Skip to main content

This job has expired

PhD Studentship: Integrating low-cost Wireless Sensor Networks into hydrological risk governance fo

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
United Kingdom
Closing date
Jan 2, 2018

Job Details

Details

In recent years, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have emerged as useful tools for hydrological monitoring, research, and management. The advancements of low-cost and open sensing, information and communication technologies enable innovative applications of WSNs that support community-based hydrological observations in data-scarce regions. For example, the Landslide EVO team has used open-source hardware platforms including Arduino, Raspberry Pi and Xbee, and web-based visualisation and database technologies to craft prototype applications of WSNs for participatory hydrological monitoring in remote mountain regions.


Successful applications of WSNs require not only good technical design, but also considerations of social factors, such as stakeholders, institutions and contexts. This PhD project investigates the capabilities, potentials and limitations of low-cost WSNs for hydrological risk reduction and disaster resilience building from a non-technical aspect, and provides insights and guidelines for future environmental risk management in developing countries.

The main aims of this interdisciplinary project are to explore: (1) How WSNs can be used to support community-based early warning mechanism, risk governance and resilience building at different scales? (2) How hydrological and risk-related WSNs can be designed for different stakeholders, purposes and contexts? (3) How different institutional designs, stakeholder collaboration models and participatory practices influence the implementation and effectiveness of WSNs? (4) How WSNs can sustainably deliver their services? (5) How the new WSNs can cooperate with existing regional and national monitoring systems as well as other instruments?


The WSN in this project will be designed as a pivot point connecting three cutting edge scientific topics and environmental applications. (1) It underpins multi-scale assessment and research of hydrological hazards (e.g. landslides, flood and drought), and their mechanical processes. The collected data will be used in spatial and temporal models and forecasts of hydrological and meteorological events, as well as risk mapping and decision-making frameworks. (2) It is compatible with citizen science and community-based approaches, which are very powerful methods for generating and disseminating hydro-meteorological information and knowledge. (3) It is an essential component of the early warning and policy support system that enhance polycentric risk governance and local resilience building. Techniques such as visualisations and graphical user interface design may be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the information sharing and decision-making processes.

 

Skills and experience:
We would welcome applications from candidates with backgrounds in: geography, environmental/ earth sciences, engineering or natural sciences. The research programme will provide the student with training in hydrology; geography; environmental monitoring and govenance; field and desk-based research methods; and the processing, analysis and modelling of environmental data. The student will also benefit from working in an interdisciplinary research team as part of the SHEAR Consortium Student Cohort, and participating in an active graduate research community within the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. With collaboration of local partners and end-user communities, this studentship will yield information of direct practical relevance, and support decision-making for water-related natural disasters reduction.

 

Eligibility:
Eligibility requirments for the University of Birmingham are available at:
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/apply-pg/index.aspx
The standard NERC criteria for the ‘home’ studentships are avilable at:
http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/postgrad/

 

Enquiries email name and address:
For informal discussion about this studentship please contact:
Dr Feng Mao (f.mao@bham.ac.uk) or Prof David M. Hannah (d.m.hannah@bham.ac.uk)

 

To apply, please click on the apply button below.

 

Funding Notes

The studentship offers a stipend of approximately  £14553 per annum (tax free) and covers fees at the UK/EU or overseas student rate for a period of three years with a possible further half year extension.

Company

Global Academy Jobs works with over 250 universities worldwide to promote academic mobility and international research collaboration. Global problems need international solutions. Our jobs board and emails reach the academics and researchers who can help.

"The globalisation of higher education continues apace, driving in turn the ongoing development of the global knowledge economy, striving for solutions to the world’s problems and educating a next generation of leaders and contributors."

Company info
Website

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert