PhD Position - Water Informatics

The Universities of Exeter, Bath, Bristol and Cardiff invite applications for 4-year fully-funded PhD studentships as part of its EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering (WISE). This new centre of excellence will act as a hub of international and industrial collaborations, training scientists and engineers with the relevant skills, knowledge and professional attributes to across industry and academia.

All four universities have strong links with internationally competitive research groups, most of which are from within the subject areas of water informatics, science and engineering. The WISE CDT will link with other traditionally separate disciplines relevant to sustainable water management, ranging from statistics to social sciences, geography, psychology and economics. 

The WISE CDT partners also work closely with a huge range of local, national and global companies in both the public and private sectors. Students who wish to undertake an optional industrial or overseas placement will be offered a chance to spend up to 6 months working with industrial or overseas academic supervisors to engage in industry-relevant research or to work with academics from world-leading institutions.

We invite applications from graduates in Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, and Computer Science that have demonstrated excellence at theundergraduate or MSc level in a relevant subject. Applicants should have an interest in specific aspects of water and informatics, and are expected to demonstrate creativity and be open-minded to collaborative work and innovation.

Full scholarships (up to 20 per year), including a stipend to cover living expenses and fees, are available to UK/EU students at standard EPSRC rates. A small number of these may also be available to International students. Industry-orientated studentships may also include a top-up to the stipend.

Further information can be obtained by e-mail to info@wisecdt.org or by visiting our website, www.wisecdt.org

Call for your contribution : Assessment of the climate change adaptation needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region

Dear Colleagues,

Please find below a call for contribution to an online (and offline) survey on ‘climate change adaptation needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region’ organised in support of the Mountain Thematic Node of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN). If you have any questions or suggestions, pls write to Mr. Ngamindra Dahal, Lead Researcher at ngamindra@gmail.com.

Your response to this survey by 15 December 2012 would be very much appreciated. To make your contributions  pls copy the survey portion below in your email or Word file, answer them as needed and send the completed from to Mr. Dahal.

Best,

Tek

Online survey on climate change adaptation needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region

Questionnaires for online survey

 About the Survey

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is among the highly vulnerable region to climate change impacts. The HKH ecosystems support the livelihoods of more people than any other coherent ecosystem in the world. The NAPA reports of HKH countries depict a dismal situation of majority of the populations who are highly vulnerable to climate change induced maladies requiring urgent and immediate needs of adaptation actions. Prioritising adaptation needs is critically important when climate change impacts encompass across themes and regions threatening livelihoods sources of large mass of populations.

The key objective of this survey is to contribute in identifying most vulnerable sectors, regions or communities to climate change, and, then, assessing their urgent adaptation needs. Your precious 20 minutes time to fill up this survey form would immensely help us to draw some key insights and recommendations for future investments of climate funds.  

To respond, simply click the 'Reply all' and write your responses against each questions below.

Section 1:   Informant background

1.1.   Name: First and last (not mandatory but encouraged)

1.2.   Country:

1.3.   State/City/District

1.5.   E-mail ID: .... (if you like to be contacted in future or want to know the survey results)

1.6.   Contact no: .... (if you like to be contacted in future or want to know the survey results)

1.7.   What do you represent? 1. Community, 2. Government, 3. Development Organisation,  4. Research/Education Organisations; 5. Other (please specify)            

Sections 2: Climate Change Impacts/perceptions:

2.1.   Do you agree that people living in the mountain regions or their periphery are among the most vulnerable one to climate change impacts? (Please Delete which is not applicable)

1. Agree       2. Can't say        3. Disagree  

2.2. Do you agree that specific needs of climate change adaptation of mountain people have not been well identified (articulated) and addressed? (Please Delete which is not applicable)

Agree 1.       Can't say 2.       Disagree 3.

2.3. From the perspective of currently known climate change risks, what would be the situation of mountain people in the mountain region after 10 or 15 years from now?
(Please Delete which is not applicable)

1. Better    2. Same    3.Worse

2.4 . Most of climate change scenarios project the mountains among the most affected regions due to rapid warming and changes in precipitation patterns in the future. Do you agree? (Please Delete which is not applicable)

1. Agree          2. Can't say                 3. Disagree

2.5. What is the level of satisfaction among the community you represent of current progress on addressing climate risks? (Please Delete which is not applicable)

1. Fully Satisfied          2. Satisfied to some extent                 3. Not satisfied at all 

Section 3:   Adaptation Needs

3.1.   Based on your experiences/observations, please mention up to 3 examples of climate change adaptation needs, gaps or issues concerning to mountain people that require urgent attentions.

 1......

2......

3......

3.2.   To tackle climate risks and build resilience, what should be the roles (maximum 3) of regional organizations (e.g. SAARC, ICIMOD), local institutions and national governmental organisations to improve the situation?

1 Roles of regional organizations

i)                    .........      

ii)                  .........

iii)                .........

2 Roles of local institutions 

i) .....      

ii).........

iiii).......

3. Roles of national government organizations

i) .....      

ii) ........

iiii) .......

3.3.  What should be the strategic actions or approaches to identify and address specific needs of mountain communities?

1......

2......

3......

Section 4: Knowledge sharing and good practices

4.1   In your knowledge, are there any examples of good practices of climate change adaptations that could be replicated in the mountain region?

(Please name them below with references or links where possible).

1........

2........

3.......

4.2   What is the appropriate way for promoting South-South knowledge sharing and cooperation on climate cooperation?

1.      Promote sharing of knowledge, good practices, collaborative actions etc.

2.      Recognize roles of regional organizations for promoting research and disseminate knowledge to wider stakeholders

3.      Mobilize NGOs, civil society organizations

4.      Other (Please specify)....

4.3  What roles of regional platforms, like SAARC and ICIMOD, should play to address climate and environment management challenges?

(Example – Environmental policies, scientific research, knowledge productions, knowledge disseminations etc.)

1.      The major roles could be .........

2        I have no knowledge on this.

4.4   What are the possible action points for addressing specific knowledge gaps, enhancing research and cooperation; and, promoting good practices?

1.      The possible action points could be .........

2.      I have no knowledge on this.

Section 5: Converting knowledge into action

5.1 What are the major constraints of local communities to assimilate new knowledge into climate change adaptation practices?

1.      The major constraints include

2.      I  have no comment on this.

5.2 What are the possible ways to enhance communication and cooperation between local communities and research institutions for mutual benefits?

1.      The possible ways are .........

2.      No. I have no comment on this.

5.3             Among mountain people, what could be the best investments to climate vulnerable communities or regions to enhance their adaptive capacity mountain people?

1.      The possible investments schemes include .........

2.      No. I have no comments this.

5.4              Which types of institutions and approaches could facilitate knowledge transfer processes more effectively?

 

1.      Academic institutions (Universities)

2.      Regional Environment, Policy and Research Organizations (e.g. ICIMOD)

3.      Collaborative approaches of research and academic institutions in partnership with media.

4.      Others (please mention)

Section 6: Responding to international climate policy negotiations 

6.1 What roles can mountain concern institutions play to lead agendas in the international climate policy negotiations?

1.      Yes. They can/should .........

2.      I have no information/comment on this.

6.2       What type of group do you think would be the appropriate platform for raising mountain agendas (considering examples of the LDC Group, G 77 plus China)

1.      There is a need of separate mountain group to advocate mountain agendas of developing countries

2.      Mountain agendas should be mainstreamed into the agendas of existing groups

3.      Efforts are needed to push mountain agendas by both of 1 and 2 approaches.

Thank you for your cooperation

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funded Study Scholarships and Research Grants for Master and Doctoral students from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Iran, Jordan, Vietnam and Indonesia in the field of Water Management, Germany 2013-2014

Study Subject(s):Hydro Science and Engineering, Water Resources and Environmental Management, Water Resources Engineering and Management, Water Science

Course Level: Master and Doctoral

Scholarship Provider: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Scholarship can be taken at: Germany

Eligibility: In principle, applications are open to specialised highly-qualified Graduates and Doctoral students from the above-mentioned countries who have graduated from their studies in Engineering or Natural Sciences subjects no longer than six years ago.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes

Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Iran, Jordan, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Scholarship Description: One of the priority funding points to which the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) attaches particular importance in its Framework Programme on “Research for Sustainable De-velopment is Sustainable Water Management (NaWaM): “One of the major challenges of the future is to ensure the supply of clean water to the world population. Population growth, water pol-lution and the increasing water consumption per capita have a strong impact on water quality. In addition, expansive climate changes and change in land use influence global and regional water cycles and thus question the medium and long-term avail-ability of water.” In view of this background, the BMBF specifically promotes research projects to develop, adapt and internationally dissemi-nate technologies and strategies for the sustainable management of the resource “Water”. Of particular interest in this context are the thematic fields of Water and Energy, Water and Health, Water and Nutrition, Water and Environment, as well as Water in Urban Areas. At the centre of the DAAD Special Programme funded with the resources of the BMBF on “Sustainable Water Management” lies in the promotion of young scientists from Kazakhstan, Mon-golia, Iran, Jordan, Vietnam and Indonesia. The programme section on “Study Scholarships and Research Grants for Foreigners” offers highly-qualified Students and Doc-toral Students from the above-mentioned countries the opportu-nity to study in specialised relevantly selected English-spoken Master’s programmes at German universities, or, for carrying out their PhD projects in Germany in the thematic field of “Water in Urban Areas” or “Water and Energy” (particularly, the increase of energy efficiency in connection with the treatment of drinking water and wastewater).

Duration of Scholarships: The whole support is structured to run for a period of 31 months (masters) and 43 months (Doctoral) Funding is provided for an obligatory four-month intensive lan-guage course (start: June 2013), a generally two-year Master’s programme  and three-year doctorate/PhD (start: October 2013), and an obligatory, at least three-month, Internship in a company engaging in commercial business and industry, in the specialised authorities of the Fed-eration and Federal States, and in the management and regula-tion of resources in corporations under public law, or in research institutions in Germany.

What It Covers:
For Masters: The scholarship/grant is made up of a monthly instalment of 750 Euros and an annual Study and Re-search costs subsidy amounting to 460 Euros.
For Doctoral: The support includes a monthly payment of 1000 Euros and an annual Study and Research Costs Subsidy amounting to 460 Euros.

For outward and return travel as well as for field work in the home country, country-dependent travel allowances are awarded. Furthermore, the DAAD covers the costs of health insurance as well as for accident and personal liability insurance. Possibly, surcharges can also be paid for accompanying spouses and children. The host institutes in Germany receive a monthly Research Costs Surcharge amounting to 200 Euros per scholarship/grant.

Application Procedure: The application documents must be submitted in full in duplicate. Applicants are kindly requested to use the Form “Application for Research Grants and Study Scholarships”

http://www.daadjkt.org/index.php?download-area

On the cover sheet, please specify the corresponding type of support. The following documents for Type of Scholarship A must be included with the application form:

-Curriculum Vitae (2 pages max.)
-Summary of the Bachelor’s thesis (2 pages max.)
-Bachelor’s degree certificate
-Academic transcript
-Letter of motivation (1 page max.)
-Proof of English language skills (TOEFL 550/213/80; IELTS: 6.0). Please do not submit the prediction score.
-If possible, proof of German language skills (e.g. TestDaF, Zertifikat Deutsch, Deutsches Sprachdiplom)
-Proof of contact with the desired Master’s Programme
For Type of Scholarship B:
-Curriculum Vitae (2 pages max.)
-Summary of the Master’s thesis (2 pages max.)
-Presentation of the planned doctoral project (3 pages max.)
-Confirmation of supervision by a scientist from a German University/Higher Education Institution
-Work plan and schedule (if possible, agreed upon with the German supervisor)
-Master’s degree certificate;
-Academic transcript (Master’s degree)
-Proof of English language skills (TOEFL 550/213/80; IELTS: 6.0). Please do not submit the prediction score.
-If possible, proof of German language skills (e.g. TestDaF, Zertifikat Deutsch, Deutsches Sprachdiplom)

The letters of recommendation by two scientists of your own choice must be included in sealed envelopes or sent by the referees directly to the DAAD in Bonn by the closing date of applications.

How to Apply: By Post

Scholarship Application Deadline: 31st October 2012

Call for participation: 2013 MyCOE / SERVIR Initiative in the Himalayas for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

The MyCOE / SERVIR Initiative in the Himalayas is a 10-month fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students who are citizens of eligible countries*, currently enrolled in any field at an institution of higher education in an eligible country with ideas and plans for research that address themes of Climate Change in Mountain Area Regions using geographic technologies. Students are invited to propose a research project and will be competitively selected on the basis of their long-term potential to contribute to these topics in the region.  The MyCOE / SERVIR program will provide students with customized capacity training in GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and/or spatial techniques to help them enrich their research proposals. They will also receive professional development, have access to additional mentoring by international experts and engage in an online community with other fellows. Interested students must apply with a mentor who is willing to work closely with them throughout the duration of the program and attend the workshop. The program provides travel support and research stipends for both students and their mentors.

Up to 15 teams of students and their mentors will be selected for this Himalayas Initiative.  Over the life of the program, participants will have the opportunity to interact and exchange ideas with approximately 60 other teams from around the world that will be selected through MyCOE / SERVIR global initiatives.

The official language for this initiative is English.

Partners: My Community, Our Earth: Geographic Learning for Sustainable Development (MyCOE), Association of American Geographers (AAG) (MyCOE Secretariat); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The SERVIR Global Program; International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), SERVIR-Himalaya and others.

*Eligible countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan. 
Please note that to be eligible, all participants must be citizens of one of the eligible countries AND also be studying (students) or working (mentors) and residing in the same or another of the eligible countries.

For more information please see http://www.aag.org/mycoe.servir/himalayas
Inquiries may be directed to mycoe@aag.org

Belpasso International Summer School on Environmental and Resource Economics - Call for Applications

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

University of Catania - EAERE - FEEM
Belpasso International Summer School on Environmental and Resource Economics
Sustainable Development: Theory and Measurement Methods

Belpasso (Italy), September 2nd - 8th, 2012
http://www.feem-project.net/belpasso_2012/

Deadline for applications: June 24th, 2012

The Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Catania, the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE) and the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), with the sponsorship of the Municipality of Belpasso, are pleased to announce the Belpasso International Summer School on Environmental and Resource Economics for postgraduate students.

The 2012 Summer School will take place from the 2nd to the 8th of September in Belpasso, a city in the Province of Catania, Sicily, Italy. The theme of this Summer School is Sustainable Development: Theory and Measurement Methods.

Ensuring a continuous increase in well-being throughout the world is one of the main challenges to humankind. Since the mid-80s, awareness that economic growth has not necessarily improved living conditions has led to the quest for sustainable development. The concept of sustainability implies the need to consider in policy agendas the long-term interactions among the economic, environmental and social spheres, reconciling their potential trade-offs. In spite of the increased effort of the academia, no agreement on the definition and quantitative assessment of sustainability has been reached to date on a worldwide basis. The main aim of the 2012 Belpasso summer school is to collect the latest advancements in the field from research leaders, in order to provide young scholars with the most appropriate theoretical and methodological background and to enable them to make a valuable contribution to the post Rio+20 scientific debate.

Faculty

Graciela CHICHILNISKY, Columbia University, Department of Economics, USA

Giuseppe MUNDA, Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona (UAB), Ecological Economics and Integrated Assessment Unit (Eco2bcn), Spain

William REES, University of British Columbia, School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), Canada

Michaela SAISANA,  European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Econometric and Applied Statistics Uni, Italy

Giovanni SIGNORELLO (School Co-coordinator), University of Catania, Italy

Fabio EBOLI (School Co-coordinator), Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change, Italy

Admissions and Scholarships

The Summer School is targeted to postgraduate students. Admission is conditional on the presentation by each student of his/her doctoral work; therefore PhD students who want to apply need to be advanced in their PhD and need to have written at least one substantive chapter. It is not necessary that PhD applicants have completely finished their thesis
Application is restricted to 2012 EAERE members, both European and Non-European citizens. Given the highly interactive activities planned at the Summer School, the number of participants is limited to 20.
There is no participation fee. All applicants can apply for a scholarship.

For further information on application and funding please access the Summer School Website at http://www.feem-project.net/belpasso_2012/ or contact the Summer School Secretariat.

Belpasso International Summer School Secretariat
c/o prof. Giovanni Signorello
DiGESA - Envalab
via Santa Sofia 98
95123 Catania
Italy
Tel. +39 095 7580320
Fax +39 095 7580345
g.signorello@unict.it
http://www.feem-project.net/belpasso_2012/

25 China UNESCO Fellowships for International Students in China 2012

2012 UNESCO/People’s Republic of China Fellowships– The Great Wall Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme for International Students. Twenty five (25) fellowships for advanced studies at undergraduate and postgraduate level are available.

The fellowships, tenable at a selected number of Chinese universities, are of one year duration. These fellowships, which are in most cases to be conducted in English, are offered to senior advanced students wishing to pursue higher studies or intending to undertake individual research with periodic guidance from the assigned supervisor. In exceptional cases, candidates may be required to study the Chinese language before taking up research/study in their fields of interest.

Study Subject(s):Any Applicants can choose one academic program and three institutions as their preferences from the Chinese HEIs designated by MOE)
Course Level: Fellowships for advanced studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Scholarship Provider: Chinese Government and UNESCO

Scholarship can be taken at: China

Qualifications Required

(i.)                  Hold at least the equivalent of the Master’s Degree/above or the Bachelor’s Degree; 

(ii.)                 English proficiency is required; 

(iii.)               Be not more than 45 years of age; and

(iv.)                 Be in good health, both physically and mentally. 

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes

Scholarship Description: China/UNESCO — the Great Wall Fellowship program is a full scholarship program set up by the Ministry of Education of P. R. China (hereinafter referred to as MOE) for candidates recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). MOE entrusts China Scholarship Council (hereinafter referred to as CSC) to manage the recruitment and carry out the routine management of this scholarship program.

How to Apply: By Post

Scholarship Application Deadline: April 30th, 2012

Further Scholarship Information and Application [PDF]

UNESCO Website

UKERC Summer School 2012 (17-22 June) Nominations now open

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) is holding its eighth annual Energy Summer School from 17th June - 22nd June 2011 at the University of Warwick in the English Midlands. There will be 100 places available for UK and international students.

The School has been specifically designed to give second year PhD students an understanding of energy systems as a whole and of pathways to low-carbon and resilient energy systems.  This directly relates to international climate change issues and policies as students will become engaged in mock United Nations style negotiations throughout the week in order to achieve a reduction in carbon emissions through the use of energy systems.

We welcome applications from those engaged in energy-related research including technical, physical, social, economic, environmental and business aspects of energy and energy systems.

We would like to invite you to nominate students to attend. There is no charge for registered research students to attend the School; UKERC will provide accommodation and all meals and materials for activities. The School is conducted in English, and as it is highly interactive a good standard of comprehension and spoken English is essential.
Agenda

During the week-long course, which runs in parallel to UKERC’s Annual Assembly, students will:
•       Examine the evolving challenges, and the feasibility of, the transition to a low-carbon, resilient and affordable energy system out till 2030;
•       Understand the global commercial, political, innovation and technological challenges in the transition to a low-carbon system;
•       Be involved in high level debate on energy technologies and research priorities in a number of key research areas, from demand reduction to future sources of energy;
•       Be presented with a number of contrasting international perspectives on energy;
•       Have the opportunity to network with key academic, and energy research contacts;
•       Research, develop, negotiate and agree a collective vision for a low-carbon energy system and present the work to the UK Energy Research Centre
•       Develop and practice professional skills in communication and engagement.

The course is professionally facilitated to provide continual support for participants, and includes a number of networking opportunities as well as social events.

Successful applicants will be notified by e-mail from 22nd March 2012 and both nominator and nominee will at that time be asked to formally accept the place. Should the delegate subsequently withdraw and a suitable replacement not be found, the nominator will be required to pay for the cost of the unused place. The course is normally over-subscribed, and UKERC will select delegates by giving preference to those in the second year of a PhD, to provide an appropriate mix of specialist disciplines, and a balance of UK and non-UK based students.
Nominations
Nominations are now open until 1700hrs (5pm) GMT Thursday, 8th March 2011. For convenience we ask that the student completes the nomination form, but they will need to include your details as confirmation of endorsement.

The nomination form can be accessed from our website or by clicking on the link below. http://www.regonline.co.uk/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1037477

Information
If you have further questions, please call us on +44 (0)207 594 1574 or email Ilaria Longo (Ilaria.longo@ukerc.ac.uk )
Further information is available from the UK Energy Research Centre website at www.ukerc.ac.uk

Kind regards,

UK Energy Research Centre

3rd Global Young Greens Congress in cooperation with the Global Greens in Dakar, Senegal

Apply now!

Global Young Greens are organizing the amazing 3rd GYG Congress in Dakar, Senegal from 27th to 29th of March 2012. Young Greens from all over the world will gather to take part in this amazing event that coincides with an ever pressing need for youth involvement in governmental strategies and environmental protection. Interested? Here’s the deal…

Who are we?

Global Young Greens (GYG) is a global youth network working for ecological sustainability, social justice, grassroots democracy and peace. Its main objectives are to empower young people within the framework of participatory democracy to further the Green principles as outlined in the Global Greens Charter. The GYG network hosts a Congress every 2 to 3 years to collaborate and inspire its members.

When and where will GYG 2012 take place?

The third GYG Congress will take place in Dakar, Senegal, from the 27th to the 29th of March 2012 just before the Global Greens Congress. We already chose a great venue close to the beach, so don’t miss out, make sure you join us in Dakar!

What are the Objectives of the Congress?

The core aims of the Congress are to:

·         Enhance and empower the network between young green activists and organisations around the World.

·         Work on a green vision and an action plan for the Global Young Greens network.

·         Exchange green skills and discuss about the following topics:

o   Cooperatives for Poverty Eradication

o   Education and Health for all

o   Youth Grassroots Training

o   Women Empowerment in Africa

What is the scheduled Program?

Our Program is still tentative and new workshops are added to the diversity of activities we’re planning. Here’s a link for a hint of the GYG 2012 schedule but stay tuned-in for future updates!

Who can Participate?

Registration is open to people 35 and under from youth organizations identifying as Green. Although we would love to provide translation services for our participants, at the moment we are unable to do so due to financial reasons. Therefore a minimum level of English skills is required for communication during the GYG.

How to get there?

That is your own choice – but of course you should chose the greenest way possible! We are working on getting a boat from Europe to Dakar, more info here!

In general, you will have to pay for your own ticket. You can always ask your organisation or green foundation for support. There are also other possibilities to fundraise and we will do our best to help you.

How can I apply and when is the Deadline?

Please register using the following link. The deadline to apply is 22.01.2012. Please make sure we receive your application in time.

What is the Participation Fee?

The participation fee is 90 euros for youth from the Global North and 30 euros for those from the Global South. The fee covers accommodation, food, workshop materials and local transportation.

Can I apply for Funding support?

The financing of this event is a joint effort of everybody involved. All delegates and all organizations represented are expected to actively look for funds and to contribute as much as they can. Generally, all participants are responsible for their own travel costs and their participation fee.

Global Young Greens will have a small central fund that may be used to assist delegates who need it. You can apply to it while filling the application form to the Congress. However, this fund is small, so if you really want to attend the congress, you will need to fundraise on your own with our support!

A Fundraising Kit explaining how to fundraise by yourself will be available online very soon and we will send it to all applicants.

Questions?

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments: info@globalyounggreens.org