Hello, thank you very much for your question and apologies in the delay getting back to you. My name is Emma from the Postgraduate Recruitment team, and I am replying on behalf of the mentor as they have not yet answered it.

There are various funding opportunities available for both home and international students. Please refer to our funding database (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgfunding) for possible funding opportunities. You may also find information on our international pages useful if you are not from the UK, including our page on international scholarships (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/International/students/finance/scholarships/index.aspx).

What course to pick depends entirely on your interests! My advice would to go through the courses on the website and look at the structure and content, to see which best fits your interests and career prospects.

Best of luck,
PG Recruitment

Hello, thank you very much for your question and apologies in the delay getting back to you. My name is Emma from the Postgraduate Recruitment team, and I am replying on behalf of the mentor as they have not yet answered it.

Our on campus Careers Network help our students with careers by providing support with CV writing, interview preparation and 1-2-1 meetings to discuss career options, as well as running careers fairs throughout the year on campus with employers from all over the UK. There is a dedicated Careers Advisor for the College of Medical and Dental Sciences who will be able to help with more specific, medical related careers. This support is available to you for 2 years after you graduate too!

You can find some information about jobs in Occupational Health here: https://medicfootprints.org/occupational-medicine-career-guide/

I hope this helps,
PG Recruitment

At the PhD level it is important to choose a supervisor who works in your field of interest. My current supervisor is one of the most reputed academics in the field, and Birmingham has one of the best research groups focused on atmospheric sciences and air quality. This, in addition to the excellent facilities and student infrastructure, and its very international character, meant that it wasn’t a difficult decision to come here.

I have always had an interest in research, and a postgraduate degree is a stepping stone towards a career in academia or in research institutions. After completing my Masters degree I worked for about a year, but it was during that time that I started looking for PhD opportunities, which I hoped would open doors towards a career in research.

As a young scientist and an aspiring academic, I think that Birmingham has given me ample opportunities to prepare myself for the years ahead. I have received scientific training in my field of research, organised and participated in national and international symposia and conferences, and written grant applications (albeit small ones). These, together with a plethora of other training opportunities (e.g. academic writing, conference management, public engagement and the impact of research on public policy), have enabled me to continue to pursue a career in science.

I will be heading to the USA for a postdoctoral programme.

I’ve had the chance to dabble in a range of different activities, both in my field of work and outside it. Academically, it has been a pleasure to work among some of the brightest minds in the field. Outside of work, I have enjoyed participating in student activities, learning a new language and volunteering for some good causes.  The monthly farmers’ market (with the best cakes and produce on offer!) and the on-campus fruit and vegetable shop were a definite plus.

Hi! This is definitely an interesting area of research, and there are several options for you.  If you are interested in applying for a PhD program in the UK, or in Europe, I would encourage you to:

a. Check opportunities at websites such as http://www.findaphd.com/

b. Write to professors working in this field, and explore the possibility of joining their research group. At the University of Birmingham, you might want to contact Dr. Cynthia Carliell-Marquet who works on resource recovery from biomass waste (http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/civil-engineering/people/profile.aspx?ReferenceId=5881 )

For material recovery research, you might want to check out the following page- http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/metallurgy-materials/magnets/research/REMANENCE-FP7-Project.aspx

I have highlighted groups at UoB who perform research in related area, but I would encourage you to check other universities as well.

Here is a link to National Environmental Research Council (NERC) webpage on resource recovery from waste- http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/funded/programmes/waste/

Also, since this topic is geared towards engineering science, the mentors from the School of Metallurgy and/or School of Civil/Environmental Engineering might have more specific information for you.

I hope this was useful.

Merry X’Mas and  Happy New Year!
Pallavi

Hello!

There are two ways you can apply for a PhD programme:

1. A university advertises a funded PhD position that is of interest to you and you decide to apply  [search here]
2. You approach a professor you would like to work with, and explore if there are opportunities to work with her/him, and seek scholarships to support your research. In this case, you will need to come up with a broad idea about your research topic, and then find a professor with a matching interest.

In terms of requirements, typically, you need an English certification exam (TOEFL/IELTS) [cut-offs are different based on the university and/or the programme], a good academic record [typically first class degree] and a strong statement of purpose [read about this here and here. Skill requirements (modelling or laboratory-based) will depend on the project, and learning opportunities are available after you enrol in the programme.

There are several scholarship schemes that provide financial assistance to PhD students, and you can read more about there on the following pages:

1. British Council
2. Ratan Tata Trust
3. https://www.scholarships.com/

To look for scholarship/funding opportunities at University of Birmingham, please visit http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/International/students/finance/scholarships/index.aspx

Information about application process for applicants from India is available here- http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/International/students/country/India/index.aspx

Please let me know if you have follow-up questions. Good luck!

Pallavi

Hello!

There are several scholarship schemes that provide financial assistance to PhD students, and you can read more about there on the following pages:

1. British Council
2. Ratan Tata Trust
3. https://www.scholarships.com/

To look for scholarship/funding opportunities at University of Birmingham, please visit http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/International/students/finance/scholarships/index.aspx

You can also search for PhD opportunities advertised by the university (typically fully funded) here. Further information about application process for applicants from India is available here.

Please let me know if you have follow-up questions. Good luck!

Pallavi

Hi!

The MSc program in Applied Meteorology and Climatology is among the best in the country, and there are many employment options. I am not entirely clear what you mean by employment opportunities abroad? Are you referring to the UK, or other countries?

Possible job options include working for consulting companies, development sector (research organizations, international organizations etc.) as well as government jobs (in your home country).

Hi! I am very glad you are interested in this topic. 🙂

In terms of challenges associated with combating air pollution in developing countries, there are a number of factors including lack of reliable data, limited resources (technical capacity and personnel) and lack of political will. The burden of disease associated with exposure to air pollution in developing countries is very high, and warrants urgent action, and a growing number of researchers are focusing efforts in the developing world. Happy to discuss this in more detail offline.

The air pollution research group at UoB was a great place for me to get trained in air pollution measurement and analysis. During my time at UoB, I worked on specific questions related to particulate matter-air pollution in India, and well as UK. At the same time, I was able to get a broad perspective on air pollution management in UK and Europe. Currently, the air pollution group at UoB is involved in projects in several countries including India and China, in addition to work in Europe. Finally, and I think this can sometimes be overlooked, but I got a lot of opportunities for professional development and networking with peers and colleagues in the field. The university has several streams of funding for doctoral researchers to attend conferences and professional development programs.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hello,

Glad to hear that you are interested in applying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham! I think you are starting at the right time, and this should give you plenty of time to work on your application.

Details regarding entry requirements are available here- http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/gees/environmental-health-risk-mgt.aspx#CourseDetailsTab

Please also take a look at open PhD positions- http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/gees/courses/postgraduate/phd/phd-projects.aspx

If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact me again!

-Pallavi

Hello, thanks for your message. The PhD program at the University of Birmingham lasts between 3 and 4 years, depending on your work. Attending classes is not mandatory although it is highly recommended in some cases. Typically, you will meet with you advisor(s) at least once a month (if not more frequently) to discuss progress and next steps.

I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you need additional information.
Best,
Pallavi

The integrated course combines one year of taught courses (in line with the Masters program- https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/gees/air-pollution-mgt-ctrl.aspx) and three years of PhD research work while the other program does not include a taught course component. In the three year PhD program, you start with the research work immediately as opposed to the four-year course where you take classes in the first year and start some of your research work on the side.

If you are interested in particular ongoing project(s), the best thing would be to e-mail the professor, share your motivation and ideas with them, and explore if there are opportunities to work with them.

Does this answer your question? Please let me know if you have additional questions.

All the best,

Pallavi

Thank you for reaching out to us. For any questions related to the programme or the application process, please contact Dr Martin Widmann (m.widmann@bham.ac.uk).

What kind of advice are you seeking for PhD programs?

University of Birmingham offers a range of scholarships to international students. Details are available here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/International/students/finance/scholarships/index.aspx

In addition, there are several other scholarship programs and details are available on the British Council website: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/scholarships

All the best!
Pallavi