PhD Studentship: Nitrous Oxide in the Wastewater Industry: Measurement, Monitoring, and Mitigation

Award summary

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

Overview

The project focuses on nitrous oxide (N2O) within the wider context of nitrogen cycling during wastewater treatment. N2O is a potent greenhouse gas and traditional aerobic activated sludge processes are hotspots for extremely high N2O emissions. It is generally considered that imbalances in nitrogen cycling pathways, such as nitrification and denitrification, determine the level of N2O emissions. However, this requires quantification. Therefore, the project will initially experimentally measure N2O alongside key parameters including temperature, oxygen, nitrogen loading, and the functional genes of key N-cycling bacteria to gain a greater understanding of the interactions. A key outcome of this initial work will be to inform the on-site monitoring of N2O and related N-compounds associated with wastewater treatment. The project will also conduct on-site measurements to determine how different treatment processes, e.g. oxidation ditches, and biofilm reactors, can be optimized for N2O mitigation or ultimately complete N2O removal. Overall, the project represents a unique opportunity to engage with the water utility sector with regards to greenhouse gas emissions and help shape the trajectory of mitigation activities. 

Number of awards: 1

Start date: September 2025

Award duration: 4 years

Sponsor: EPSRC & Severn Trent Water

Supervisors

Prof Russell Davenport and Prof Sam Wilson from Newcastle University and Peter Vale and Dr Ziye Dai from Severn Trent Water

Eligibility criteria

Undergraduate Honours Degree (Minimum 2:1), MSc or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project. 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, Newcastle will pay the international fee difference for International applicants (including EU) awarded a WIRe CDT studentship at Newcastle (limited to 1 PhD student per academic year).

Further information will be provided at application stage. 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 WRII2504 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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