A new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) states that biofuels should be made from waste and byproducts, not food crops, if their carbon emissions reduction potential is to be realised. See: http://www.raeng.org.uk/news/news-releases/2017/july/biofuels-made-from-waste-are-the-business,-says-ac .
BBSRC Seeding Catalyst Award
The AD Network has applied for additional funds from the BBSRC Seeding Catalyst Award. If successful, they must be spent by the end of February 2018 and they are payable at 100% of direct costs. Do you have any projects which could use assistance for upscaling from research to commercial reality? If the project you have in mind can be completed, reported and invoiced within this timescale please keep abreast of developments in this area. Any Call, from this or other NIBBs, will necessarily be short notice.
PhD positions
University of Cork and Gas Networks Ireland – 2 PhD Studentships on Green Renewable Gas
Supervisor: Prof J. Murphy. Deadline: 11 Aug 17
Fully Funded. Further details here.
From: Find a PhD
Development of an Online Decision Support Tool for Hydrogen Storage in Community Renewable Energy Systems – National University of Ireland, Galway D
Supervisor: Dr R Monaghan. Deadline: 30 Jul 17
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
Tailored biopolymer production from waste streams: low-cost value added bioprocessing – University of Birmingham
Supervisor: Dr T Overton; Dr M Jenkins. Deadline: all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Development of advanced adsorbents for gas separation processes – Aberdeen University
Supervisor:Dr C Fernandez-Martin / Prof J Anderson Application. Deadline Applications accepted all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
A framework for the development and validation of mathematical models of upstream unit operations as part of an integrated whole bioprocess modelling platform – University College London
Supervisor: Dr A Kiparissides. Deadline 28 Aug 17
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
Call for postdoc panel members: Biosciences Skills and Careers Strategy Advisory Panel
The Bioscience Skills and Careers Strategy Advisory Panel (BSC) has received input from a Bioscience Skills and Careers Postdoctoral Researcher Subgroup since March 2013. Membership of the subgroup is currently being refreshed to ensure it continues to have the necessary skills and expertise to provide input into topics highlighted by the subgroup’s recently updated terms of reference.
BBSRC is looking to appoint eight postdocs to the subgroup. Applications are sought from postdocs working in academia, including those based in research institutions, as well as those in government laboratories or industry (Postdoc in the industrial context meaning someone with a PhD carrying out a research role, but who is not directing a research programme / who does not have significant management responsibilities) Further information can be found here:
The deadline for applications is 7thAugust 2017.
Wish to concentrate on research? Apply for RAEng Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship
These enable engineering academics to concentrate on full-time research in any engineering discipline by relieving them of their administrative and teaching responsibilities.
Applicants should hold a permanent teaching position at a UK university at lecturer, senior lecturer or reader level. They must be teaching an engineering discipline at undergraduate or postgraduate level. A support fund of up to £2,500 is also available for research costs such as travel, conference attendance, subsistence and laboratory consumables.
Closing Date: 5th Sept 2017
See: www.raeng.org.uk/grants-and-prizes/support-for-research/leverhulme-research-fellowship .
Funding available: EPSRC “Engineering for a Prosperous Nation”
Unique to this funding call is the double blind peer review process. This type of initiative should benefit early career academics in particular.
This initiative will look to support a portfolio of exceptional and potentially transformative engineering research projects that have the potential to contribute to each of the prosperity outcomes. This could be a pioneering first step to the broader outcome or a contribution to one or more of the ambitions within each outcome. A high degree of risk in these applications is expected and welcomed to encourage speculative ideas or new ways of thinking.
- Up to £6 million from theEngineering Theme will be available for this Call, subject to research quality.
- Bright IDEAS Awards are intended to support genuinely novel and potentially transformative research activities.
- Proposals will be assessed over a two-stage process: Outline proposals assessed anonymously, followed by a Big Pitch.
- Applicants can apply for up to £250K (80% value of the full costing) in total
Applications submitted to this Call should be up to 24 months in duration.
See: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/calls/engineeringprosperousnation/ .
Deadline for intention to submit: 8th August 2017
Pitch Event: Chemistry and industrial biotechnology for a circular bioeconomy, 14:00, 21st September, University of York
The Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network and BioVale are working together to deliver an opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to gain insight and form new business relationships in sustainable technologies for a circular bio-economy. Entrepreneurs can benefit from funded training and live pitching to a panel of investors. More information is here.
Low Carbon Energy for Development Network annual event, Durham, 11-12 Sep 17
The Low Carbon Energy for Development Network delivers a number of capacity development activities to support DFID’s Transforming Energy Access Programme. They host a number of events throughout the year and their annual event will be held at Durham University on 11-12 September. Abstracts are open and more information can be found here.
AD Network Roundup of AD-related training opportunities
REA Event – Understanding and applying HACCP to anaerobic digestion, Bristol – 22nd Sept 2017
REA is running a one day course focused on HACCP planning for AD operators and developers, with focus on digestate safety and quality. This event is open to both members and non-members.
See: www.r-e-a.net/events/rea-event-understanding-and-applying-haccp-to-anaerobic-digestion-22-09-17 .
REA/ORG Event – Understanding PAS100 in Full, Reading – 1st November 2017
The Organics Recycling Group is running a one day course focused on the PAS 100 and REAL Compost Certification Scheme. The course is targeted at the composter’s personnel who are involved in the establishment implementaion, maintenance and improvement of the PAS 100 quality management system. See: www.r-e-a.net/events/rea-org-event-understanding-pas100-in-full .
International Intensive Biogas Training – Practical Digester Biology, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland – 22/24th November 2017
For the second time the Centre for Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies (CREST) and the International Biogas and Bioenergy Center of Competence (IBBK Fachgruppe Biogas) will be running a 3-day in-depth Biogas HANDS ON Operators & Planners Course at the South West College in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. The course will be delivered by biogas experts from Germany and UK with many years of practical experience in the biogas sector.
See: http://biogas-training.uk/ .
Aqua Enviro Event: Odour management: An introduction to odour regulation, assessment and control, Aqua Enviro Training Suite, Wakefield – 6th Dec 2017,
This course provides delegates with a thorough understanding of how environmental odours are assessed, managed and regulated.
Jobs and PhD Roundup – Looking to study or work in AD or IB?
The Biochemical Society will soon be launching a Job Board, listing molecular bioscience vacancies (within both academia and industry). For more information contact Lorenza Giannella, Training Manager – Lorenza.giannella@biochemistry.org .
PhD Opportunities
Are you starting your first year of either Masters or PhD study between September & October 2017? Each year FindAMasters.com and FindAPhD.com award £12,000 in scholarships for postgraduate study. See: www.findaphd.com/funding/postgraduate-phd-scholarships/scholarships.aspx .
Optimising microbial production of lactic acid from municipal solid waste (MSW); Insights into genome stability for industrial biotechnology (IB). Aberystwyth University. Supervisor: Dr j Gallagher. Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only) Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only). Deadline: Monday, 17th July 2017
Developing soil health indicators to inform land management decisions, increase crop yield and quality and reduce waste. University of Reading, School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science. Supervisor: Dr T Sizmur , Prof C D Collins. Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only). Application Deadline 1st October 2017.
CFD-PBM model for particle flow in biomass thermochemical conversion. Aston University, School of Engineering & Applied Science. Supervisor: Dr X Yu. Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only). Application Deadline Friday, June 30th 2017.
Tailored biopolymer production from waste streams: low-cost value added bioprocessing. University of Birmingham, School of Chemical Engineering. Supervisor: Dr T Overton ; Dr M Jenkins. Self-Funded PhD Students Only. Application Deadline Applications accepted all year round.
Innovative biological processes for the production of chemicals from organic waste AND Separation of chemicals obtained from the anaerobic fermentation of organic waste. Aberdeen University, School of Engineering. Supervisor: Dr D Dionisi ; Dr A Majumder. Self-Funded PhD Students Only. Application Deadline Applications accepted all year round.
Innovative engineering and scientific design of methane oxidising biofilters to control greenhouse gas emissions. University of Southampton, Engineering & the Environment. Supervisor: Prof W Powrie. Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only). Application Deadline Friday, June 30, 2017.
Application of circular economy thinking to industrial wastewater treatment operations University of Southampton, Engineering & the Environment. Supervisor: Prof I Williams. Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only). Application Deadline Friday, June 30, 2017.
PhD Studentship in Recovery of added value compounds from juice industry wastes. Lancaster University, Department of Engineering. Supervisor: Dr E Papaioannou. Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only). Application Deadline Monday, July 31, 2017.