Seeking PhD student to research pollution from road runoff

We are sponsoring a PhD based at Newcastle University to help respond to the urgent need to understand more about highway runoff pollution and how Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs) can help protect the UK’s water environment from the hazard it poses. 

This project forms part of the Water Infrastructure & Resilience Centre for Doctoral Training with a tax-free annual living allowance starting at £25,726.  As these funded PhDs are co-created with industry, the research is guaranteed to be both relevant and impactful.

The PhD, called ‘Understanding the retention and treatment of highway runoff pollutants within roadside bioretention systems – and implications for design and long-term maintenance’ will be supervised by Bridget Woods-Ballard at HR Wallingford and Prof David Werner and Dr Ross Stirling of Newcastle University. 

The composition of road runoff, which includes road salts, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and a suite of microplastics and tyre wear constituents, means harmful pollutants may be present in significant concentrations.

Roadside bioretention systems are routinely considered as a runoff capture mechanism, and are being implemented at scale. This project will monitor real-world bioretention systems, alongside controlled dosing trials at the UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility, to provide an evidence base and better understand the true performance of these strategies.

The closing date for applications is Monday 30 June 2025 or until the position is filled - whichever is soonest. Please contact Bridget Woods-Ballard if you’d like an informal chat about the work or need more flexibility in terms of submitting an application. 

More details about the PhD are on the Newcastle University website.