Fully Funded Master’s Scholarship: Pasture Irrigation with Treated Wastewater – Ireland
🌊 About the Project
Project Title: PiTCROP – Pasture Irrigation with Treated Wastewater: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities
School: School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)
Duration: 2 Years (Full-time)
Funding: Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
🎯 Scholarship Overview
🔗 Project Background & Objectives
The PiTCROP project is exploring how treated municipal wastewater could be safely reused to irrigate pasture, grassland, and other non-food crops in Ireland, helping to inform future water and agricultural policy.
This MSc Wastewater Reuse Ireland position brings together stakeholder insights from Ireland and internationally to understand:
- Attitudes toward wastewater reuse
- Opportunities for implementation
- Best practices around wastewater reuse
Experimental Components
- Laboratory and glasshouse trials assessing the effects of treated wastewater on grass species such as ryegrass and white clover
- Climate stress conditions testing to understand impacts under different scenarios
Project Goal
Develop a practical, risk-based framework to support evidence-led decision-making on wastewater reuse in Irish agriculture, particularly in the context of:
- Increasing water scarcity
- Climate extremes
📋 Key Duties & Responsibilities
Research Focus
- Conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision of Dr Timothy Sullivan (BEES)
- Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities
- Develop a focused research query for treated urban wastewater for irrigation in Ireland
- Critically appraise the identified literature and provide a systematic review
Dissemination & Skills Development
- Engage in dissemination of research results with the support of Dr Sullivan
- Become familiar with the publication process
- Acquire generic and transferable skills (project management, business skills)
- Engage in wider research and scholarly activities of BEES and the Sustainability Institute at UCC
- Interact closely with other postgraduate research students and postdoctoral fellows
Technical Training
The MSc student will be encouraged to get a broad education in:
- Pollutant analysis
- Antimicrobial resistance in wastewater
- Metals analysis in wastewater
- Irrigation trials
Additional Duties
- Carry out additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post
✅ Essential Criteria
| Category | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Education | Degree in Environmental Sciences, Agricultural/Plant Sciences, Analytical Chemistry, or Wastewater Engineering |
| Research Experience | Previous research experience desirable |
| Technical Competence | Appropriate technical competence and accomplishment desirable |
| Teamwork | Capability of working within a project team to achieve results |
| Communication | Good communication, organisation, and interpersonal skills |
| Commitment | Commitment to gaining practical experience working on a research project |
| Collaboration | Ability to work well within a team |
🛡️ Additional Requirements
Please note that Garda vetting and international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
📝 How to Apply
Application Instructions
Send your application via email to:
Dr. Timothy Sullivan
Lecturer in Environmental Science
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
📧 timothy.sullivan@ucc.ie
Subject Line: PiTCROP
Required Documents (Single PDF)
- Cover Letter (1-2 pages)
- Clearly set out your suitability and motivation for this MSc Studentship
- Reference your past relevant experience and achievements
- CV
- Include your relevant experience
- Undergraduate results
- Any relevant publications (if applicable)
- Contact information for two academic referees
Useful Links
Similar Posts
Two Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships: Environmental Science – USA
Applications are open for Fully Funded MSc Environmental Science USA positions at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Two Graduate Research Assistantships (MS level) are available with a focus on Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Hydrology.
Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Forest Recovery After Tornado Disturbance – USA
Applications are open for a PhD Forest Recovery USA position at the University of Kentucky, Department of Forestry & Natural Resources. This fully funded PhD Assistantship is based in the Forest Dynamics and Management Lab under the supervision of Dr. Lance A. Vickers.
Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Applied Ecology – Horse Welfare and Behaviour – Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Applications are open for a PhD Horse Welfare Behaviour Norway position at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Blæstad. The project monitors yearling stallions of the Norwegian Swedish Coldblooded trotter across different summer management systems using GPS collars and triaxial accelerometers.
Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Remote Sensing for Climate-Smart Agriculture – Aarhus University Denmark
Applications are open for a PhD Remote Sensing Climate Smart Agriculture Denmark position at Aarhus University. The project develops novel remote sensing algorithms and knowledge-guided machine learning frameworks to monitor crop nitrogen, productivity, and greenhouse gas fluxes for Danish and EU wheat cropping systems.
Fully Funded MSc & PhD Scholarship: the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), China
Fully funded 51 Master’s & 47 Doctoral scholarships are open in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
Fully Funded PhD Scholarship – Agroecology for Field-Crop Production – Agroscope / EPFL Switzerland
Applications are open for a PhD Agroecology Field Crop Production Switzerland position at Agroscope in Nyon, in collaboration with EPFL. The SUSTAGRI project investigates the effects of reduced soil tillage and herbicide application on weed diversity, soil microbiome, and soil organic carbon.
