PhD Studentship: Role of regional sediment connectivity in coastal resilience

Project Title: Role of regional sediment connectivity in coastal resilience

Supervisory team

DoS Supervisor Dr Tim Scott (timothy.scott@plymouth.ac.uk)

2^nd Supervisor Prof. Gerd Masselink (g.masselink@plymouth.ac.uk)

3^rd Supervisor Dr Kit Stokes (christopher.stokes@plymouth.ac.uk)

4^th Supervisor Prof. Daniel Conley (daniel.conley@plymouth.ac.uk)

Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 October 2023.

Project Description

We are offering a fully funded 3.5-year PhD position associated with the ‘Building Community Resilience on a Dynamic Coast by Making Space for Sand (MS4S)’ project, awarded to Cornwall Council (CC) under the £150M Environment Agency Resilience fund.

The project recognises that allowing coastal sedimentary systems to adapt naturally to sea-level rise can improve coastal resilience. Therefore, instead of trying to adapt and manage natural systems, nature can be allowed to take its course and infrastructure and communities can be adapted to make space for sand. Coastal resilience is often considered synonymous with sediment abundance, as it is the presence of coastal sediment stores that controls the natural ability of the coast to adapt to storms and sea-level rise forcing.

This PhD will contribute to the MS4S project by furthering our understanding of the regional-scale coastal sediment resource throughout the Cornish coast, and link these coast-wide observations to regional hydrodynamic and sediment transport models and hence sediment transport pathways and connectivity.

To achieve this the PhD will involve the collection of an unprecedented dataset evaluating the 3D structure of sediment resource in Cornwall. You will develop expertise in the use of state-of-the-art topographic, bathymetric and sub-surface survey systems, often utilising our autonomous survey platforms (drones and autonomous surface vessels) and sediment analysis tools (including XRF provenance).  Subsequently, regional Deflt3D morphodynamic modelling will add process insight that, along with observations, will inform sediment connectivity modelling. Finally, the project will evaluate the role of coastal sediment supply for natural coastal adaption along the Cornish coast due to sea-level rise.

Key references

• Masselink G, Brooks S, Poate T, Stokes C & Scott T (2022) 'Coastal dune dynamics in embayed settings with sea-level rise – Examples from the exposed and macrotidal north coast of SW England' Marine Geology 450.
• Harley MD, Masselink G, Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu A, Valiente NG & Scott T (2022) 'Single extreme storm sequence can offset decades of shoreline retreat projected to result from sea-level rise' Communications Earth & Environment 3, (1).
• King EV, Conley DC, Masselink G,Leonardi N, McCarroll RJ, Scott T, & Valiente NG (2021) Wave, tide and topographical controls on headland sand bypassing. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126.
• Valiente NG, Masselink G, McCarroll RJ, Scott T, Conley D & King E (2020) 'Nearshore sediment pathways and potential sediment budgets in embayed settings over a multi-annual timescale' Marine Geology 427.

Training, Mentoring, Eligibility and Funding

Please click on the links for more information on:

• Training and mentoring
• Eligibility
• Funding notes 

Enquiries and Applications

To discuss this project further informally, contact Dr Tim Scott (timothy.scott@plymouth.ac.uk).

To apply for this position please visit here.

Please clearly state the name of the studentship you are applying for on the top of your personal statement.

Please see here for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application.

For information on the admissions process, please contact research.degree.admissions@plymouth.ac.uk

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 7 April 2023. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview on 20/21 April 2023.

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