Led by the University of Hull’s Energy and Environment Institute, the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience is dedicated to advancing the understanding and management of offshore wind challenges to drive the UK’s transition to net zero.
The new Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council CDT unites over 40 industry partners and combines the cross-cutting expertise in engineering, environmental science, AI, socio-economics and human factors from Durham University, Loughborough University, and the University of Sheffield.
Loughborough University researchers will address the socio-economic drivers essential for the future offshore wind industry, drawing expertise across its Business School and School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences.
The multi-million-pound Government award, enhanced by offshore wind industry investment, will enable the new centre to harness talent, with opportunities for more than 65 postgraduate doctoral students over the next five years. It will develop a diverse range of future leaders for the sector, focused on maximising the potential of offshore wind.
Last month, UK Research and Innovation announced a £1 billion funding boost for new Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) CDTs. This is the UK’s bigger ever investment which also includes the Loughborough-led £10.2M EPSRC EnerHy CDT – the UK’s only doctoral training centre dedicated to accelerating green hydrogen technologies.
The University is also a partner in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Transformation of Metals Industry, led by the University of Leicester.
Professor Dan Parsons, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Loughborough University said: “I am delighted that Loughborough University is a core partner in this exciting new UKRI-EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience, which will advance research and innovation through transdisciplinary approaches that helps meet the needs and challenges of the offshore wind industry.
"Growing the quality and volume of our doctoral researcher community is a key part of our University’s Research and Innovation Core Plan, underpinning a significant expansion in our research endeavours - this CDT is an example of how we can do this and additionally amplify the ways our research and innovation meet global challenges and shape the journey to a green grid and net zero.”
The EPSRC Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience welcomes applications for funded doctoral scholarships from a diverse range of backgrounds, from engineering, environmental science and socio-economics. To find out more, visit the CDT website.