PhD Scholarships

Creating a framework for how to measure community-scale flood resilience

Director of Studies: Professor David Proverbs

This is a fully funded PhD position for UK and international students on “Creating a framework for how to measure community-scale flood resilience”, available within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton. The studentship will play an active and participatory role in the Flood: Aware, Informed and Resilient (FAIR) Innovation Project - see A FAIR Approach to Community Flood Risk | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com). FAIR is a five year project funded through the Environment Agency’s £200m Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme – see Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com). As such this PhD studentship represents an exciting opportunity to undertake impactful research for the direct benefit of the community groups involved and potentially influencing future government strategy and policy in supporting more resilient communities.

The successful candidate will play an active role in the project, liaising directly with all key stakeholders and partners including the community action groups, Local Authorities (Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley, Stoke on Trent), the National Flood Forum and the Environment Agency.

Stipend per annum of £17,668 and an annual research support fees of £3000 plus expense for travel. Along with the tuition fees are covered for three years.

Application Deadline is 10th May 2023. Applications to include a (1) full CV, (2) a 4 page (max) research proposal and (3) a letter of application outlining the motivation for applying.  Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Prof David Proverbs, email david.proverbs@wlv.ac.uk 

All applications must be emailed to: nisha.keen@wlv.ac.uk

International applicant will need to showcase English language proficiency skills during the admissions process. This PhD studentship requires IELTS 7.0 where no component is less than 6.5 or equivalent (https://www.wlv.ac.uk/international/making-an-application/language-entry-requirements/)

A key theme of this research studentship will be towards developing a framework towards the evaluation and quantification of flood resilience at the community scale, taking into account both physical and social dimensions. The intention is for the framework to be designed, tested and evaluated through an active and participatory approach working directly with key stakeholders and community groups.

It is likely that a predominantly qualitative methodology will be needed working directly with community groups and helping to inform the design and implementation of community actions. As such, experience of undertaking focus groups, interviews and / or observations as well as good command of analysis techniques including content analysis, coding and interpretation are likely to be useful.

The project will provide resilience benefits, such as improving social capital in a range of diverse communities across Staffordshire, Stoke and the Black Country (by increasing social networks, belonging, safety, reciprocity, participation, citizen power, values-led living, and environmental benefits); and learning benefits through the active participation of communities in all aspects of the project and integration of participatory research.

Exploring the behavioural elements of active community scale flood resilience

Director of Studies - Professor David Proverbs

This is a fully funded PhD position for UK and international students on “Exploring the behavioural elements of active community scale flood resilience”, available within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton. The studentship will play an active and participatory role in the Flood: Aware, Informed and Resilient (FAIR) Innovation Project - see A FAIR Approach to Community Flood Risk | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com). FAIR is a five year project funded through the Environment Agency’s £200m Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme – see Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com). As such this PhD studentship represents an exciting opportunity to undertake impactful research for the direct benefit of the community groups involved and potentially influencing future government strategy and policy in supporting more resilient communities.

The successful candidate will play an active role in the project, liaising directly with all key stakeholders and partners including the community action groups, Local Authorities (Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley, Stoke on Trent), the National Flood Forum and the Environment Agency.

Stipend per annum of £17,668 and an annual research support fees of £3000 plus expense for travel. Along with the tuition fees are covered for three years.

Application Deadline is 10th May 2023. Applications to include a (1) full CV, (2) a 4 page (max) research proposal and (3) a letter of application outlining the motivation for applying.  Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Prof David Proverbs, email david.proverbs@wlv.ac.uk 

All applications must be emailed to: nisha.keen@wlv.ac.uk

International applicant will need to showcase English language proficiency skills during the admissions process. This PhD studentship requires IELTS 7.0 where no component is less than 6.5 or equivalent (https://www.wlv.ac.uk/international/making-an-application/language-entry-requirements/)

A key theme of this research studentship will be towards understanding the key features and characteristics that can promote and sustain active community engagement in the context of flooding and flood risk management. The project will involve working with a range of different community groups where social issues such as gender, ethnicity, deprivation, social capital and prosperity will be examined and compared.

It is likely that a predominantly qualitative methodology will be needed working directly with community groups and helping to inform the design and implementation of community actions. As such, experience of undertaking focus groups, interviews and / or observations as well as good command of analysis techniques including content analysis, coding and interpretation are likely to be useful.

The project will provide resilience benefits, such as improving social capital in a range of diverse communities across Staffordshire, Stoke and the Black Country (by increasing social networks, belonging, safety, reciprocity, participation, citizen power, values-led living, and environmental benefits); and learning benefits through the active participation of communities in all aspects of the project and integration of participatory research.