University Of Reading: New PhD Centers Support Environmental Sustainability Studies

The new PhD centres at the University Of Reading will run in partnership with other research organizations, universities and businesses.

Study in UK: The University Of Reading in the UK will now have up to 190 newly funded PhD places. These new centres will be at the university over the next five years and these will be in addition to those hosted at partner institutions.

"The new centres led by the University of Reading reinforce existing funded programmes for PhD students and build on Reading’s strengths in sustainability and environmental sciences, in areas such as maths, meteorology, computer science, ecology, food science and bioscience," says the official statement.

Professor Parveen Yaqoob, University of Reading Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, commented, “Reading is already a major centre of research and training to tackle the environmental science and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. This announcement marks a significant investment in doctoral training that will deliver the next generation of talented researchers.”

The new centers will run in partnership with the NERC Climate System and Biodiversity Science CROCUS Doctoral Landscape Award, BBSRC FoodBioSystems Doctoral Training Partnership, and NERC AI-INTERVENE Doctoral Focal Award.

University Of Reading's New PhD Centers: More Details

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said, “Backing the next generation of great scientific minds to fulfil their potential is crucial to unlocking the discoveries which improve our lives and which keep our economy growing over the long term through highly skilled jobs.”

UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, commented, "UKRI’s investments in Doctoral Training are pivotal for the UK’s research and innovation endeavour. The awards provide funding for Universities across the UK to nurture a cadre of creative, talented people to develop their skills and knowledge, to build partnerships and networks, and to pursue the discoveries that will transform tomorrow, with diverse benefits for society and economic growth.”

University Of Reading Scientist To Attend COP29

University of Reading’s Walker Institute research scientist, Theo Keeping, is going to attend COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

While reacting to former UN secretary general and former UN climate chief comment that UN's COP climate talks are "no longer fit for purpose" is "no longer fit for purpose", Professor Chris Hilson said, “The COP letter today from the climate great and the good was a welcome wake-up call but also misunderstands the inherent limitations that the Treaties themselves place on the COP. One - the wake-up call comes from its governance reminder about petrostate hosts and fossil fuel lobbyist attendees. The key goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change is to lower global greenhouse gas emissions to stay well below 2°C and preferably within 1.5°C of warming."

“Two - the misunderstanding is around what the COPs can realistically do without a change in the Treaties themselves. It is true that we already have many of the pieces in place and that it’s now more a matter of ensuring that they are properly implemented. But the nature of the Paris Agreement is that it was agreed as a more ‘bottom-up’ instrument, with states setting their own homework in the form of ‘nationally determined contributions’ (NDCs). The COP letter is effectively calling for a stricter set of teachers to mark that homework. That is much needed, but it can only really come with a strengthened Agreement. Unfortunately, the prospects of getting state parties to agree are no better than expecting the consensus-based COPs to deliver the necessary delivery kick that is needed. That takes us back to (1). Any kick that COPs do produce comes from leadership, typically from the host country. Where that country’s self-interest points in the wrong direction, that leadership is unlikely to come," added the professor.

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