PhD Studentship: Mathematical Modelling of Biotechnologies for Clean Water

This project will use mathematical modelling to help optimise an exciting novel biotechnology for cleaning wastewater. The quality and quantity of freshwater has dramatically declined during the 21st century due to significant increase in agriculture, industry and other human activities. Current water treatment technologies are only able to filter a limited range of chemicals and microplastics, require high operational energy and large and expensive infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, the development of affordable and sustainable filter technologies that effectively clean wastewater to the standards required is a global priority for industry and government agencies.

Our colleagues in the Orsini research group in the School of Biosciences are developing an exciting biofiltration technology that uses tiny waterfleas called Daphnia to filter water and consume waste products, thus eliminating the need for costly and complex filters. However, the performance of biofilters like this one can be variable, dependent on fluctuations in environmental conditions such as temperature and rainfall and variations in seasonal medicine use. These changes can greatly affect the density of Daphnia populations and thus, the quality of treated water. Therefore, for the successful implementation of a biofilter technology, it is crucial to be able to ensure that the density of Daphnia populations remains at, or at least near, optimal levels.

The aim of this project is to develop and validate a quantitatively reliable model of the population dynamics of Daphnia. The project will use ordinary, delay and stochastic differential equations to simulate the Daphnia population size under different environmental and wastewater conditions and enable predictions to be made about how to optimise their population size. Applicants would ideally have studied modules in ordinary differential equations, mathematical modelling and/or dynamical systems, but we encourage anyone with a mathematical background to get in touch to find out more by contacting Dr Alexandra Tzella (a.tzella@bham.ac.uk) and/or Dr Sara Jabbari (s.jabbari@bham.ac.uk).

The student on this project will benefit from a broad training in mathematical modelling, bifurcation analyses and applied statistics and their application in a cutting-edge technology. They will enjoy close interactions with members of the group of mathematical biology and healthcare and gain extensive experience of interdisciplinary collaboration with the Orsini group, which will maximise the impact of the student’s work. The skills that they will develop are highly valuable in academia, government and industry, particularly the environmental sector.

Entry Requirements 

Applicants will be expected to have a good Honours degree (First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree) awarded by a recognised University in a relevant subject.

What does the scholarship provide?

Recipients of these scholarships will receive a stipend at UKRI rates, which is set at £19,237 per year for the 2024/25 academic year, and will be paid to you in regular instalments. Successful awardees will also have their tuition fees covered at a minimum of £4,786 per year.

Scholarship recipients will receive a research training support grant at £2,250 across the duration of the PhD to support conference attendance, fieldwork, and other essential activities.

For more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply, please click above 'Apply' Button.

Advert information