About the Programme
The University of St Andrews is pleased to offer a scholarship funded by the Royal and Ancient Foundation to support an exceptional student undertaking research in the following project: Development of rapid, low-cost tools to quantify soil organic carbon.
Supervisors:
Dr Craig Smeaton, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, cs244@st-andrews.ac.uk
Dr William McCarthy, School of Earth and Environmental Science, wm37@st-andrews.ac.uk
The project will be managed jointly between the School of Geography & Sustainable Development and the School of Earth and Environmental Science, University of St Andrews.
Project description:
For full details please find the pdf under 'Current funded opportunities' at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/geography-sustainable-development/prospective/pgr/.
The MSc (Res) will seek to develop new SOC calibrations for both NIR and multispectral data for golf course soils to allow quantification of SOC by non-specialists. The project will develop the NIR calibrations using 3 - 5 golf course with differing characteristics. This will be achieved through the comparison of OC content from different soil samples measured using advanced analytical methods (elemental analysis) and NIR spectra from in-situ and laboratory measurements produced by a handheld spectrometer (NIRvascan or Neospectra). The calibration developed from this analysis will be integrated into an easy-to-use open software package for non-specialist to quantify SOC at their course. At each site a UAV survey will be carried out to produce a multi-spectral map of each course to test the possibility of linking UAV produced spectra to in-situ measurements using the handheld NIR with a view to providing SOC estimates from across large parcels of land on a scale of 0.2 - 10km2.
Objectives
1. Develop a new NIR to OC calibration for golf course soils.
2. Test the quality of low-cost handheld NIR spectrometers.
3. Investigate the possibility of linking multispectral data produced by a UAV to in-situ NIR measurements.
4. Develop of standardised methodology to calculate SOC stock by non-specialists. Communicate and demonstrate the newly developed approach to the measurement of SOC to end-users.
Eligibility: Home/UK applicants only
Domicile for fee status: Home Fees
Candidate Background: a minimum of a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) and strong quantitative skills
Level of study: Postgraduate Research (Master of Science by Research (MSc (Res))
Year of entry: 2024-2025 academic year – January entry
What does it cover?
Duration of award: The duration of the award is 1 year (12 months). The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.
Value of award: The project is funded by the Royal and Ancient Foundation. The funding comprises a scholarship equivalent of a full-fees award accompanied with funds to cover all travel, and analytical activities associated with the project. These funds do not include a stipend. For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarship will comprise a full fees award (£6,711).
Tuition or maintenance award: Tuition only
How to apply:
Terms and conditions of scholarships for St Andrews can be found at Awards general terms and conditions.
Applicants should submit their application to the co-supervisors by 21st October 2024.
Please send your application to Dr Craig Smeaton (cs244@st-andrews.ac.uk) and Dr William McCarthy (wm37@st-andrews.ac.uk) and the postgraduate research administrator (gsdpgradmin@st-andrews.ac.uk).
Your application should include the following:
Statement why you are the right candidate for the project (max. 800 words)
CV (2 Page)
2 x Reference
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by 28th October 2024. Awards are subject to final signatures of contractual relationships between the parties, and are not an indication of admission to the postgraduate programme. An offer of an award is subject to the approval by the University of St Andrews
Contact:
Informal enquiries regarding this scholarship may be addressed to Dr Craig Smeaton and Dr William McCarthy (cs244@st-andrews.ac.uk, wm37@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Funding Notes
The project is funded by the Royal and Ancient Foundation. The funding comprises a scholarship equivalent of a full-fees award accompanied with funds to cover all travel, and analytical activities associated with the project. These funds do not include a stipend. For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarship will comprise a full fees award (£6,711).
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