PhD Studentship: Assessing Establishment and Efficacy of Rust Fungus Control of Himalayan Balsam

Overview

This PhD studentship focuses on assessing the environmental conditions influencing the infection success of the rust fungus Puccinia komarovii, a biological control agent used against the invasive plant Himalayan balsam. Over a duration of 3.5 years, the student will work in collaboration with CABI, Tweed Forum, and Tees Rivers Trusts to collate monitoring data, conduct full site assessments, map topographical features, and catalogue flora at invaded riparian sites. The project involves developing skills in fieldwork, data collation, and ecological modelling to evaluate natural dispersal efficacy and produce evidence-based guidance for release sites and monitoring requirements. The work is sponsored by Newcastle University and supervised by Prof Aileen Mill and Zarah Pattison from Stirling University.

Who can apply

Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or an international equivalent in a relevant subject area. Essential personal attributes include research enthusiasm, the capacity to work independently, strong analytical capabilities, and effective verbal and written communication skills. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, which includes UK applicants as well as EU applicants possessing pre-settled or settled status who satisfy residency criteria.

What you get

The award provides full coverage for 100 percent of tuition fees alongside a tax-free annual living allowance of at least £21,805, corresponding to the 2026/27 UKRI rate. Additionally, the recipient receives supplementary research funds.

Requirements

The position requires an on-site, full-time commitment for a fixed-term contract spanning 3.5 years, with a scheduled start date of 4th January 2027.

How to apply

Candidates must submit their applications through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal by registering and initiating a Postgraduate Application. Applicants should search for the programme code 8020F under Course Search, select PhD Biology (full time) as the study programme, and choose Ecosystems as the Research Area. In the Further Details section, applicants are required to input the studentship code SNES318 into the Studentship/Partnership Reference field and include a mandatory Personal Statement. When prompted regarding the research proposal, candidates must select Write Proposal and input the exact project title from the advertisement without uploading a separate proposal document. A curriculum vitae must be uploaded in the Supporting Documentation section, and candidates are restricted to submitting one application per studentship.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 2026-11-20. The project is scheduled to commence on 4th January 2027.