[ES_JOBS_NET] Funded PhD studentship at Lancaster University, UK

[Xiaogang (John) Shi]

*Fully Funded PhD studentship: "Development of a Big Data-based drought
prediction system", Lancaster University, UK*



*Project Description:*



Droughts stand among the most damaging natural disasters in human,
environmental and economic terms. Since 1900, more than 11 million people
have died as a consequence of droughts and more than 2 billion have been
affected by droughts. The severity of drought depends on its duration,
intensity, spatial extent, and local socioeconomic conditions. According to
the IPCC report, the duration and intensity of droughts have increased and
the extent of drought-affected areas globally is likely to increase over
the next century, which is broadly consistent with expected changes in the
hydrologic cycle under warming. Therefore, drought monitoring and
forecasting is vital for stakeholders (e.g., the government, local
authorities, private sectors, communities, and farmers) to make decisions
on drought management and mitigation. Droughts can be monitored effectively
using climatic drought indices. But there is limited capability to use
these indices due to sparse observation networks. Now, with the advent of
advanced remote sensing techniques, a range of Big Data sources have been
recognized as useful tools for the large-scale area monitoring. We believe
that the advances in land surface models, global Big Data sources, and data
assimilation now make it possible to develop a regional drought monitoring
and forecasting system for drought-affected areas, where drought
predictions are most needed and in situ networks are sparse. Therefore,
this PhD project will deliver a better understanding of the drought impacts
and support increased preparedness and resilience to droughts, and hence
will contribute to societal well-being, environmental sustainability, and
economic growth in the drought-affected areas.



*Person Specification:*



We are seeking applications from graduates in a relevant subject area, such
as hydrology, physical geography, and computing science. Graduates in
mathematics, physics, and engineering with an interest in applying their
skills to the environmental sciences are also welcome. This project
requires strong numerical and analytical skills, and relevant programming
experience.



*Funding Notes:*



Full studentships (UK/EU tuition fees and stipend £14,296) for UK/EU
students for 3.5 years or full studentships (International tuition fees and
stipend £14,057) for International students for 3 years. International
applicants who possess suitable self-funding are also invited to apply.



*Application Process: *



In the first instance, please contact Dr Xiaogang Shi at
xiaogang.shi at lancaster.ac.uk to express your interest, supplying a CV and
cover letter.



*Deadline for Applications:*



Midnight 30th April 2018.







*Dr Xiaogang (John) Shi*

Lecturer

Lancaster Environment Centre

Lancaster University | Lancaster | LA1 4YQ | UK

Tel: +44 (0)1524 593966

[image: signature_962898437]

www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/people/john-shi
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