EPSRC FIBE3 CDT PhD studentship with Ramboll: Green bridges for ecological connectivity

This is a four-year (1+3 MRes/PhD) studentship funded through the Cambridge EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT).

Major roads and railways often create barriers that isolate wildlife populations, disrupt movement between habitats, and reduce biodiversity. Green bridges (landscaped crossings designed to reconnect fragmented ecosystems) offer a promising solution, but their construction can be carbon-intensive and costly. This PhD project, funded in collaboration with Ramboll, a global consultancy recognised for its leadership in sustainable infrastructure and environmental design, looks at how we candesign and locate green bridges so they deliver maximum ecological benefit with minimal environmental cost.

The student may explore two interconnected research themes. The first focuses on how structural and material choices influence the carbon footprint and ecological performance of green bridges. The second investigates where green bridges should be placed to provide the greatest connectivity gains, considering species movement, landscape configuration, and transport corridor constraints. Methods may include ecological assessment, structural analysis, carbon modelling, and satellite monitoring / spatial planning tools.

The project will generate evidence-based guidance to support more effective green bridge design and implementation. Outcomes may include identifying opportunities for lighter, lower-carbon structures, criteria for ecological effectiveness, and insights into retrofitting options across existing transport networks. This PhD offers the chance to contribute directly to more sustainable, biodiversity-enhancing infrastructure.

For project-specific enquiries please e-mail Dr Sakthy Selvakumaran (ss683@cam.ac.uk).For general enquiries, please email cdtcivil-courseadmin@eng.cam.ac.uk.

Applicants should have (or expect to obtain by the start date) at least a high 2.1 degree preferably at Masters level in a related discipline. An ideal candidate is likely to be a civil engineer who is data inclined (for processing satellite data, a network of bridge information, etc).

Fully-funded studentships (fees and maintenance) are only available for eligible home students in the first instance. A limited number of international students can be considered for funding at a later stage in the recruitment process.

Further details about eligibility and funding can be found at:

Further details about eligibility and funding can be found at:

https://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc/career-and-skills-development/funding-for-postgraduate-training/eligibility-for-studentship-funding/https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/fees

https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/

Applications should be made online via the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egegpdfib stating project: Green bridges for ecological connectivity, with Dr Selvakumaran. Please note there is a £20 application fee.

Applications will be reviewed soon after they are received, hence early applications are strongly encouraged as an offer may be made before the stated deadline.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.