Fully-funded PhD studentship within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Closing Date for Applications: 15th September 2015

Incidents and other events can affect the operation of the transport network, producing a range of negative impacts including delay, reduced journey time reliability, increased energy usage and air pollution.  Disruption occurs when the capacity of the network is temporarily reduced by a planned event (e.g. roadworks) or an unplanned event (e.g. broken-down vehicle, flooding) or when there is an atypical pattern of travel demand on the system as a result, for example, of a special event taking place in the city.  These events also have a knock-on effect on the performance of other systems which rely on the transport network to move goods and people.  The resilience of the system to a disruptive event is complex as it is dependent on a number of factors including the type, location, timing, regularity and duration of the event itself as well as inherent system characteristics such as network structure, sensing and control systems and the characteristics and capabilities of those using the system.  The utilisation of services which provide real-time travel information to users via mobile devices are also changing the way in which travellers respond to disruptive events.  

This project will focus on the characterisation of network events and the response of transport system users to these events.  A key feature of the project will be the availability, use and impact of existing and emerging technologies to support mobility by, for example, providing up-to-date travel information and route guidance or enabling users to adapt travel plans easily.  The project will consist of the analyses of travel datasets and modelling the transport system with the aim of developing effective strategies to improve the resilience of a network subject to disruptive events.

The project will give the student the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary and vibrant network of academics and access a range of training opportunities within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (www.strath.ac.uk/civeng/).  The student will be able to utilise the data content, and analytical and visualisation capabilities of the University’s new City Observatory (www.strath.ac.uk/cities/thecityobservatory/) based in the Technology and Innovation Centre (www.strath.ac.uk/research/technologyandinnovationcentre/).

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was ranked first in Scotland for research power (weighted by number of submitted staff) in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and is the only engineering department in Scotland, and one of three civil engineering departments in the UK with an Athena SWAN Silver Award.

Studentship:
The studentship will cover all fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of £12,000 per annum (paid monthly) for 3 years.

Eligibility:
Please note, this studentship is funded for UK and EU applicants only.

Applicants should have at least a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent in Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Maths or other numerate discipline.  An MSc in Transport Planning or Geospatial Science would be an advantage.  Skills and experience in areas relevant to this project (e.g. computer programming, data analysis) would also be beneficial.  Applicants should be enthusiastic, well-organised and have good inter-personal and communication skills.

How to Apply:
If you are interested in this position, please email a CV, copies of relevant qualification transcripts and a covering letter highlighting your motivation for applying for this studentship and indicating how your skills and expertise can contribute to this research to [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask] 

Please use the subject heading “PhD - Urban Transport Network Resilience” on your email.

For further information please contact:
Dr Neil Ferguson
t: 0141 548 3181
e: [log in to unmask]
w: http://www.strath.ac.uk/civeng/staff/neilferguson/