New funding gained to train the next generation of environmental scientists
Universities share in multimillion pound grant which will fund 80 PHD places at ‘critical time’
The University of Stirling has received a share of £12 million to train the next generation of environmental and aquaculture scientists.
Two consortiums involving Stirling’s Faculty of Natural Sciences will benefit from new funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), to support PHD studentships under its Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) scheme, over the next five years.
The IAPETUS partnership – which unites Biological and Environmental Sciences at Stirling, with the Universities of Durham, Glasgow, Heriot-watt, Newcastle and St Andrews; the British Geological Survey; the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; and the British Antarctic Survey – will share £7 million of investment for more than 80 PHD studentships.
Led by Durham University, IAPETUS will deliver PHD student training in research topics including climate change, geological processes, environmental hazards and biodiversity.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research (SUPER) – involving Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, Aberdeen, Edinburgh Napier, Heriot-watt, Highlands and Islands, St Andrews, Strathclyde and West of Scotland Universities – will share £5 million, to fund between 60 and 90 PHD students.
The consortium is managed by the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS).
Professor Andrew Tyler, Associate Dean for Research and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, welcomed the announcement.
He said: “The award enables each consortium to work more effectively together, providing new and relevant collaborative interdisciplinary postgraduate research opportunities that address the key environmental challenges facing society today at home and internationally, whilst also training our future leaders in science.”
Professor David Paterson, Executive Director of MASTS and leader of the SUPER bid, said: “This support from NERC is fantastic news, not only recognising the excellent training environment that Scotland can offer but it arrives at a critical time to support efforts to respond to the environmental challenges.”