Applicants are sought for a fully funded EPSRC PhD studentship in collaboration between the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and The Bartlett school of Graduate Studies at UCL.

The interdisciplinary nature of the project should suit students from a wide range of numerate backgrounds, (eg atmospheric sciences, chemical, bio-chemical, mechanical or civil engineering, environmental engineering, applied mathematics, physics), who are passionate about applying their research to the human environment.  

The stipend is currently £14,622  and funding is available for 3.5 years.

Application deadline: 17^th June 2007

The effect of trees on air flow and pollution dispersion in the urban environment are currently poorly understood, since the shape and foliage of trees present great complications in predicting the turbulent atmospheric flow around and through trees on a local scale.    Trees can increase humidity, decrease temperature and alter air flow in the surrounding micro-climate.   It is not clear how these biological processes are affected by airflow around trees and whether the overall pollutant absorption would increase or decrease.