sustainable energy | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 2

University of Exeter, Associate Research Fellow Life and Environmental Sciences 2011 in UK

We are seeking to appoint a research associate on the project “Challenging Lock-in to Urban Energy Systems” (CLUES) which is led by University College London in collaboration with Exeter, Manchester, Sussex, Surrey and Loughborough Universities. This project developed from an interdisciplinary Foresight project on Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment. The Exeter element of the project is led by Professor Patrick Devine-Wright in the Geography department within the College of Life and Environment Sciences. The project is part of the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council’s Sustainable Urban Environments programme.

The postholder will primarily be involved in undertaking detailed case study analyses of 8 UK urban energy initiatives, collecting primary (qualitative and quantitative) and secondary data and engaging in comparative analyses of the aims, approaches and outcomes of each case study. This work will feed into the project’s main research aim, which is to assess critically the pursuit of decentralised energy systems in urban areas in the light of the need to achieve the UK’s carbon emissions reduction targets for 2020 and 2050, and broader urban sustainability goals.

We are seeking candidates with a relevant PhD and research experience. Candidates should have excellent research skills, be able to work independently and collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries and be able to conduct fieldwork in locations across the UK. Ideally you should also have experience of working on energy and/or low carbon issues from a socio-technical perspective.

Informal enquiries about both posts can be made to Professor Patrick Devine-Wright.

The University of Exeter is an equal opportunity employer and promotes diversity in its workforce and, whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, is particularly keen to consider applications from groups currently underrepresented in the workforce.

Application Deadline:11th February 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application


International PhD Scholarship in Heat Storage in Hot Aquifers , Denmark

The PhD scholarship is integrated in a project, where we will develop new technology to improve planning of energy storage in geothermal reservoirs through high-quality experiments and modelling. Geothermal reservoirs have high temperature, so energy may be stored in these geological layers with minimal heat loss. The technology will be based on a multidisciplinary approach combining small scale geochemistry/rock physics with large scale seismic inversion and history matching of production data. The focus will be on Danish geothermal reservoirs, because heat storage is likely to be the missing link in planning sustainable energy production in Denmark, where several sources of energy should interplay. Energy sources as waste incineration and wind are not controlled by immediate energy demands. By storing energy at low heat loss in hot aquifers, we obtain an effective interplay between different sources of energy. Thereby, the degree of coverage with sustainable energy can increase at an acceptable cost. It is the right time to do this, because geothermal plants are presently being installed in Denmark. Thus, the cost of establishing heat storage in geothermal reservoirs is relatively small. The imminent question with respect to establishing heat storage in geothermal reservoirs is how the reservoirs will react to the introduction of water with a higher temperature than the natural as compared to effects of injecting cold water: How will the reservoir rock react chemically and mechanically, how will the heat and fluid distribute in the reservoir, what is the energy loss related to this storage method, and how will a potential change in water chemistry influence the operation abilities of the geothermal plant? We will evaluate the technology in an international context by collaborating with researchers working with geothermal reservoirs in other European countries.

Qualification
At the date of appointment candidates must hold an MSc degree in geo-science or engineering (e.g. civil engineering, geology, geophysics, hydrology), preferably with a strong background in reservoir geology and/or rock physics. The successful candidate must be an efficient team worker, have good communication skills, and have a critical approach to formulation and testing of hypotheses. Practical lab experience and a wish to work in the lab is a prerequisite.

The scholarship is open to both Danish and international applicants.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 28 February 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

EMIN-Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Economics and Management of Network Industries

The EMIN Joint Master Programme offers the opportunity to acquire expertise in network industries management from a global perspective that covers both the economic/regulatory and technological/management issues. In these industries, teaching, training and research are typically carried out solely by focused specialists, which usually results in a skewed perspective. The purpose of this Master is to continue integrating specialists from different perspectives and nationalities, and to make them interact in an interdisciplinary program to address the main problems faced by network industries in the current context of economic crisis and environmental concern. Our master students will learn the relevant engineering, economics, policy and management principles in the network and infrastructure industries. These skills and knowledge will be acquired and used together in real-life problems, as this course is dedicated to training qualified professionals.

EMIN Joint Master Programme was awarded in 2006 with the Erasmus Mundus excellence label by the European Commission, award renewed for another 5 years in 2010. This excellence label has been granted only to 126 Masters and 22 doctorates in all disciplines and Universities across Europe so far. Comillas also coordinates the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Sustainable Energy Technologies and Strategies (SETS Joint Doctorate).

Duration
The EMIN is a two-year joint programme (120 ECTS) with two separate phases:
Training period (90 ECTS): 3 semesters of lectures at the partner universities worth 30 ECTS each.
Master Thesis and internships (30 ECTS): to be carried by students at any of the EMIN partner universities, with the collaboration of the industry partners that will support the development of professional internship of EMIN students during the last stage of their studies.

Scholarship Application Deadline: January 31st 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application