Doctoral Training for PhD in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience

This intensive four-year programme will train graduates through rigorous research and collaboration, to advance knowledge and gain expertise in offshore wind energy while promoting sustainability and resilience. This will be achieved by:

• Advancing research methodologies and analytical techniques necessary for conducting original and impactful research in offshore wind farms. 
• Deliver cross-disciplinary collaboration by incorporating principles from engineering, environmental science, economics, psychology, policy, and other pertinent fields to tackle the multifaceted challenges of offshore wind energy.
• Exploring methods for assessing and mitigating the environmental impacts of offshore wind farms, including effects on marine ecosystems, wildlife, and coastal communities.
• Analysing the policy, regulatory, and market frameworks influencing offshore wind energy deployment, including considerations related to permitting, grid integration, financing, and stakeholder engagement.
• Enhancing students' ability to effectively communicate their research findings to diverse audiences, including policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the general public, and engage in outreach activities to promote public awareness and understanding of offshore wind energy.
• Provide, where appropriate, placements with stakeholders (industry, UKRI facilities, academia) who will host students and provide user-specific training.
• Fostering collaborations and community engagement by actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including local communities, industry partners, policymakers, and academia, to address societal challenges and promote the adoption of sustainable practices in wind energy generation.

Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degrees
• Doctoral Degree Characteristics Statement (QAA)
• Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (SEEC)
• Loughborough University Annual Reviews
• Research Council mid-term reviews

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this programme, students will:

• Lead the development and implementation of a substantial original research program in wind energy, resulting in the generation of novel insights and their dissemination through the comprehensive production of a PhD thesis.
• Promote students to conceive, execute, and publish research projects, while providing comprehensive training in research methods tailored to address technological innovation, environmental, and socio-economic challenges in the offshore wind industry.
• Develop a substantial and innovative contribution to the domains of wind energy generation, utilization, or storage, understanding material and manufacturing, and exhibiting expertise in methodological frameworks, engaging in critical discussions with peers also beyond academia, and assuming full responsibility for research outcomes.
• Acquire and develop a range of transferable skills beyond those specific to the domain of wind energy industry (for example: engaging the public with research to improve perceptions and understanding of science; engaging with the policy makers)
•  Act autonomously and with initiative, in a professional capacity with responsibility for self, and often, others working in the green hydrogen and wind energy fields.
• Equip students with advanced research skills and technical expertise through interdisciplinary collaboration.  

Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, Doctoral Researchers should be able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of:

• Apply a comprehensive understanding of knowledge, techniques and methodologies at the forefront of the wind energy discipline within the context of offshore wind energy farms. 
• Originality in the analysis of offshore wind technologies, environmental impact assessment, socio-economic factors, and their impacts on human wellbeing.
• How research and inquiry are used in practice to create and interpret knowledge in the implementation of green energy, focusing on offshore wind energy farms. 
• The selection of relevant and appropriate literature, methods, and techniques for conducting research in renewable energy within the context of offshore wind energy farms.

Skills and other attributes

Subject-specific cognitive skills:

• Develop and apply innovative and highly advanced principles, concepts, theoretical frameworks, and approaches to produce a comprehensive and coherent investigation that underpins new ideas in abstract and complex contexts.

• Implement innovative and highly advanced problem-solving strategies, methods, and techniques to design comprehensive investigations focusing on the adoption and implementation of renewable energy, focusing on offshore wind farm energy.

• Build highly advanced and specialist information and ideas comprehensively, formulating and developing new and transformative proposals to address challenges related to the diffusion and use of renewable energy produced by offshore wind farms.

• Critically analyze and evaluate data and evidence at the forefront of knowledge, developing innovative methodologies to explain, support, and the use of renewable energy, focusing on offshore wind farm energy.

Subject-specific practical skills:

• Comprehensively organizes and communicates innovative strategies for the utilization, adoption, implementation, and diffusion of green energy generated from offshore wind farms, utilizing cutting-edge criteria and frameworks developed for specialized audiences in highly intricate contexts.

• Applies and advances interpersonal, team and networking skills to significantly enhance team performance in the implementation and diffusion of green energy produced via offshore wind farms contributing innovatively to specialist professional communities.

• Designs and develops highly advanced, specialized, and innovative projects and/or activities aimed at transforming learning, work, or practices related to the use and adoption of green energy from offshore wind farms, particularly in highly complex contexts.

Key transferable skills:

• Demonstrate autonomy and proactive initiative in professional roles, assuming accountability for oneself and often for others involved in the production of wind energy endeavors.

• Enhance the capability to effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences, spanning academics, policymakers, practitioners, and industry professionals.

• Navigate effectively within intricate, unpredictable, and specialized environments at the vanguard of knowledge in the green hydrogen and wind energy sectors.

This 4-year full-time, or 8-year part-time programme is comprised of both taught and research elements. The majority of taught modules (100 credits) should be completed by the end of R0, with a final 20 credits completed by the end of R1. The PhD research will begin in month 7 and continue throughout the remainder of the programme. 

Part R0

All students must complete the following:

• Commence Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience research under the supervision of the Loughborough-based supervisors.
• Attendance at the AURA annual research conference.
• Completion of UKRI ED&I training and training offered within the Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme.
• Completion of additional skills training (on an attendance basis) as identified by the CPD assessment.

Progression requirements

Students must successfully attain 100 credits of compulsory modules delivered by the University of Hull and Loughborough University. 

Students who fail to gain credit in a module at the first attempt shall be eligible to take one further reassessment attempt in that module.  Students who fail to attain required modular credit will not be eligible to progress on the programme.  In exceptional circumstances, R0 modules may be completed in R1.

Submission of a satisfactory 1000-word research progress report at the mid-way point for Part-time Doctoral Researchers.

Submission of a satisfactory 2,000-word research progress report at the end of part R0 for all Doctoral researchers. 

Part R1

All students must complete the following:

• Attendance at the AURA annual research conference
• Completion of additional skills training (on an attendance basis) as identified in the CPD assessment.

Progression requirements

Successful attainment of 20 credits from the modules listed above.

Submission of a 1000-word research report at 6 months for part-time Doctoral Researchers.

Submission of a 2,000-word research report at the mid-way point of Part R1 and submission of a satisfactory 10,000-word research report (end of Part report) towards the end of Part R1 in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R1 will follow the schedule below.

Students who fail to gain credit in a module at the first attempt shall be eligible to take one further reassessment attempt in that module.  Students who fail to attain required modular credit will not be eligible to progress on the programme.  In exceptional circumstances, R1 modules may be completed in R2.

At the end of R1, in order to progress to the next part, students are subject to satisfactory progress and performance in research and skills training.  Decisions on research progress will be taken by the Progression Board following consideration of reports from an independent reviewer following oral examination and review of an annual report, and from the supervisors.  

Part R2

Students will complete the following:

• Attendance at the AURA annual research conference
• Completion of additional skills training (on an attendance basis) as identified in the CPD assessment.

Progression Requirements

PhD candidates - Submission of a satisfactory 10,000-word research report (end of Part report) towards the end of Part 2 in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R2 will follow the schedule below.

At the end of R2, the programme board shall consider the progress of students on the basis of their performance in the specialised skills and research elements at which point the student will:

• be permitted to continue with the programme

OR

• be permitted to write up for the degree of MPhil

OR

• have their studies terminated.

Part R3

Doctoral Researchers will complete the following:

• Submission of a mid-part report for part-time Doctoral Researchers.
• At the end of R3, submission of a formal PhD thesis for examination in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI.

Typically, the timetable for reports in R3 will follow the schedule below.

To progress from Part R0 to Part R1, from Part R1 to Part R2 and from Part R2 to Part R3 and to be eligible for an award, candidates must satisfy the assessment requirements set out in Regulation XXVI. Candidates must complete all the requirements for each Part outlined above to progress to the next Part. If an end-of-part report does not meet the standards required for progression, candidates may undertake further work and resubmit the report on one occasion only in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XXVI. 
 
The arrangements for revision of final theses which may be required by the examiners are also set out in Regulation XXVI.