Net2Zero Centre for Doctoral Training

The EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Negative Emission Technologies for Net Zero (CDT in Net2Zero) is an equal partnership between Aston University (lead), University of Nottingham, Queen’s University Belfast, and University of Warwick. Through cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, this CDT aims to tackle global challenges related to climate change and sustainability.

Our four-year doctoral programme is training the next generation of research leaders tasked to remove greenhouse gases from the environment. The CDT in Net2Zero focuses on the use of biomass to replace fossil fuels and removal (or capture) of CO2 from the atmosphere, with the potential to create new sources of fuels and chemicals. The centre’s expertise covers Direct Air Capture and CO2 Storage (DACCS), CO2 utilisation, biochar synthesis and utilisation, biomass transition to materials and chemicals, and biomass to energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) etc.

Through our research training programme, you will be able to

develop a network with doctoral researchers, academia, government and industry.
Access to cutting-edge facilities and opportunities for international collaboration, preparing you for a successful career in academia, industry, or policymaking.
Carry out a training programme covering practical engineering, communication, entrepreneurship, and business skills to prepare students for diverse sectors.
The CDT facilitates direct contact between students, industrial partners, policy makers, and third sector organisations to support future careers. You will have the opportunity of a three month placement with industry, research collaborators or policymakers.

Project details

This project is co-supervised and in collaboration with UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR). You can find out more about UKWIR’s work.

As part of the programme, you will benefit from a comprehensive, interdisciplinary training programme and skills development, including the opportunity for an industrial placement with UKWIR.

Overview and background

Water infrastructure, including pipelines, treatment plants, reservoirs, and wastewater networks, is an often-overlooked source of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide methane and carbon dioxide. Undetected leaks and fugitive emissions from buried pipelines, pumping stations, and treatment facilities contribute to climate change and reduce system efficiency. Reliable, high-sensitivity monitoring technologies are urgently needed to identify and quantify these emissions in real time.

The water sector in the UK is committed to play its role in combatting the climate emergency through decarbonising its activities. A significant and difficult to abate component of a water company’s carbon footprint are operational (Scope 1) emissions of the potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), nitrous oxide and methane. In order to develop effective mitigation strategies, the water companies require new measurement tools and techniques that enable plant wide emissions to be mapped and accurately quantified.

The PhD will focus on optimising the system for high-precision detection of methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (CO₂) with potential extension to ammonia (NH₃), targeting ppm-level sensitivity in controlled laboratory environments representative of water-network conditions.

The project, in collaboration with UKWIR, combines fibre-laser engineering, nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, and system integration, progressing toward practical sensing solutions for smart and low-carbon infrastructure.

The PhD will focus on advancing high-precision dual-comb spectroscopy for greenhouse gas leak detection in water infrastructure.

Specific objectives include:

Optimisation of the single-cavity dual-comb fibre laser for stable and coherent dual-comb output.
Extension into the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region (~4 μm) to access strong absorption features of methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other environmentally relevant gases.
Development of laboratory-based detection experiments using multi-pass absorption cells to characterise system sensitivity, selectivity, and measurement repeatability.
Data analysis and signal processing to enable accurate quantification of multiple gases simultaneously at ppm-level sensitivity.
Translation toward practical sensing solutions for monitoring water infrastructure, including integration strategies for real-world environmental applications.

Person specification

Motivation, creativity, and resourcefulness
A mature approach to learning
A strong foundation in Physics, Photonics and environmental sensing discipline.
Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve:
- A Bachelors degree in a Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, or a related discipline with an award of First Class or 2.1
  OR
- A Bachelors degree in a Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, or a related discipline with an award of First Class or 2.1, and AND a Masters degree in a Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, or a related discipline with an award of Merit or higher.
Strong foundation in optical fibres, lasers, or spectroscopy, preferably with hands-on laboratory experience.
Strong foundation in optical fibres, lasers, or spectroscopy, preferably with hands-on laboratory experience.
Knowledge and interest in general optical fibre, ultrafast lasers, optical frequency combs, or precision measurement systems.
Good analytical skills and familiarity with signal processing, data analysis, or programming (e.g., MATLAB, Python).
Motivation for applied environmental sensing and interest in research contributing to Net Zero and sustainable infrastructure.
Strong communication skills and the ability to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary team, including international partners.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of the Net2Zero CDT and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in a higher education setting. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.

Financial Support

•   Four-year studentships with a tax-free stipend at UKRI rate (£21,805 per year for 2026/27)
•   Paid tuition fees
•   A generous research training support grant.

Submitting an expression of Interest

When submitting the Expression of Interest, we will need some information from you, we will be asking about:

Your personal details for processing the application.
A copy of your passport and, where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.
Your personal characteristics, for monitoring purposes only.
Your Academic background. We will require English language copies (or screen captures) of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor's degrees.
If English is not your first language, you will be required to present evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. You can submit the evidence at a later stage.
Your research background and experience.
Expressions of interest will be assessed against the following criteria:
1. Candidate’s motivation and experience:The extent to which the candidate’s expertise, experience, and ambitions align with the goals of the Net2Zero CDT programme.
2. If you are shortlisted, you will have the opportunity to meet the potential supervisors.

If after formal interviews, you are offered a place in the training programme, you will be required to submit a formal application within the Home Institution (Aston University, University or Nottingham, University or Warwick or The Queen’s University of Belfast).

Supervisory team details

Hani Kbashi, Sergey Sergeyev, Peter Vale (Severn Trent’s Carbon & Circular Economy Architect and UKWIR’s R&D lead for the carbon research programme.)

Contact information

For any enquiries about this project, please contact the Net2Zero CDT team.

Contact information

For formal enquiries about this project contact the Net2Zero CDT team cdt_net2zero@aston.ac.uk.

Apply now

PhD overview

PhD programmes are for those who are seeking to develop greater in-depth knowledge in a specific area. Completing this level of study is about making an original contribution to knowledge, making new discoveries and developing lifelong skills.

Career prospects

Studying a PhD is great route into academia and industries that are centred on research and innovation. Areas with a demand for very high level and specialised research skills often demand PhDs.

In addition to this specialist knowledge, PhD education will help you to develop a set of valuable transferrable skills. The very nature of studying an intensive research degree will enable you to become a team player, develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and advanced presentation and communication skills.