SRI PhD students take the stage

Every year the SRI runs a PhD research showcase to provide our students with an opportunity to present their research and share their experiences from various stages of their studies.

Held on January 30th this year, the seminar was a day of knowledge sharing amongst the SRI team. Led by our PhD coordinator, Dr Paula Vandergert, the seminar provided an opportunity for the SRI’s PhD students to showcase their progress and innovative ideas in front of their fellow students and the senior researchers within the institute. This provides a mechanism for knowledge transfer between different topics and disciplines, creating a platform for sharing of success stories, mechanisms for overcoming barriers to progress, and an opportunity to discuss challenges that have arisen during the course of the studies.

Highlights from this year’s showcase included:

Jack Clough presenting his research investigating the potential for paludiculture (sustainable farming systems on wetlands) in the UK. Jack presented the results from one of his case studies: a pilot study looking at a wetland grass called Glyceria fluitans. Jack is investigating the potential that this plant could have for being developed into a food crop for human consumption or animal fodder. Jack presented his PhD journey over the past year from planting his field trials, to monitoring and lab work calculating initial grain yield. His results look promising and indicate that a plant breeding programme could be a useful next stage to further the potential of G. fluitans as a food source.

Figure 1. One of Jack’s Glyceria fluitans paludiculture trial field plots.

Jerushah Jardine discussing the ongoing debate in the peatland research community as to the extent to which external pressures (such as climate change) are affecting the function of peat bogs over time.

The research history of the Silver Flowe has offered Jerushah the potential to measure and investigate change that has occurred over the past 50 years. In 1967, while undertaking PhD research, David Goode recorded the vegetation along a 100 foot transect in the area of one of the Long Loch Bogs. This set of circumstances provided the opportunity to take snapshots, 50 years apart, of the same vegetation transect to gain a unique insight into vegetation change and any possible links to external influencing factors.

As part of Jerushah’s PhD research, in the summer of 2017, she carried out the detailed repeat vegetation survey along Goode’s original transect line. She used the same survey methods and had David Goode himself to support the work! Jerushah presented preliminary results from both a comparison of the vegetation survey data, and laboratory analysis of the plant macrofossils found in a core at the site. Initial results indicate that there have been some significant shifts in the vegetation history of the site.

Figure 2. Richard Lindsay demonstrates peatbog transect survey the comfortable way! Otherwise known as avoiding monitoring your own monitoring…..

Shaherah Jordan proposing that for those of us that had chosen to become drivers, many aspects of operating a conventional vehicle are ingrained behaviours. In our part of the world, London, the pollution levels are illegal and private vehicles make a significant contribution to those levels. Electric vehicles (EVs) are the natural ‘green’ solution for those who intend to continue driving in the capital, but adoption of EVs in the capital is low. Although existing and planned policy interventions are designed to address the most widely cited barriers to adoption (range anxiety, purchase price and charging time), other factors, that may be the key to understanding what will trigger a significant shift in thinking where EVs are concerned, deserve further exploration.

Shaherah spent much of her first year reading the existing literature on behaviour change, electric vehicles and pro-environmental behaviour. This has led her research focus towards exploring the impact of policy interventions on transport choices and understanding of the behaviour change journey after purchasing an EV.

Figure 3. Framing Shaherah’s research question for the UEL student research poster event

Muhammad Umar Khalid presenting his research on developing a mathematical model of the pan pelletization process to formulate pellets using Air Pollution Control Residue (APCr). APCr is a residue produced from the incineration of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to produce energy (electricity). His research aims to develop a closed loop system to ensure no waste is produced. It is investigating state of the art novel technologies to process, solidify and stabilise APCr. Umar’s PhD is a collaboration with Augean PLC, a sector leader in modernising hazardous waste management practice and providing sustainable, compliance-led waste management solutions for the UK’s difficult to handle wastes. Ultimately, the project will provide future civil engineers with a new technique to increase the sustainability of their projects and to enable a more carbon friendly approach within the construction industry.

Figure 4. Umar in the lab carrying out sample analyses

Dr Caroline Nash has recently been awarded a PhD for her research investigating the potential for using key features of the conservation priority habitat Open Mosaic Habitat as inspiration for urban green infrastructure design. Rather than discussing her research, Caroline’s presentation was an advice session based on her experiences of getting through the final stages of the PhD journey – writing up, thesis submission, the viva, final submission and the joy of receiving the doctorate. Among the tips, guidance and encouragement Caroline discussed were: break down the work you have ahead of you, rather than having a breakdown; aim for a finished thesis rather than a perfect thesis; the last part is 99% perseverance – so don’t give up!; the viva won’t be as terrifying as you imagine; and celebrate your achievements. The presentation was a great hit with the other students and Caroline may have landed herself a new regular slot in the research seminar days!

Figure 5. Caroline’s PhD journey (route inspired by her own experience, image inspired by https://manpreetdhuffar.wordpress.com)

If you are interested in learning more about these topics or about undertaking PhD research with our multidisciplinary team, please do contact us through this blog or the UEL SRI website. We are happy to consider applications for self-funded PhD study. There are also ongoing PhD opportunities associated with various projects being delivered through the SRI. We will also consider supporting collaborative funding bids to support students in securing their own funding.

By Stuart Connop.