N & P) Capture

Award Summary

PhD in Water Infrastructure & Resilience (WIRe) CDT tax-free annual living allowance of £24,000 (increased by £300 in years 2, 3 and 4 each) + research training support grant + UKRI fees paid.

Overview

Northumbrian Water have proposed substantial investments in nature-based solutions (NBS) to deliver nutrient neutrality for the Tees estuary and surrounding coastal waters at scales not seen in the UK. The reduction of nitrogen loading is the primary driver; however, the NBS also have capacity to deliver parallel removal of phosphorus. The NBS include the restoration of native oyster, seagrass, and saltmarsh habitats, together with seaweed and shellfish farming. Success is predicated on ensuring the organisms remain healthy and functional for many years. This project will optimise a ‘Digital Twin’ of the Tees estuary to ensure that the NBS are deployed at locations optimal for performance and longevity while operating within the constraints placed upon deployment by other coastal stakeholders, enabling more cost effective and sustainable nutrient removal. Digital Twins can help with decision-making and performance optimisation; however, there are precious few examples of Digital Twins being used to assess NBS. This project builds on the Newcastle University team’s decades of expertise in modelling the circulation of open oceans, shelf seas and estuaries. The Digital Twin will be used to diagnose the impact of river flows, tides, surges, waves, and sedimentation/resuspension processes on the natural morphology and built infrastructure of the Tees estuary, and to inform the suitability of specific sites along the estuary for the location of NBS installations.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: September 2025

Award duration: 4 years

Sponsor: EPSRC & Northumbrian Water Group

Supervisors

Dr Gary Caldwell Dr Miguel Morales Maqueda Dr Vassilis Glenis at Newcastle University + Chris Jones and Laura Mollon at Northumbrian Water Group 

Eligibility criteria

A First Meng/MSc in a relevant subject or First or upper second class UG degree (2:1). Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements.

Under the 30% UKRI international recruitment policy, successful international student(s) fees will be covered (including EU), limited to 1 PhD student.

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How to apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code:8209F 
• Select ‘PhD Water Infrastructure & Resilience (WIRe)' as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• The studentship code WRII2503 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.  

Contact details: justine.easten@ncl.ac.uk

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