Innovate for Ireland

The Sustainable Aviation & Green Energy Scholars (SAGES) Programme, part of the Innovate for Ireland initiative, offers a unique opportunity for PhD candidates to advance research in sustainable aviation. Funded by Avolon and Research Ireland, and led by Dublin City University in partnership with Trinity College Dublin, this programme aims to tackle the pressing challenges of aviation decarbonisation through innovative research and industry collaboration.

PhD scholars will focus on core research themes including sustainable aviation fuels, aviation finance, operational efficiencies, carbon capture, market-based measures, and environmental policies. The research approach integrates scientific methodologies with financial modelling, stakeholder engagement, and policy evaluation to ensure impactful outcomes. Scholars will actively engage with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and academic peers, fostering a collaborative environment for developing solutions to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint.

The SAGES scholarships are open to applicants registering for Year 1 of the full-time PhD programme in DCU Business School. Each student will be supervised by a team of academics led by Professor Julie Byrne and Professor Marina Efthymiou, both renowned for their expertise in aviation and business research. The programme encourages applications from exceptional graduates worldwide who demonstrate strong academic, research, leadership, and entrepreneurial potential. Diversity and inclusivity are central to the selection process, which follows a structured framework evaluating academic merit, entrepreneurial capacity, and representation of underserved communities.

Eligibility requires meeting DCU’s PhD criteria, typically an honours master’s degree (taught or by research), though students in their final year of a master’s programme may also apply. The scholarship is exclusively for full-time PhD study based at DCU, with successful candidates expected to start before October 1, 2026. International applicants must meet visa requirements before commencing the scholarship, and payments are processed upon arrival in Ireland, bank account setup, and PPS number application. Scholars receiving the annual stipend of €31,000 are generally not permitted to hold concurrent scholarships or educational grants.

Applicants should prepare a comprehensive application including their academic CV, evidence of academic merit, and a statement of research interests aligned with the programme themes. For further information and application guidelines, visit the provided FindAPhD link or contact the supervisors directly.