PhD Studentship – Nature-based Solutions (modelling)

There are currently a number of demonstration agri-environmental schemes commencing which incorporate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) linked to farm payments. Tracking the efficacy of the NbS measures included in such schemes and subsequently quantifying the associated environmental benefits accrued will be of huge benefit to many Irish state agencies. It will allow future schemes to be designed to maximise the environmental benefits in the most cost-effective manner possible and will shape future policy in this area.

An outstanding PhD student is sought for a 4-year fully funded project with the objective of providing insight, tools and guidance on the most cost-effective approach to protect water quality & aquatic habitats in different Irish agricultural settings using Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The post is primarily focused on numerical modelling. The successful student will utilise data collected as part of this project (and available in the literature) to simulate existing conditions at a number of study sites across Ireland. The student will then simulate the impacts of implementing the NbS measures at the study sites. Data collected as part of this project will then be used to validate the models and refine and adjust them accordingly. Various scenarios will then be simulated to test the performance of these measures across a range of conditions (including climate change and during extreme events). Finally, catchment-based models (GIS or otherwise) will be developed to simulate the implications of the large-scale rollout of such measures and the projected impacts for water quality & ecology in the catchment.  The student will also be required to assist with the set up and instrumentation of the study sites as part of the wider project team. The study sites will be located in the south and west of Ireland (Munster and Connaught).

This PhD studentship will form part of a larger EPA project entitled AgEValuate which will comprise a team of 3 PhD researchers.

This PhD post will commence by the latest date of April 1st 2024.

Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

• Undertaking desk studies, data analysis, report writing, GIS analysis & drafting academic journal papers.
• Developing hydrological and water quality models (local and regional scale).
• Developing GIS (or alternative) models.
• Assisting with field studies including collecting water samples.
• Assisting with instrumenting field study sites.
• Performing other tasks associated with the post as they arise.

Please see full job description for full application procedure.

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