Current PhD opportunities with BUFI

BUFI supports a range of PhD studentships. Download the pdfs below for further information on current BUFI projects and who to apply to:

Open opportunities

Palaeohydrology of a rapid climate change event at the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary

Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on October 1st 2012. .

The closing date of 18th May 2012.

Glacier-to-foreland hydrological coupling at a maritime glacier, Iceland

The School of the Environment, University of Dundee invites applications from prospective PhD students for a 3.5-yr fully funded BGS-NERC/Dundee studentship to commence in Autumn 2012.

Closing date: 1st of June 2012.

Closed opportunities

Peat's secret archive: reconstructing the North Atlantic storm frequency and volcanic eruption history of the last 10,000 years

The School of Natural Science, University of Stirling invites applications from prospective PhD students for a 3.5-yr fully funded BGS-NERC/Stirling studentship to commence in Autumn 2012.

The closing date of 27th April 2012.

Fully funded PhD position: Geological controls on the distribution and abundance of invertebrate groundwater fauna

Applications are invited for a fully funded 3.5 year PhD to investigate the geological and hydrogeological controls on the distribution of invertebrate stygobites (groundwater animals) in the UK. This highly interdisciplinary study is based at Roehampton University and the Groundwater Science programme of the British Geological Survey and provides a unique opportunity to work on an unusual and poorly understood ecosystem.

Application form

Guidance notes for applicants

Closing date: 16 March 2012

Fully funded PhD position: Development and application of geophysical tools for imaging geotechnical property changes during development of near surface shear zones

This project will develop new approaches to monitoring slope failure using integrated geotechnical-geophysical sensor technologies. The project will establish methodologies for analysing the spatial and temporal coherence of time series geotechnical data from distributed sensor networks and time-lapse volumetric images gathered using high resolution electrical tomography. Ultimately, the project aims to identify development of low strength zones from the spatial and temporal material property change sequences associated with a shear failure event.

Closing date: 15 March 2012

Fully funded PhD position: Late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania) using stable isotopes

This project will involve laboratory-based analysis at the NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory (NIGL) and the British Geological Survey (BGS). Keen interests/experience in stable isotope geochemistry and sedimentology are essential. University and NERC postgraduate training courses will be undertaken.

Closing date: 29 February 2012

ESRC Doctoral Training Centre +3 Studentship: Investigating public engagement with mineral extraction: the role of place attachment and environmental values Ref: 929

The College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter is pleased to offer a +3 studentship funded by the ESRC and the British Geological Survey as part of the Environment, Energy and Resilience interdisciplinary pathway of the South West Doctoral Training Centre for entry in 2012/13. Successful applicants will benefit from working within a lively research environment within Geography (Streatham Campus, Exeter) at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter.

Closing date: 17 Febuary 2012

Theme Team Title Supervisors
Environment & Hazards

Closing date was:
29/10/2010

Environment & Hazards Community Resilience to Geological Hazards in the Solomon Islands: Harnessing Local Knowledge and Shared Experience. Open University: Dr Nigel Clark & Dr David Humphreys, Leicester University: Professor Mike Petterson, British Geological Survey: Dr Susanne Sargeant
Minerals & Waste

Closing date was:
10/09/2010

Mineral sustainability Active and ancient geothermal systems in Tethyan ophiolites as examples of novel solutions for natural CO2 sequestration. University of Leicester: Dr Gawen Jenkin, British Geological Survey: Dr Jon Naden & Dr Mike Styles, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre: Dr Adrian Boyce
Climate Change

Closing date was:
03/05/2010

Climate Change The role of the North Atlantic Oscillation in driving climatic variability during the Late Holocene. University of Exeter: Dr Richard Jones & Dr Liam Reinhardt, British Geological Survey: Dr Mike Ellis
Environment & Hazards

Closing date was:
30/04/2010

Abandoned mine and Contaminated Land The geomicrobiology of coal mine drainage – microbes, green rust and the factors controlling iron mineralogy in coal mine drainage. University of Aberystwyth: Dr William Perkins, Dr Gareth Griffiths, DR Kevin Hallberg University if Bangor Dr Barrie Johnson. British Geological Survey: Dr Jenny Bearcock and Dr Barbara Palumbo-Roe
Spatial Geoscience Technologies

Closing date was:
19/04/2010

Geophysical tomography 4D Geophysical Monitoring of Landslide Processes University of Leeds: Dr William Murphy. British Geological Survey: Dr Jonathan Chambers
Environment & Hazards

Closing date was:
26/03/2010

Environmental geosciences baseline Microbial response to soil chemistry defined by the Tellus dataset, Northern Ireland. University of Manchester: Dr Richard Pattrick, Dr Jon Lloyd, Dr Andrew Tye (British Geological Survey) and Dr Carolyn Pearce at PNNL Washington state
Energy

Closing date was:
31/07/09

Regional hydrocarbon prospectivity Primary biological controls on UK lower Namurian shale gas prospectivity: understanding a major potential UK unconventional gas resource University of Leicester, Dr Sarah Davies Dr Mike Stephenson (British Geological Survey - BGS), Professor Melanie Leng (NERC Isotopes Geoscience Laboratory), Dr L. Angiolini (Università degli Studi di Milano), Dr Sarah Gabbott (UoL), J.H.S. Macquaker (Memorial University, Newfoundland), Dr C. Vane (BGS), Dr. D Millward (BGS) and Dr I. Kane (University of Leeds)
Minerals

Closing date was:
31/07/09

Minerals for development Magmatic, structural and tectonic controls on Cu-Au mineralization in the Solomon Islands arc, SW Pacific University of Leicester, Prof Mike Petterson (UoL), Prof D Saunders (UoL), Dr Gawen Jenkin (UoL), Dr Jon Naden (BGS), Dr Dan Smith (BGS) and Dr Gus Gunn (BGS)
Energy

Closing date was:
14/07/09

Renewable and clean coal How do Geothermal Fields Relate to Contact Aureoles: A Field and Experimental Study Professor Bruce Yardley (University of Leeds) and Dr. Chris Rochelle (BGS)
Marine Geoscience

Closing date was:
12/06/09

Continental Margins A comparison of the geological, geodynamic and rheological evolution of the northern and southern Rockall Basin using a 3D modelling approach Keele University, Stuart Egan (KU), Stuart Clarke (KU), Geoff Kimbell (BGS), Howard Johnson (BGS) and Ken Hitchen (BGS)
Climate Change

Closing date was:
12/06/09

Coastal Change Determination of glacial processes from lake sediments within Lake Windermere University of Southampton, Prof Jonathan M Bull (UoS), Dr Carol Cotterill (BGS), Dr Justin Dix (UoS), Dr Chris Vane (BGS)
Environmental Geoscience Baselines

Closing date was:
31/03/09

Geochemical Baselines The Fate of Contaminants in Urban Soils and Road Dusts: Novel Assessments and Implications for Risks. Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor K Taylor and Dr J Cheng (MMU) and Dr N Breward and Dr F Fordyce (BGS).
Spatial Geoscience Technologies

Closing date was:
28/03/09

Theoretical geophysics Electrical Tomography Optimisation for High-Resolution Imaging of Glacial Sediments. Swansea University, Dr B Kulessa (Swansea) and P Wilkinson (BGS).
NIGL

Closing date was:
Mid Mar 2009

  Resolving conflicting models for the tectonic assembly of the Eastern Himalaya. Open University, T Argles, N Harris and S Kelley (Open University) and R Parrish (BGS).
Minerals & Waste

Closing date was:
06/03/09

Minerals for development Development of geochemical and mineralogical methods for targeting lower environmental impact secondary copper deposits in the Troodos Massif, Cyprus. NERC Open CASE award with the Natural History Museum, Dr Richard Herrington, Camborne School of Mines, Dr Ben Williamson and the British Geological Survey, Dr Jon Naden
See also