Current Opportunities and How to Apply

The School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at The Open University (Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) invites applications for the following full or part-time PhD studentships open to all nationalities. 

We strongly advise that you get in touch with the contact person associated with each project for informal discussion and advice. For any procedural or administrative questions please email STEM-EEES-PHD@open.ac.uk

BBSRC-NERC funded ‘Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award’ (ILESLA) PhD studentship opportunities 

The Open University has partnered with University of Oxford (lead university), Oxford Brookes University, The Pirbright Institute, Diamond Light Source, and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source to launch the BBSRC-NERC funded Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award (ILESLA). This ambitious doctoral training programme will prepare a new generation of creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial researchers who are equipped to meet the complex, cross-disciplinary challenges the world faces.  

The primary aim of ILESLA is to cultivate researchers capable of developing innovative solutions to challenges in and at the intersection of biological and environmental sciences, focusing on five interconnected themes: 

• Climate and Earth; Advancing understanding of climate and earth systems. 
• Biodiversity and Sustainability; Sustainable approaches to support food, feed and energy security, manufacturing and biodiversity. 
• Animal and Human Health; Innovative approaches to understand and support animal and human health. 
• Rules of Life; Frontier science addressing fundamental questions about biological organisms and ecosystems. 
• Transformative Technologies; Development of tools and technologies underpinning biological and environmental research. 

You can view a full list of research topics within each theme here

This exciting award is expected to fund at least ten new PhD students at The Open University, across five intakes (2025 – 2029) and to fund students registered at the University of Oxford or Oxford Brookes University who will be co-supervised by researchers at The Open University. Recruitment will be annual.

If you wish to conduct your PhD work primarily at The Open University, you should apply following the procedure outlined here.

The application deadline for October 2025 entry is Wednesday 29th January 2025 at 12:00 midday UK time.
                                                                    
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PhD Projects Available for CENTA Doctoral Training Consortium Funding 

The CENTA Doctoral Training Consortium is funded by a NERC Doctoral Landscape Award. Please see the CENTA website for consortium details. 

OU1. Reconstruction of Indian Monsoon variability in response to Plio-Pleistocene climate. Lead supervisor Prof. Pallavi Anand (pallavi.anand@open.ac.uk)

OU2. Deep Bed Farming as climate smart solution for improved crop yield and ecosystem services: opportunities and limitations in Malawi. Lead supervisor Dr Yoseph Araya (yoseph.araya@open.ac.uk)

OU3. Quantifying the carbon offsetting potential of Enhanced Landfill Mining. Lead supervisor Dr Carl Boardman (carl.boardman@open.ac.uk)

OU4. Climate evolution from the Cretaceous. Lead supervisor Prof. Neil Edwards (neil.edwards@open.ac.uk)

OU5. Microbial origins of methane emissions and uptake in forested closed landfills. Lead supervisor Dr Alice Fraser-McDonald (alice.fraser-mcdonald@open.ac.uk)

OU6. The role of the hydrological niche in predicting vegetation response to climate change. Lead supervisor Prof. David Gowing (d.j.gowing@open.ac.uk)

OU7. Exploring the influence of access to nature to diversify participation in Earth and environmental sciences and improve health and well-being for minoritized citizens. Lead supervisor Prof. Richard Holliman (richard.holliman@open.ac.uk)

OU8. Hyperspectral signals of change in grassland ecosystems. Lead supervisor Dr. Clare Lawson (clare.lawson@open.ac.uk)

OU9. Pushed to the Extreme: Extremophile-Mediated Bioremediation of Smouldering Sewage Sludge Emissions. Lead supevisor Dr Michael Macey (michael.macey@open.ac.uk)

OU10. The macroevolution of leaf venation. Lead supervisor Dr Luke Mander (luke.mander@open.ac.uk)

OU11. Green roof function and ecosystem service delivery in a UK context. Lead supervisor Dr Kadmiel Maseyk (kadmiel.maseyk@open.ac.uk)

OU12. Life from fire? Can smouldering gas emissions support microbe growth? Lead supervisor Dr Tarek Rashwan (tarek.rashwan@open.ac.uk)

OU13. Follow the fluids: hydrothermal alteration in Iceland and implications for Early Earth. Lead supervisor Dr Julia Semprich (julia.semprich@open.ac.uk)

OU14. Developing new method of botanical survey using haptic technology. Lead supervisor Dr Irina Tatarenko (irina.tatarenko@open.ac.uk)

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PhD Projects Available for OU STEM Faculty Funding

OU16. Early Angiosperms and the Origin of the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient. Lead supervisor Dr Luke Mander (luke.mander@open.ac.uk)

OU17. Exploring the contribution of meteorite impacts on the Earth’s early ocean composition. Lead supervisor Dr Nisha Ramkissoon (nisha.ramkissoon@open.ac.uk)

OU18. Geochemistry and age dating of Outer Hebrides pseudotachylites as a means to reconstructing crustal melting and trace element concentration. Lead supervisor Dr Sarah Sherlock (sarah.sherlock@open.ac.uk)

OU19. Urban tree function in a warming and drying world. Lead supervisor Dr Kadmiel Maseyk (kadmiel.maseyk@open.ac.uk)

P2. Tracking the fate of ocean carbon within the ice shells of icy moons Lead Supervisor Mark Fox-Powell (Mark Fox-Powell@open.ac.uk) - Please apply via this Link

Funding information

For projects funded through the Doctoral Training Partnership CENTA successful candidates will receive:

• An annual stipend of £19,273 paid directly to the student in monthly increments for 3.5 years
• Full university fees at Home level, and successful international candidates should discuss with the OU a fee waiver to cover the difference between Home and International fees.
• A research training support grant (RTSG) of £8,000

For projects funded by the OU STEM faculty the successful candidates will receive:

• An annual stipend of £19,273 paid directly to the student in monthly increments for 3.3 years
• Full university fees, and successful international candidates should discuss with the OU a fee waiver to cover the difference between Home and International fees.
• A research training support grant (RTSG) of £3,300 

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in a relevant subject with a grade at least equivalent to a 2:1 OR must demonstrate at least a pass at MSc level.  There is no residency or nationality limit on these studentships. 

How to apply 

For PhD Projects available for CENTA doctoral training consortium funding you will need to submit:

• A CENTA application form, downloadable from: CENTA application form
• A CV with the names of at least two referees (preferably three and who can comment on your academic abilities)
• An Open University application form, downloadable from: Home OU application form (if you are resident in the UK) or an Overseas OU application form (if you are an international applicant). For Home applicants, in Section 14 of the Open University application form, please insert the title of the project to which you have applied. In Section 15 of the Open University application form please tick "yes". For Overseas applicants, in Section 18 of the Open University application form, please insert the title of the project to which you have applied. In Section 19 of the Open University application form please tick "yes".

For projects available for OU STEM faculty funding you will need to submit:

• A EEES application form, downloadable from: EEES application form. 
• A CV with the names of at least two referees (preferably three and who can comment on your academic abilities)
• An Open University application form, downloadable from: Home OU application form (if you are resident in the UK) or an Overseas OU application form (if you are an international applicant). For Home applicants, in Section 14 of the Open University application form, please insert the title of the project to which you have applied. In Section 15 of the Open University application form please tick "yes". For Overseas applicants, in Section 18 of the Open University application form, please insert the title of the project to which you have applied. In Section 19 of the Open University application form please tick "yes".

Please submit your application materials to STEM-EEES-PHD@open.ac.uk. The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Wednesday 8th January 2025.