EPSRC DLA: Long distance travel and its carbon implication using data fusion and modelling

One full scholarship is available in the Institute for Transport Studies for 2025/26 entry for a Home fee rated applicant. This is a highly competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award Studentship offering the award of UK fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 for academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. This award is only available to Home fee rated applicants. Training and support will also be provided. Please note that whilst you may be successful in securing an academic offer for this project, this does not mean that you have been successful in securing an offer of funding. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis.

<p>Our recent research (Nature Energy) suggests that long distance travel (trips longer than 50 miles one way) in the UK is responsible for less than 3% of all passenger trips, but cover 60% of the miles travelled and 70% of the emissions from passenger travel. However, it is very difficult to have a comprehensive understanding of long distance travel – especially in the context of overall passenger travel – given existing detailed travel surveys do not cover infrequent long distance travel and more frequent daily or weekly travel patterns together. For example, the National Travel Survey only covers a weekly diary of domestic travel, whereas International Passenger Survey covers only international travel. The surveys also have different data collection methods (one is household survey, another intercept). Existing study fused these two data sources only at an aggregate and average level, and cannot be correlated with relevant socio-economic characteristics to have a deeper understanding.</p> <p>The proposed PhD project will apply different statistical/data science techniques to combine two (or more) datasets at a household level to have a more detailed understanding of long distance travel and associated carbon emissions in the context of total travel emissions, potentially complemented by primary survey data. The fused data at the disaggregate level will then be used to model long distance travel and carbon emissions and their decarbonisation potential. Potential mitigation option via destination switching or frequent flier levies and their equity impacts are also of interest.</p>

<p>Formal applications for research degree study should be made online through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. <strong>Please follow these instructions carefully or your application may not be considered.</strong></p> <ul> <li>For ‘Application type’ please select ‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’.</li> <li>The admission year for this project is 2025/26 Academic Year.</li> <li>You will need to select your ‘Planned Course of Study’ from a drop-down menu. For this project, you must scroll down and select ‘<strong>EPSRC DLA Environment</strong>’. If you do not apply under this programme code, your application cannot be considered.</li> <li>Please state the funding you wish to be considered for is <strong>EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2025/26: Environment</strong>.</li> <li>The project start date for this project is October 2025, please use this as your Proposed Start Date of Research.</li> <li>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <strong>EPSRC DLA: Long distance travel and its carbon implication using data fusion and modelling</strong> as well as <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/chemical-engineering/staff/550/dr-zia-wadud">Dr Zia Wadud</a> as your proposed supervisor.</li> <li>You must provide the following documents in your application: <ul> <li>Full transcripts of all degree study, or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date</li> <li>Personal statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the PGR Admissions team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p>This competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award offers the award of tuition fees at the Home rate, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 for academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided. This award is only available to Home fee rated applicants.</p> <p>Please note that whilst you may be successful in securing an academic offer for any project linked to this funding advertised project or own research proposal, this does not mean that you have been successful in securing an offer of funding. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis.</p> <p>Please refer to the <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/">UKCISA</a> website for information regarding fee status for Non-UK Nationals.</p>

<p>For further information please contact the Postgraduate Research Admissions team: <a href="mailto:env-pgr@leeds.ac.uk?subject=EPSRC%20DLA%3A%20Promoting%20Healthy%20Ageing%20through%20Diverse%20Mobility%20Options">env-pgr@leeds.ac.uk</a>. </p>