KESS 1 Year MPhil Scholarship

Dylife Mine Site, Powys

 KESS Scholarship 

Aberystwyth University are seeking to recruit a 1-year MPhil to work on a project entitled: 

Pollution mobilisation and transport in former metal mining areas; towards a greater understanding of mechanisms and remediation strategies 

There are over 3000 km of river waters in the UK which are contaminated as a result of former metal mining activities. Wales has some of the most challenging mine sites in the UK and, as such, presents a unique natural laboratory for the detailed study of the mechanisms which operate in these environments. Recent work has shown the importance of gaining a better understanding of the relationship between the grain size of contaminant particles, mobilisation and transport. This work is vital if sustainable remediation strategies are to be developed. 

This KESS project will investigate the principle mechanisms of pollution mobilisation and transport in upland rivers which are impacted by metal mining and how these impacts could be reduced or remediated. The research will focus on the Dylife mine site near Aberystwyth and is in partnership with Natural Resources Wales. 

The prospective applicant should have a minimum of a 1st or good 2:1 in a relevant degree, and be available to take up the studentship by 1 October 2013. The prospective applicant should also not hold or currently be working towards a qualification at Master’s Degree level or higher. The project is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Government. KESS scholarships are collaborative awards with external partners. (Applicants need only apply, they do not need to search for partners.) 

 To apply, please submit the following to the Postgraduate Admissions Office (address below) by 12 July 2013: 

1. A completed Research Programme Application Form, two references. Application and reference forms may be downloaded from http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/howtoapply/. 

2. A completed KESS application form (put the reference number AU50016 in the top right hand box of the application form) and an up-to-date CV. KESS application forms are available to download at the link below. 

www.aber.ac.uk/en/ccs/staff-students/funding/kess/ 

3. A Personal Statement of up to 1,000 words where you expand on your experience and interests and describe why you are a good candidate for this research studentship. Please refer to the Project Description. 

Value of Award: A stipend of £10,130. Each scholarship has an additional budget for travel, equipment/consumables and training to support your research. KESS Scholarship holders do not pay fees. 

Length: Full-time for 1 year. (Theses must be submitted 3 months after the funded one year study period.) 

Training: The achievement of a Postgraduate Skills Development Award (PSDA) is compulsory for each KESS scholar (The PSDA is based on a 30 credit award, which is an additional award to the MPhil). 

Eligibility: To be eligible to apply for a KESS award, you must be resident, upon application, in the Convergence Area of Wales and you must be able to take paid employment in the Convergence area on completion of the scholarship. 

The Convergence Area means the following counties of Wales: 

Blaenau Gwent 

Bridgend 

Caerphilly 

Carmarthenshire 

Ceredigion 

Conwy 

Denbighshire 

Gwynedd 

Isle of Anglesey 

Merthyr Tydfil 

Neath Port Talbot 

Pembrokeshire 

Rhondda Cynon Taff 

Swansea 

Torfaen 

For further student eligibility criteria related to the individual projects, please view the details of the individual project above. 

Informal enquiries should be made to Dr Bill Perkins (wwp@aber.ac.uk / 01970 622636). 

Address for applications: 

Postgraduate Admissions Office Recruitment & Admissions Student Welcome Centre Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth SY23 3FB 

Quote Reference: AU50016 

Closing date for applications: 12 July 2013 

KESS 1 Year MPhil Scholarship (pdf)

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