Undergraduate – Research Placements & Opportunities
Research Experience Placements
The Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP invites applications from undergraduates for Research Experience Placement (REP) summer placements.
The REP scheme is funded by NERC to enable undergraduate students to undertake a research project within the environmental sciences over 8-10 weeks, giving an insight into the world of research – a unique opportunity which will be of great benefit to future careers.
This year, the SSCP DTP will host six REP students who will be based in a number of departments across the College and at Partner institutions.
REP students will receive a weekly stipend of £200 per week.
Research and training expenses of up to £500 can be covered as agreed in advance between the SSCP DTP and the project supervisor.
Previous Projects
These are some of the projects students worked on in previous years:
| Project Title | Department/Organisation |
|---|---|
| EcoBuilder: an ecosystem dynamics game | Life Sciences |
| Risk analysis of nanomaterials in the environment | Materials |
| Low-cost wireless sensor networks for river flow monitoring | Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| Techno-economic analysis of biorefineries fuelled by sugar beet pulp | Chemical Engineering |
| Where are the missing grasses? | Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew |
| Developing a Bayesian framework for modelling repetitive element evolution | Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew |
| Biogas conversion in oxygen separation membranes | Earth Science & Engineering |
| Plate reconstructions in the South Atlantic | Earth Science & Engineering |
| Probabilistic assessment of tsunami hazard to the UK | Earth Science & Engineering |
| Uncertainty quantification and parameter estimation in environmental fluid dynamics | Earth Science & Engineering |
| An investigation of the characteristics of visits to National Trails | Natural England |
REP Eligibility Criteria
Student eligibility
Students are subject to eligibility criteria to be able to apply for NERC REPs. Selected students must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for a REP. The students must:
- Be studying for an undergraduate degree in a quantitative discipline outside of NERC's scientific remit (eg mathematics, statistics, computing, engineering, physics).
- Be applying for a placement in a different department to their undergraduate degree.
- Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters).
- Be expected to obtain a first or upper second class UK honours degree.
- Be eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding (ie UK, EU or right to remain in the UK).
Research project criteria
Proposed REP student projects are also subject to suitability criteria. Proposed projects must:
- Have a clearly defined objective.
- Be within the science remit of NERC.
- Be suitable for a student feasibly to complete within the timescale of the award.
- Include more than purely a computer/modelling component ie some element of fieldwork, data collection, activity to give an understanding of the wider context etc.
- Give scope for thought and initiative on the part of the student and should not use the student as a general assistant.
- Be based at an eligible UK research organisation.