Funded research

Five fully funded Vice Chancellor’s Scholarships have been awarded to students from a range of scientific backgrounds to work on interconnected projects.

Each project is developing new sensors for the accurate, sensitive and real-time monitoring of the health of water and soil systems.

Building on our patented ion sensing technology - accelerated by industry collaboration - we aim to establish a self-sustaining network with a leading reputation for developing industrially relevant technology solutions to address the climate crisis.

EcoSENSE studentship topics

We are delighted to have successfully recruited to all five opportunities described below, but please do review the projects our students are engaged in.

Identification of the contaminants present in soil and water is of key importance when trying to tackle the issues of climate change.

This interdisciplinary project will involve both field and laboratory work as well as close collaboration with our industrial partners to investigate reservoirs of concern and characterise what is present within sediments to identify potential risk contaminants to help drive a proactive approach to mitigation.

This data will crucially inform the development of the advanced multi-sensing systems being developed by the EcoSENSE cluster.

Identification of the contaminants present in soil and water is of key importance when trying to tackle the issues of climate change.

We have previously developed a patented technology - based on the dual encapsulation of luminescent probes - for the detection of contaminants often present in waterways - such as phosphate ions - into crosslinked hydrogels.

This PhD project will investigate methods to optimise analyte transport rate by selecting the appropriate manufacturing technique - for example, fibre spinning - and material to achieve high efficiency of the sensing device.

The specific analytes will be guided by collaboration within the EcoSENSE cluster.

Identification of the many contaminants present in soil and water is of key importance when trying to tackle the issues of climate change.

We have previously developed a patented technology based on the dual encapsulation of luminescent probes for the detection of contaminants often present in waterways - such as phosphate ions - into crosslinked hydrogels.

This PhD project will develop array-based sensors that enable rapid, sensitive and low-cost simultaneous monitoring of multiple analytes. Working closely with our industrial partners - the MAST Group Ltd - it will translate our platform ion sensing technology into devices that have industrial and environmental relevance.

The specific analytes and materials will be guided by collaboration within the EcoSENSE cluster.

The aim of this PhD project is to develop fluorescent polymer sensors for detecting bacterial pathogens in drinking water sources.

You will synthesise a diverse range of fluorescent metal-organic complexes and polymer particles with varied chemistries and use microbiological techniques for studying their binding to different bacteria species.

In collaboration with the EcoSENSE cluster, we will encapsulate these into hydrogels, using our patented technology - delivering new tools with real environmental and industrial applications.

We have previously developed a patented technology based on the dual encapsulation of luminescent probes for the detection of contaminants often present in waterways into crosslinked hydrogels.

This PhD project will design and synthesise novel molecular probes that bind selectively to phosphate anions enabling precise measurement of phosphate in water.

In collaboration with the EcoSENSE cluster, we will encapsulate these luminescent probes into hydrogels, using our patented technology - delivering new tools with real environmental and industrial applications.