CDT1

The EPSRC-NERC Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment

Funded PhD research Five Cohorts starting 2019-2023

Tackling the environmental and engineering challenges facing the offshore wind industry

The UK has committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and clean energy produced by offshore wind will be a cornerstone in reaching this target. The UK is already the world leader in offshore wind, with more capacity than any other country, providing over 15% of the UK’s electricity and growing at an unprecedented rate. The joint government-industry Offshore Wind Sector Deal predicts that by 2030, the industry will provide a third of British electricity and triple its workforce. The Sector Deal will see industry invest £250 million, including a new Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, driving global exports which are set to increase fivefold to £2.6 billion by 2030. The EPSRC/NERC Aura Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment is a partnership between the universities of Durham, Hull, Newcastle and Sheffield. Working closely with over 20 industry partners, the Aura CDT hosts high-quality research students on four-year doctoral scholarships. Recruitment to this CDT are now complete.

Please check the pages of our sister CDT – The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience. We will welcome 65 doctoral students for funded research projects from 2024 – 2028. Recruitment is open until 4 December 2024 for 2025 entry, see our Scholarships page for more information. 

A group of around 50 research students stand smiling outside of a new building with coloured text in the window saying Aura

The EPSRC-NERC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment is an enabler for innovation in the offshore wind sector, unique in its cross-disciplinary engagement of engineering and environmental scientists, industry and policy makers.

The Centre provides opportunities to develop and integrate practical examples in taught courses across the first year with industry-led and challenge-led projects, followed by three years of focused doctoral research. Our students’ research is making a real impact to the exciting challenges in the offshore wind industry. All our students initially study in Hull, in the heart of the UK’s Energy Estuary, and the global centre for research, innovation and development for the sector. In subsequent years, candidates are based at one of the partner universities of Hull, Durham, Newcastle or Sheffield and get real sector experience with industry partners mapped to their chosen area of research.  

Please contact auracdt@hull.ac.uk if you have any queries or would like to discuss any elements of the programme with the Aura CDT Team