Fully funded PhD position available at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of the University of Strathclyde (Scotland, UK) in collaboration with Strathclyde Business School.
Project Start Date: October 2019 (42 months).
Supervisor: Dr Annalisa Riccardi
Eligibility
– Prior knowledge/experience on image processing, remote sensing, big data analytics.
– Computational skills and experience in higher-level languages, such as C/C++ are required. Experience of digital image acquisition will be useful.
– Background in science (maths, computer science) or engineering (electrical & electronic, mechanical, civil) with a first or 2:1 UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent and/or a Masters degree.
– Excellent analytical skills and a demonstrable aptitude to undertake research and develop into an independent researcher
– Aptitude to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment.
– Excellent written and oral English language skills.
Project Details
The project aims at monitoring and mapping from ground and space water and energy networks together with those elements in their surroundings that can have an impact on their accessibility and use. These are for example geomorphic features of the territory, size and shape of habitat/inhabitant centres, crops and plantations, community services, road networks. With this big-data approach, it will be possible to detect cause-effect correlations that are not so intuitive or straightforward. Once the water sources and energy networks are modelled and mapped, the next stage of the project will consist of investigating if and how access to water, sanitation and energy can spill over to financial and economic domains, through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Additional details on the Centre for Doctoral Training
The University of Strathclyde is delighted to announce the establishment of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Socially Progressive Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SPIE). The aim of the CDT is to develop a social science research lab aimed at addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) through market-based mechanisms and theory linked interventions. The CDT aims to train the next generation of researchers who will design, develop and test novel theories to advance research on social entrepreneurship and innovation, and will build capacity through providing training in specialised advanced quantitative and qualitative research methods.
The CDT is a multidisciplinary endeavour bringing together faculty from Strathclyde Business School (Dr. Sreevas Sahasranamam, Dr. Tiago Loncan and Dr. Katerina Nicolopoulou), Dept of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Dr. Annalisa Riccardi and Dr. Edmondo Minisci), and Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Prof. Robert Kalin).
Successful applicants will also be part of a vibrant research group working on UN SDGs consisting of a number of PhD students, research assistants, postdoctoral researchers, academic supervisors as well as other associated faculty. The research group has a number of large-scale active research projects and upcoming proposals, which will provide hands-on training. For instance, Prof. Robert Kalin is the Director, Climate Justice Fund Water Futures Programme, which runs an elaborate project in Malawi mapping its water points.
Funding Details
– One studentship covering home/EU fees and a tax-free stipend circa £15,000 per annum for 42 months.
The student will be part of the Intelligent Computational Laboratory (ICE Lab, www.icelab.uk) of the Aerospace Centre of Excellence of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Application deadline: 15 July 2019
In the first instance, interested parties should contact (with their CV) the supervisor: annalisa.riccardi@strath.ac.uk