Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Wastewater Disinfection Using Novel Technologies De Montfort University in United Kingdom

PhD opportunity at De Montfort University in a multidisciplinary project on wastewater disinfection using novel technologies.

The project is supervised by Prof Katie Laird, Dr Maitreyi Shivkumar, and Prof Katherine Huddersman at LIPHI, De Montfort University, in collaboration with Hazen and Sawyer. Research will combine environmental engineering, microbiology, virology, and chemistry to develop and test DMU-derived catalyst systems for improved wastewater disinfection.

Key research themes include reducing microbial contamination, studying bacteria, viruses, and fungi, examining antimicrobial resistance and microbial tolerance to treatment chemicals, and characterising free radical generation during treatment. The project also explores the effectiveness, scalability, and public-health relevance of novel catalyst technologies under realistic wastewater conditions.

This is a fully funded PhD studentship for UK Home students. Funding includes a UKRI-rate stipend of £21,805 per annum for three years, full UK Home tuition fees, and £6000 bench fees for consumables, conferences, and site visits. The study duration is 4 years, with funding duration of 3 years, and the opportunity is subject to approval for funding.

Eligibility: applicants should hold at least a 2:1 honours degree in a relevant field. The opportunity is only open to UK Home students.

Deadline: 3 July 2026.

How to apply: complete the online form linked in the post and send the application to [email protected]. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and a panel meeting shortly after the deadline.