Research Experience Placements 2022

We are pleased to announce that NERC have awarded our DTP 5 research experience placements (REPs) to be completed over the summer period of 2022. We also have an additional 3 REPs available to students from underrepresented groups (ethnic minorities, those with a disability or from low-income backgrounds). REP placements give undergraduate students a taster of what it’s like to be a postgraduate researcher.

The application deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 29th June 2022. To apply, first check the eligibility requirements and available projects below, and then complete either a Standard REP application Form, or an underrepresented group REP application form. We would be grateful if you could also complete our anonymous equality and diversity and inclusion (EDI) form which can be found here.

Placement Details, Funding and Reporting

  • We have 5 REPs open to all students available for the Summer 2022.
  • We have 3 REPs open to students from underrepresented groups available for the Summer 2022.
  • Placement duration is 6 weeks full time the summer vacation period (July/August/September).
  • Placements are paid at the University of Leeds grade 3 (£9.72 per hour).
  • There is no additional funding available for relocation.
  • REPs do not meet the requirements for a visa request, and therefore, are open to UK citizens or those who already have a right to work in the UK.
  • The student and the project supervisor at the host organisation will be required to complete a brief online report on the outcome of the placement at the end of the placement.

Eligibility of students (All REPs)

Students are subject to eligibility criteria to be able to apply for NERC REPs and must be:

  • undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters).
    • Note: students in their final year who have graduated and no longer have student status at the time the placement starts are not eligible. If the student meets the eligibility criteria (i.e., has student status) at the beginning of the placement, we would consider the eligibility criteria to be met even if the student graduates during the course of the placement.
  • eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding (Details of eligibility for PhD studentships can be found here. Please note this guidance should be read in conjunction with the UKRI Training Grant Terms and Conditions and guidance documents available here).

Applications are open to students from all universities, however potential applicants should be aware that no relocation or travel costs will be paid.

Additional eligibility requirements for underrepresented groups REPs

In addition to the above criteria, you must also:

  • Be from an ethnic minority group, or
  • Have a recognised disability, or
  • Be from a low-income/socioeconomic background.
  • You will need to complete the underrepresented group REP application form which includes a short statement explaining why you feel you meet one of the above criteria.

REPs do not meet the requirements for a visa request, and therefore, are open to UK citizens or those who already have a right to work in the UK.

Available projects:

Do floating invasive plants affect fisheries?

Supervisor: Dr Josie South 

Department: School of Biology, University of Leeds

Comparing species interactions on tropical and subtropical reefs

Supervisor: Dr Maria Beger

Department: School of Biology, University of Leeds

Mapping circular economy social enterprises in Yorkshire and the Humber

Supervisor: Dr Anne Velenturf

Department: School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds

Mineral coatings on gastropods at hydrothermal vent sites: implications for fossilization processes

Supervisor: Dr Crispin Little

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Exploring the use of tephrostratigraphy to constrain the rates of Last Interglacial sea-level change

Supervisor: Dr Natasha Barlow  

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Piles or plumes? Investigating the Earth's core-mantle boundary with diffracted seismic waves

Supervisor: Dr Andy Nowacki

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Feel the Physics! Can tactile geophysical data enrich public engagement with archaeological sites?

Supervisor: Dr Adam Booth

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Creating a climate resilient woodland in Leeds

Supervisor: Dr Cat Scott

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Cloudy with a chance it rained 

Supervisor: Dr Tamara Fletcher

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

A perfect storm: Dudley, Eunice and Franklin and the role of the stratosphere in the UK storm cluster of February 2022 

Supervisor: Dr Amanda Maycock

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

What does the recent volcanic activity at La Palma, Canary Islands tell us about the composition of the mantle source of lavas? 

Supervisor: Dr Jason Harvey

Department: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Pharmaceutical burden in UK soils- A snap shot in time. 

Supervisor: Dr Felicity Elder 

Department: School of Geography, University of Leeds

Investigating biases in PM2.5 monitoring data from optical instruments

Supervisor: Dr Katherine Manfred 

Department: Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Labs, University of York

Atmospheric photolysis rates for oxygenated organics 

Supervisor: Dr Terry Dillon 

Department: Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Labs, University of York