Pesticides have been used extensively over past decades to treat pests in agriculture. In consequence many of those persistent compounds have accumulated in soils and waterways. Water sources that are used for drinking water supplies are now often contaminated with such compounds which require advanced treatment such as nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane processes. The water supply of Paris, Mery-sur-Oise, uses Nanofiltration due to water contaminated with atrazine. When designing such treatment plants it is of paramount importance that membranes are selected based on (i) the retention of target compounds such as pesticides, (ii) water permeability and hence energy efficiency, and (iii) low fouling potential. This project will identify the criteria how such membranes should be evaluated and characterized in order to guarantee the long term performance with regards to those performance indicators.

Aims of this project are to:

Study the retention of selected pesticides as a function of chemical characteristics of the pesticides, solution chemistry realistic to drinking water applications and membrane type
Development of a predictive model of those retention mechanisms
Determine the impact of membrane fouling on the retention mechanisms
Compare small scale tests with full scale plant performance
Recommend best practice for pesticide removal taking into account water and energy efficiency as well as full process costing

The project will utilize a custom built benchscale membrane crossflow filtration unit in which several membranes can be tested simultaneously. The project is conducted in collaboration with the University of Leuven where the student will be trained with regards to pesticide analysis using HPLC. Testing with arrange of solution chemistries (pH, ionic strength, concentration, presence of various matrix compounds such as organic matter and multivalent salts) will be performed in a systematic manner to determine model parameters. Further studies will be performed with fouled membranes where in depth mass balance will assist with the determination of contaminant partiotionning between the different phases. In the final stage of the PhD a large industry project will be used to upscale the laboratory results and in consequence assist with process improvements and cost saving for industry.

One scholarship in the order of £12,000 per annum plus tuition fees (European citizens only) for a period of three years is available. Candidates are also encouraged to apply for scholarships in their home countries. Research facilities are located in the new Rankine Building with the environmental engineering laboratories being equipped with new and cutting edge facilities.

Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team.

Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page proposal for their research and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts and should contact (preferably via email) Professor Andrea Schäfer, Chair in Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Electronics
The University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK
Tel +44(0) 131 650 7209. Email Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk

Water Supply for Developing Countries using Membrane Technology and Renewable Energy

Every year millions of people, especially children die in developing countries due to lack of access to safe drinking water. Contaminants such as bacteria and viruses cause immediately lethal infections while compounds such as arsenic cause long term health effects [the World Health Organisation and United Nations website give extensive overview of the problems of water supplies for developing countries]. A system developed by this research team, has the ability to purify water to a level that is safe and can safe many lives. The system combines submerged ultrafiltration with nanofiltration or reverse osmosis and is powered with a renewable energy source such as photovoltaics, wind or microhydro. This combination of technologies makes the system autonomous and hence not requiring local infrastructure, and is environmentally sustainable.

This project will identify the operating window of such a system as a function of the energy source, location, water quality and the environmental circumstances. Testing will be performed in the laboratory and selected field locations such as Africa, Australia, Papua New Guinea depending on the focus of the project and the specific interests of the candidate.

Aims of this project are to:

Determine the operating window of the system as a function of energy quantity and quality
Evaluate the removal of inorganic trace contaminants
Determine the extent of membrane fouling depending on local conditions
Optimise fouling mitigation strategies
Integrate the findings of this study with current practices in developing country water supplies

Interaction of Trace Organic Contaminant with Polymeric Membranes

Membrane processes such as nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are used commonly in water and wastewater treatment applications where trace organics are to be removed. This applies to the treatment of contaminated surface waters, wastewaters as well as water recycling applications. To date there is very little understanding on the removal mechanisms of trace organics and their fate in conventional and advanced treatment systems. Trace organics such as pharmaceutically active compounds, pesticides, natural & synthetic hormones, etc can have varying effects on the environment. In aquatic wildlife effects such as sex changes or in organisms higher in the food chain infertility has been observed [the book ‘Our stolen future’ by Theo Colborn may be of interest for further information on this fascinating topic].

Trace organic compounds adsorb to polymeric membranes which are cutting edge technology used commonly in water & wastewater treatment as well as wastewater recycling. The mechanisms of retention, adsorption and desorption as well as the interaction with fouling layers are poorly understood. The ability to describe and quantify these retention mechanisms will be crucial in predicting and understanding performance. The accumulation and sudden release of hazardous compounds may pose a significant risk in water treatment and recycling applications.

This project will identify sorption mechanisms and determine the retention of membranes as a function of chemical characteristics of the contaminants, mechanistically describe the release of trace organic compounds during desorption scenarios as well as develop a model to predict performance.

Aims of this project are to:

Determine the mechanisms of trace organics adsorption and desorption to membranes and to evaluate the possible risk of accumulation and subsequent release.
Develop a predictive model to relate the chemical properties of key trace organics to their retention by membrane processes such as NF and RO in complex aqueous matrices.
Elucidate how membrane fouling affects the retention and accumulation of selected trace organics.
Quantify trace organics in concentrates and cleaning effluents that will require treatment and/or disposal.
Integrate the findings of this study with current practices in water cycle management.

Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page proposal for their research and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts and should contact (preferably via email): Professor Andrea Schäfer, Chair in Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Electronics
The University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK
Tel +44(0) 131 650 7209 - Fax +44(0) 131 650 6781 Email Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk

Soil, Sediment and Groundwater Remediation

A full-time PhD studentship in sediment bioremediation is available in the Institute for Infrastructure and Environment at the School of Engineering and Electronics at The University of Edinburgh, UK.
These studentships are fully funded for three years and provide tax-free stipends (approximately ₤13,000 per annum), plus university fees for UK and EU candidates only due to funding restrictions. International are still welcome to apply but they need to find alternative funding.

Research area
The proposed research is a multidisciplinary collaboration between the fields of analytical chemistry, and environmental engineering at the University of Edinburgh as well as molecular ecology at Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
The project will explore new applications enabled by reactive engineered nanomaterials (RENs) in sediment remediation and their environmental implications. Research includes the following areas: (1) Investigation of the processes that control the fate and behaviour of target contaminants in sediments under remediation conditions; (2) Effect of the applications of RENs on the removal of halogenated organic contaminants in sediments and (3) Effect of the application of RENs on the local microbial biodiversity.
The project allows for the application of a wide range of chemical and molecular biology analytical tools hence providing excellent training as well as travel opportunities including a research visit in The Netherlands as well as national and international conferences.

Eligibility
Applications are welcome from enthusiastic and self-motivated candidates with 1st or 2.1 honours degree (or equivalent) in engineering, environment, chemistry, materials or a related field. Previous laboratory experience will be particularly welcome.

Facilities
Research facilities are located in the new Rankine Building. The University of Edinburgh has an extensive general skills training program to ascertain strong career development opportunities for postgraduate research students.

Application
Interested candidates are invited to submit a full application to the School of Engineering and Electronics at http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/apply. The application should include the following documents: comprehensive cover letter, full application form, at least two references, English language certificates (if English is not the native language), project proposal (two pages including references; outline of the candidate's research input based on interests and skills). For further details or informal enquiries please contact Dr Blanca Antizar-Ladislao (e-mail: B.Antizar-Ladislao@ed.ac.uk) at the University of Edinburgh.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday, 16 January 2009.

SAfe Drinking Water using Appropriate Technologies for Ghana (SADWAT-GHANA)

A PhD Studentship is available for a candidate with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) interested in exciting applications of membrane processes for water supply in international development applications.

Aims of this Project
SADWAT-GHANA is a project funded by a Leverhulme Royal Society Africa Award (2010-2012) with a number of collaborators in Scotland and Ghana. The overall project aims to develop locally sustainable technology that can remove natural as well as anthropogenic metals (F, NO3, U, As) occurring in ground- and surface waters in rural Ghana simultaneously with microbiological contaminants.

Specifically this will be achieved by 5 Milestones:

MS1: Critical evaluation of the water situation in rural Ghana
MS2: Evaluation of metal removal using ultrafiltration-nanofiltration (UF-NF) in Ghana water matrices
MS3: Potential of metals removal using local sorbents and UF
MS4: Determine opportunities to power such decentralised treatment systems with renewable energy
MS5: Assess technology robustness, energy consumption, maintenance requirements, life cycle costs and commercialisation potential in Ghana through local enterprise facilitation.

Ideally there will be two major outcomes: i) a research unit in Ghana with the know how to develop such processes, and ii) an enterprise network that installs systems, trains local operators and maintains such technologies.

Depending on candidate interests and abilities there is room to accommodate and focus on specific interests within the project scope. The candidate will be spending a significant amount of time in Ghana during this PhD with the collaborating institution KNUST as well as in rural areas.

Application Procedure
One scholarship of approximately £8000 per annum for 3.5 years plus international tuition fees (approx £12000/yr), travel and small equipment/consumables is available to citizens of all nationalities. We have not set a deadline for applications and the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. Additional funding in this subject area may be available for UK and EU applicants as well as candidates successful in applying for general SORSAS or China scholarships.
Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page research proposal citing current literature on the topic and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts and should contact (preferably via email) to:

Professor Andrea Schäfer, Chair in Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK

Tel +44(0) 131 650 7209 - Fax +44(0) 131 650 6781 Email Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk Instructions on how to formally apply for admission: http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/ or contact Sue Simpson sue.t.simpson@ed.ac.uk

Membrane Distillation for Water and Wastewater Treatment

A PhD project is available for a candidate with a background in either process/chemical/environmental engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) interested in exciting applications of membrane processes for water treatment applications.

Aims of this Project
The project investigates the potential of membrane distillation technologies for water and wastewater treatment. Membrane distillation is an upcoming technology and has not been employed in the market for practical large scale commercial purposes yet. There are various technical and scientific issues that require advancement before such technology will become fully viable technically and commercially. Membrane distillation offers advantages over other membrane processes as it employs both the physical and thermodynamic barriers to achieve separation. It also requires lower energy than other membrane techniques for separation of dissolved species from highly concentrated solutions.

In this project the potential of membrane distillation will be investigated. This will involve a critical literature review on existing membrane distillation applications, the design of modules, limitation of operations in terms of feed characteristics, and recovery and operational temperature using fundamentals of heat and mass transfer operations, and utilization of renewable energy and/or waste heat. This project will be in collaboration with other existing projects related to use of renewable energy for membrane processes. For interested candidates the application of the technology in the field will be possible including the option of developing country applications.

The project will be co-supervised by Prof Andrea Schäfer (Institute for Infrastructure and Environment) and Prof Roya Sheikholeslami (Institute for Materials & Processes).

Candidate
Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a background in either process/chemical/environmental engineering and/or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research environment. A first class honours or upper second is the minimum qualification requirement. Independent work, strong self-motivation, eagerness to publish in high ranking journals, awareness of equality and diversity, good team spirit and excellent communication skills are important assets of the successful candidate. Good candidates with strong academic background in mass transfer, heat transfer, thermodynamics, physical and chemical processes, and membrane separations, with an interest in this field, excited by working in a stimulating multi-disciplinary research environment and the willingness to learn and trained in this challenging area are encouraged to apply.

Application Procedure
There is no deadline for applications and the project will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. Funding in this subject area will be available for UK and EU applicants as well as candidates successful in applying for general SORSAS or China scholarships. Please note that deadlines apply for such scholarships and they require separate applications and that admission to the PhD program does not guarantee funding. Industry funding is available for the construction of a bench scale membrane distillation system as well as consumables.

Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a one-page research proposal on the topic and sending (preferably via email) their curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list, if relevant) as well as academic transcripts to the following two email addresses:

Professor Roya Sheikholeslami
Chair of Chemical Process Engineering
School of Engineering
The University of Edinburgh
Sanderson Building
The King's Buildings
Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK

Tel +44(0)1316517071 Fax +44(0)1316506551
Email Roya.Sheikholeslami@ed.ac.uk

Professor Andrea Schäfer
Chair of Environmental Engineering
School of Engineering
The University of Edinburgh
William Rankine Building
The King's Buildings
Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK

Tel +44(0)1316507209 Fax +44(0)1316506781
Email Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk

Microfluidic and Biosensor Devices for Detection of Waterborne Pathogens

PhD projects are available for good EU or UK candidates with a background in chemical/environmental engineering or the physical sciences, interested in developing microfluidic and biosensor based devices for the detection of waterborne pathogens.

Background: Contamination of water by cryptosporidium parvum protozoa is a serious global issue. This pathogen causes severe diarrhoea and can be fatal for immuno-compromised individuals as well as infants and young children in developing countries. In developing countries it is estimated that 250-500 million cases occur each year. Since the pathogen is resistant to many conventional water treatment methods, cryptosporidium outbreaks are a problem even in the developed world negatively impacting upon both population health and economic development (through lost productivity) and daily monitoring of the water supply is required.
The cryptosporidium detection protocol currently adopted by water companies utilises immuno-magnetic separation, staining with fluorescent dyes and microscopic examination and identification. From sample collection to a result in the laboratory takes around 3 days. Subsequent determination of species or viability requires further testing. This time lag allows for cryptosporidium oocysts to reach consumer taps before action can be taken to contain a potential outbreak. Additionally, the method is expensive and requires experienced, highly trained technicians.

Clearly, more rapid, easy to operate testing techniques offering a greater degree of information (e.g. viability) are desirable. Our work focuses on biosensors and microfluidic systems for pathogen separation, concentration and detection.

Projects: Several projects are currently ongoing. Within the biosensor area we are studying different surface chemistries to improve the detection limit, applying different sensor technologies to the detection of waterborne pathogens and investigating the application of dielectrophoresis and electrohydrodynamic flow to enhance sample delivery to the sensor. The current microfluidic project aims to develop a deterministic lateral displacement device for the separation and concentration of pathogens and will be extended to consider viability based separations. PhD projects are available in all of the above areas and the exact focus of the PhD can be negotiated in accordance with the interests of the candidate.

Candidate: Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a 1st or 2.1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Projects are interdisciplinary and willingness to learn, self-motivation, ability to take the initiative and work independently as well as excellent communication skills are important assets of a successful candidate.

Facilities: The University of Edinburgh (UoE), as well as the School of Engineering, is a successful host to a large number of PhD candidates offering a wide range of courses to enable both project specific skills and transferable skills to be gained. Research facilities are located in the new William Rankine Building at UoE. The candidate will be a member of a small newly formed research group focusing on biosensors and microfluidics for waterborne pathogen detection though will also benefit from interaction with the group of Professor Schäfer working on water treatment. There is also the potential for interaction with industry through links with Scottish Water and Shaw Water Engineering as well as international secondments with our international collaborators.

Application procedure: Please note that an offer of admission doesn’t guarantee a studentship and a separate application will be required for funding. Deadlines for funding applications vary with different schemes available. Upcoming deadlines include:

26th February for SORSAS http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/internat/ors.htm and
15th March for the Principal’s Career Development PhD Scholarships http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/development.htm and mid-April for School funded DTA awards.

Interested candidates are invited to apply to the School of Engineering at http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/ and are encouraged to contact Dr Helen Bridle, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, EH9 3JL. Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 5814. E-mail: h.bridle@ed.ac.uk.

Clean Water from Clean Energy

The Diversity in Engineering PhD Scholarship has been created by the University of Edinburgh for the first time in 2010 to promote gender and cultural diversity awareness in the engineering discipline. The stipend is linked to an extracurricular School of Engineering wide activity of diversity that the recipient will lead. The studentship is available for a candidate of any nationality with a background in environmental/ process/chemical/energy engineering, physics, chemistry or environmental science (or equivalent) interested in water treatment and renewable energy – and an interest in the promotion of equality & diversity.

Aims of this Project
The technology addresses the issue of providing safe drinking water in remote areas where water quality and quantity are highly variable and energy supply is unreliable or unavailable. The water quality issues of concern are dissolved contaminants such as fluoride, nitrate and arsenic. The goal of this PhD project is to further develop a renewable energy (RE) powered electrodialysis reversal (EDR) system – nicknamed REEDR – for autonomous treatment of drinking water that can overcome shortfalls of reverse osmosis (RO) technology in the desalination of brackish and high salinity waters.
The specific aims are to:

Commission a new system and determine energy efficiency and removal of dissolved contaminants by this system
Investigate the impact of fluctuating energy and electrode reversal on fouling prevention
Determine advantages of REEDR for brackish water over the more established RO technology, in the areas of: i) reduced maintenance by controlling fouling (blocking) of the membranes; ii) increased efficiency (water output per unit energy consumed); and iii) system robustness to energy fluctuations.
Identify safe operating window for REEDR when operating from fluctuating renewable energy power supplies.
Investigate energy sacrifice and performance gain of possible pre-treatment stages.
Develop robust system prototype ready for long term testing in remote field locations including developing countries and participate in such a field trial.
Make a significant contribution to the promotion of diversity in the School as well as the Engineering community.

The project is embedded into a range of activities at Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt where renewable energy powered membrane systems are developed and tested. The team consists of 5-6 PhDs working in this specific area at present. The project has received initial proof of concept funding from Scottish Enterprise.

Facilities
The University of Edinburgh as well as the School of Engineering is a successful host to a large number of PhD Candidates through their graduate school with a vast range of courses in career development for students on offer. Research facilities are located in the new William Rankine Building (Schäfer) with the environmental engineering laboratories being equipped with new and cutting edge facilities. Heriot-Watt University – also located in the city of Edinburgh – is collaborating on this project and provides the energy and systems engineering research base for this project, already hosting a number of solar-and wind-powered filtration systems. This collaborative research represents one of the research strands being pursued by the newly formed Scottish Institute for Solar Energy Research (SISER) – see: http://siser.eps.hw.ac.uk/research/water.html. The joint Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt team engages in a yearly research retreat that facilitates inter-group collaboration as well as personal and career development.

Candidate
Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team. A first class honours or upper second is the minimum qualification requirement. Independent work, strong self-motivation, eagerness to publish in high ranking journals, awareness of equality and diversity, good team spirit and excellent communication skills are important assets of the successful candidate. Experience in industry and/or awareness of international development issues will be beneficial. In the spirit of this scholarship applications are open to all nationalities and candidates are invited to outline their interest and intended engagement in diversity promotion. Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page research proposal outlining their research motivation and citing current literature on the topic and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts (preferably via email) to:

Professor Andrea Schäfer, Chair of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK
Tel +44(0) 131 650 7209 -Fax +44(0) 131 650 6781 Email Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk

Professor Bryce Richards, Professor in Solar Energy Systems, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Nasmyth Building, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom
Tel +44(0) 131 451 3614 -Fax +44(0) 131 451 3129 email: B.S.Richards@hw.ac.uk

The role of nanoparticles in micropollutant transport

A PhD project is available for a candidate with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) interested in environmental fate and transport of micropollutants such as endocrine disrupters and nanoparticles.

Aims of this Project
Nanoparticles occur naturally in the environment, are added to materials or treatment processes in a controlled manner and can be abundant from various diffuse anthropogenic sources. Similarly micropollutants are increasingly abundant in the environment. In this project the interaction and fate of such pollutants will be investigated with an application to water treatment and reuse. The projects aims are;

critically review toxicology and characterisation literature on carbonaceous nanoparticles and micropollutants of relevance to water treatment and reuse,
establish a polymer-based third phase partitioning methodology suitable to quantify mechanistically the interaction between nanoparticles and selected micropollutants in a complex water matrix,
develop water treatment and reuse application to harvest findings of those investigations with regards to using nanoparticles for enhanced treatment processes.

The project funded as part of the Universitas 21 collaboration initiative (http://www.universitas21.com/) that allows the joint award of PhDs by selected institutions from this network. The candidate will be spending time at both institutions and a programme will be negotiated to suit the requirements of the project and the candidate. It is anticipated that this will most likely take a form of a research base in one location with about a third of the time (approx one year) spent at the other institution. The candidate will be jointly supervised by Prof Andrea Schäfer (Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, Edinburgh) and Prof Beate Escher (Entox, University of Queensland).

Facilities
The University of Edinburgh as well as the School of Engineering is a successful host to a large number of PhD Candidates through their graduate school with a vast range of courses in career development for students on offer. Research facilities are located in the new William Rankine Building (Schäfer) with the environmental engineering laboratories being equipped with new and cutting edge facilities. The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox) is a multidisciplinary research centre focused nationally and internationally on assessing the risks of environmental toxins on the environment and on human health. It has a large number of graduate research students, international associates and industry clients. Water reuse and water quality assessment are among the research priorities of Entox. Entox is a partnership between The University of Queensland and Queensland Health and shares world-class facilities with the co-located Queensland Health laboratories that are onsite.

Candidate
Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent), who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team. A first class honours or upper second is the minimum qualification requirement. Independent work, strong self-motivation, eagerness to publish in high ranking journals, awareness of equality and diversity, good team spirit and excellent communication skills are important assets of the successful candidate. Applications are open to all nationalities and no deadline applies. Willingness to travel and work in two different continents/countries, academic institutions and two supervisors is an important prerequisite and opportunity of this project. Please note that an offer of admission does not guarantee a studentship and separate application will be required to qualify for funding, deadlines for funding applications vary with different schemes available. Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page research proposal outlining their research motivation and citing current literature on the topic and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts (preferably via email) to:

Professor Beate Escher, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia Tel +61 (0)7 3274 9180 -Fax +61 (0)7 3274 9003 Email b.escher@uq.edu.au

Instructions on how to formally apply for admission: http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/ or contact Sue Simpson sue.t.simpson@ed.ac.uk

Membrane Water Supply Technology for Small Indigenous Communities

A PhD project is available for a candidate with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) interested in exciting applications of membrane processes for water treatment applications.

Aims of this Project
Water provision in small communities can be problematic due to variable water quantity and quality, lacking infrastructure of both electricity and distribution system, waste disposal as well as the availability of skilled labour and spare parts for maintenance. While the technology to provide high quality water exists and systems can be constructed to operate semi-automatically, many issues of operation and maintenance remain unresolved. This project aims to

analyse existing small membrane water supply systems in Scotland and New Zealand with regards to system performance. This will cover failures and their management, operational strategies as well as energy consumption and availability. During this part of the project will build on a strong interaction with the local water industry,
incorporate the findings into the design of an autonomous and robust system that can be a) implemented in remote communities without existing infrastructure, b) private supplies in the Scottish Islands or New Zealand Tramping Huts, and c) disaster relief situations,
develop the socio-economic integration and management plan for each scenario based on existing performance data such as failures and energy requirements, findings of the Mauri model of sustainability and the perception of indigenous communities about the suggested technology.

The project is supported as part of the Universitas 21 collaboration initiative (http://www.universitas21.com/) that allows the joint award of PhDs by selected institutions from this network. The candidate will be spending time at both institutions and a programme will be negotiated to suit the requirements of the project and the candidate. It is anticipated that this will most likely take a form of a research base at Edinburgh with about a third of the time (approx one year) spent in New Zealand for field work – or vice versa. The candidate will be jointly supervised by Prof Andrea Schäfer (Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, Edinburgh) and Dr Kepa Morgan (Civil & Environmental Engineering, Auckland).

Facilities
The University of Edinburgh as well as the School of Engineering is a successful host to a large number of PhD Candidates through their graduate school with a vast range of courses in career development for students on offer. Research facilities are located in the new William Rankine Building (Schäfer) with the environmental engineering laboratories being equipped with new and cutting edge facilities. The University of Auckland and the Faculty of Engineering provides excellent supervision for doctoral research incorporating world-class laboratories and established networks with indigenous remote and rural communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and other Pacific nations. Auckland region provides a convenient base from which to conduct field studies in these communities as well as hosting a large contingent of indigenous scholars in a number of tertiary institutions.

Candidate
Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team. A first class honours or upper second is the minimum qualification requirement. Independent work, strong self-motivation, eagerness to publish in high ranking journals, awareness of equality and diversity, good team spirit and excellent communication skills are important assets of the successful candidate. Applications are open to all nationalities and no deadline applies. Willingness to travel and work in two different continents/countries, academic institutions and two supervisors is an important prerequisite and opportunity of this project. Please note that an offer of admission does not guarantee a studentship and separate application will be required to qualify for funding, deadlines for funding applications vary with different schemes available. Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page research proposal outlining their research motivation and citing current literature on the topic and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts and should contact (preferably via email) to:

Dr Kepa Morgan, Associate Dean Maori/Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
Tel + 64 (0)9 3737599 ext83263 -Fax 64 (0)9 3737462 Email k.morgan@auckland.ac.nz

Optimising Fixation in Osteoporotic Bone Fractures

An ambitious researcher is sought for a fully funded PhD programme. The study will employ finite element analysis and mechanical tests to develop guidelines for optimising fixation of fractures in osteoporotic bones.

Project Background
Fracture due to osteoporosis is a major problem and its incidence is expected to continue to rise with the increasing ageing population. A significant proportion of these fractures are treated by stabilisation devices that utilise smooth wires, screws or pins of stainless steel or titanium to attach the bone to an external frame or internal plate. The relation between complex osteoporotic bone micro-structure and implant performance is not well understood. Implants designed for bone of good quality may not perform well in bone of poor quality. Improved understanding of the mechanical response of osteoporotic bone to components used in fracture fixation could help to significantly reduce patient suffering and the associated cost burden. Currently patients' osteoporosis level or the properties of the bone are not taken into account in any robust manner in the choice of implants and there is a lack of consistency in treatments. The proposed study aims to investigate: unilateral and Ilizarov external fixators; and standard and locking plates. In these devices a significant proportion of load transfer across the fracture takes place through a plate or an external frame via the screws/wires that traverse the bone. Currently there appears to be no accepted methodology for selecting a fixation device for different bone properties. There also appears to be a wide variability in the configurations used by different surgeons even when they adopt the same device.
The aims of the study are:

To evaluate the typical and worst case scenarios of loads exerted on bone by the components of different fixation devices employed in varying configurations. Also, to estimate how loads are shared amongst different components of various constructs.
To conduct detailed 3D finite element analyses of osteoporotic bone-screw/wire interaction using computational models of varying levels of complexity and loading scenarios. Validate the models using in vitro experiments and patient data.
To develop recommendations for optimum fixation for a wide range of clinical scenarios.

Successful applicants will work under the joint supervision of Dr Pankaj Pankaj (School of Engineering) and Professor Hamish Simpson (School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health). To enhance knowledge and skills base in this multidisciplinary area appropriate taught courses will be provided to the successful applicants.
Funding and Eligibility: The studentship is funded by the Furlong Research and Charitable Foundation. The award includes full UK/EU tuition fees plus a doctoral stipend equivalent to UK Research Council National Minimum. Due to funding restrictions the studentship is open only to UK/EU nationals.

Academic Criteria: We are seeking a high calibre candidate and applicants would be expected to have at least a 2:1 Honours degree in Mechanical/Civil/Structural/Biomedical Engineering degree. Experience with finite element analysis would be an advantage.

Application procedure: Candidates should contact Dr Pankaj Pankaj (pankaj@ed.ac.uk) with their CV in the first instance. Candidates should also apply for a PhD using the University’s online system EUCLID: http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/finder/details.php?id=26. They should ensure the chosen programme is: PhD in Engineering and Electronics (Infrastructure and the Environment, PRPHDENGEL3F).

Application deadline: The application deadline is 20th August 2010. The selected candidate is expected to start as early as possible and no later than October 2010.

New Materials for the Monitoring/Treatment of Waterborne Pathogens

PhD projects are available for good candidates with a background in chemical/environmental engineering or the physical sciences, interested in developing new materials for the monitoring or treatment of waterborne pathogens.

Projects: Several projects are currently available and the exact focus of the PhD can be negotiated in accordance with the interests of the candidate.

In collaboration with Professor Mark Bradley (UoE, School of Chemistry) polymer microarrays have been used to identify polymer materials, which either promote or prevent the attachment of pathogens. Initial work has focussed on protozoa; one project is available to extend this work, to further characterise the interactions and explore applications. A second project is available, using the microarray approach with other waterborne pathogens. Finally, a third project is available investigating the use of nanomaterials within the monitoring or treatment of protozoan pathogens. For more details about any of these projects please get in touch with Dr Helen Bridle (h.bridle@ed.ac.uk).

Candidate: Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a 1st honours degree (or 2.1 plus Masters with Distinction) in a relevant subject. Projects are interdisciplinary and willingness to learn, self-motivation, ability to take the initiative and work independently as well as excellent communication skills are important assets of a successful candidate.

Facilities: The University of Edinburgh (UoE), as well as the Schools of Engineering and Chemistry, is a successful host to a large number of PhD candidates offering a wide range of courses to enable both project specific skills and transferable skills to be gained. Research facilities for these projects are located in the new William Rankine Building at UoE. The candidate will be a member of a small newly formed research group though will also benefit from interactions with other Environmental Engineering PhD students and the group of Professor Bradley. There is also the potential for interaction with industry through links with Scottish Water. Supervisor: Dr Helen Bridle: http://drhelenbridle.weebly.com/

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-funding/postgraduate/uk-eu/university-scholarships/overview for the Principal’s Career Development PhD Scholarships and the College Postgraduate Studentships. Further University of Edinburgh funding might become available in February/March but it is strongly recommended that all candidates apply by 1st February.

Interested candidates are invited to apply to the School of Engineering at http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/ and are encouraged to first discuss both projects, the funding available and the application process with Dr Helen Bridle, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, EH9 3JL. Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 5814. E-mail: h.bridle@ed.ac.uk.

Microfluidic Systems for the Detection of Waterborne Pathogens

PhD projects are available for good candidates with a background in chemical/environmental engineering, physical sciences or life sciences interested in developing new microfluidic systems for the detection of waterborne pathogens.

Projects: Development of microfluidic systems for waterborne pathogens offers many challenges and the exact focus of the PhD can be negotiated in accordance with the interests of the candidate.

Molecular methods are useful for the detection of waterborne pathogens as information on species and/or viability can be obtained. Such protocols can be miniaturised and performed on microfluidic chips. For the on chip detection of the pathogen Cryptosporidium there are several stages requiring work, including the development of a reliable extraction method from single oocysts, creation of an on-chip NASBA system and choice of appropriate detection technology. There are further issues related to system integration of microfluidic devices, especially related to coupling to sample processing units, to create systems capable of processing larger water volumes, with minimal user input.
An alternative to the use of molecular methods is microfluidic systems coupled with electrical manipulation and detection protocols, e.g. dielectrophoresis or electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Further work is needed to design, characterise and develop these systems.
For more details about these projects please get in touch with Dr Helen Bridle (h.bridle@ed.ac.uk).

Facilities: The University of Edinburgh (UoE), as well as the Schools of Engineering and Chemistry, is a successful host to a large number of PhD candidates offering a wide range of courses to enable both project specific skills and transferable skills to be gained. Research facilities for these projects are located in the new William Rankine Building at UoE. The candidate will be a member of a small newly formed research group though will also benefit from interactions with other Environmental Engineering PhD students. There is also the potential for interaction with industry through links with Scottish Water. Supervisor: Dr Helen Bridle: http://drhelenbridle.weebly.com/

School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JL
Tel: 0131 650 5573 Fax: 0131 650 6554 Email: pgresearch@see.ed.ac.uk

Last modified Thursday, 12-Jun-2008 12:08:26 BST

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