Understanding population and infrastructure exposure and vulnerability to glacial lake outburst floods in the Nepal Himalaya

One Masters by Research partial fee scholarship is available in the School of Geography in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to Home fee rated applicants and covers £1,000 towards UK tuition fees<br /> <br /> This scholarship provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research addressing a global challenge of high-mountain hazards.<br /> <br /> The School of Geography invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a Masters by Research in the academic year 2026/27.

<p>Global deglaciation is leading to the formation of thousands of glacial lakes, which are often located in remote and unmonitored environments. Extreme flood events from glacial lakes - glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) - can cause extensive damage to infrastructure, disrupt livelihoods, and are expected to increase in frequency with climate warming. Additionally, population growth and hydropower development in high-mountain catchments are increasing both exposure and vulnerability to flooding, particularly across the Himalaya in countries such as Nepal and Bhutan.</p> <p>This project aims to enhance the accuracy and spatial resolution of GLOF risk assessments by integrating multi-source satellite observations with in-country field data and social vulnerability indicators. By coupling these refined datasets with advanced flood modelling, the researcher will produce significantly improved GLOF risk assessments. These outputs will support more effective early warning systems, infrastructure planning, and climate adaptation strategies in vulnerable high-mountain regions.</p> <p><strong>Key Objectives</strong></p> <ol> <li>Review literature on GLOF risk assessment approaches.</li> <li>Identify and refine downstream exposure and vulnerability through the integration of remote sensing (e.g. optical, radar, altimetry data), census, and infrastructure datasets.</li> <li>Model potential GLOF scenarios using state-of-the-art hydrodynamic models and high-resolution topographic data.</li> <li>Develop actionable risk maps and decision-support tools for use by local governments, NGOs, and international development agencies.</li> <li>Prepare your thesis and transfer your findings into a scientific publication, supported by the supervisory team.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Benefits</strong></p> <ul> <li>You will receive specialist training and guidance to develop transferable skills in scientific writing, preparing high-quality figures, GIS, satellite data analysis, programming, and flood hazard modelling.</li> <li>You will be supported to submit a high-quality paper for publication during the project to disseminate your findings.</li> <li>You will have opportunities to support the broader Glacial Lake Observatory project, including presenting at a conference, participating in outreach events, and collaborating with overseas partners.</li> <li>You will be able to engage with other researchers in the School of Geography and water@leeds centre.</li> <li>You will be supported in developing your career goals in academia or industry.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Applicant profile</strong><br /> Applicants with a strong background in geography, geoscience, or natural hazards, and experience in GIS, flood modelling, remote sensing, or computer programming (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB), would be well-suited for this project. <br />  </p>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study 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. </p> <ul> <li>For ‘Application type’ please select ‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’. </li> <li>The admission year for this project is 2026/2027 Academic Year. </li> <li>You will need to select your ‘Planned Course of Study’ from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select ‘PhD Geography Full-time’. </li> <li>The project start date for this project is 1st September 2026, please use this as your Proposed Start Date of Research. </li> <li><strong>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is ‘Understanding population and infrastructure exposure and vulnerability to glacial lake outburst floods in the Nepal Himalaya’ as well as <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/faculty/staff/8939/dr-c-scott-watson">C. Scott Watson</a> as your proposed supervisor.</strong></li> </ul> <p>More information on how to apply is available on our website <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">here</a>. You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project. </p> <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>

The minimum entry requirements for Masters by Research study is 2.1 honours degree, or equivalent, in geography or a related subject, however a lower undergraduate degree can be supplemented by a relevant Masters degree. A first class honours degree (or equivalent) is usually required to be competitive for scholarship funding.<br /> <br /> Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or 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><strong>Information about the Award</strong><br /> We are offering 1 full-time/part-time Masters by Research partial fee scholarship in the School of Geography for one UK candidate, covering £1,000 towards UK tuition fees for one year. More information on tuition fees can be found on our website <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-fees/doc/research-degrees-fees">here</a>.</p> <p><br /> <strong>Duration of the Award</strong><br /> Full-time (1 year). <br />  </p> <p><strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1st September 2026.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.<br />  </li> </ul>

<p>For further information please contact the project supervisor at <a href="mailto:c.s.watson@leeds.ac.uk">c.s.watson@leeds.ac.uk</a>.</p>