Key information
The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) at Heriot-Watt University (Scotland, UK) is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to undertake research on the development of sustainable, low-carbon building materials derived from food-industry by-products.
- Code
- EGIS2025-HL
- Funding
- Fully funded (Students worldwide)
- School
- Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Award
- PhD
- Delivery type
- Full-time
- Closing date
- Friday, 5 December 2025
- Duration
- 42 months
About the Project
The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) at Heriot-Watt University (Scotland, UK) is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to undertake research on the development of sustainable, low-carbon building materials derived from food-industry by-products. The project will focus on experimental engineering and material innovation to support the transition toward a circular and resource-efficient construction sector.
The construction industry is responsible for more than 40% of global carbon emissions and remains one of the largest consumers of natural resources. Meanwhile, the food industry generates vast amounts of mineral and organic rich residues that are largely underutilised. Transforming these by-products into valuable construction materials presents a major opportunity to reduce waste, lower embodied carbon, and promote sustainable resource use.
This project aims to develop and evaluate innovative building materials incorporating food-industry residues as partial substitutes for conventional cementitious components. The research will involve an experimental programme focused on the hydro-mechanical behaviour, durability, and environmental performance of the developed materials. Life-cycle assessment will support the evaluation of their sustainability potential and inform design optimisation.
Working in close collaboration with academic and industry partners, the successful candidate will contribute to advancing circular economy solutions for the built environment. By the end of the project, it is anticipated that the research will deliver prototype materials with strong potential for further scaling, certification, and industrial application.
Timeline
The closing date for applications is 5 December 2025 and applicants must be available to start in either January or May 2026.
We expect interviews to take place in December. We will be reviewing applications as received and may close applications early if a suitable candidate is identified.
Project supervisor
Please contact Dr Hyeleon Lee (Hyeyeon.Lee@hw.ac.uk) for further information or an informal discussion.
Please contact egis-pgr-apps@hw.ac.uk for technical support with your application.
Entry requirements
Candidate criteria
This project is open to ALL students, whether home, EU or overseas.
The successful candidate will have a first-class honours degree in a relevant subject or a 2.1 honours degree plus Masters (or equivalent) in Environmental Sciences or Engineering (e.g. civil, environmental, chemical), or other allied degree requiring quantitative skills (please enquire if you are unsure).
Applications and enquiries
- To apply you must complete our online application form.
- Please select PhD Civil Engineering as the programme and include the full project title, reference number (EGIS2025-HL) and supervisor name on your application form. Ensure that all fields marked as ‘required’ are complete.
- Once have entered your personal details, click submit. You will be asked to upload your supporting documents. You must provide a supporting statement (1-2 A4 pages) documenting your reasons for applying to this particular project, outlining your suitability and how you would approach the project. You must also upload your CV, a copy of your degree certificate and relevant transcripts and an academic reference in the relevant section of the application form.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 6.0.
If you do not have IELTS 6.5, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
For more information about your application and our English Language requirements, please see Section 10 of our page on English Language Requirements as part of your application.
Funding information
This is a full scholarship which will cover tuition fees (Home and Oversees) and provide an annual stipend (currently £20,780) for 42 months.
Thereafter, candidates will be expected to pay a continuing affiliation fee (currently £130) whilst they complete writing up their thesis.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.