Four Fully Funded PhD & One Masters Scholarships: Digestate & Biogenic CO₂ Valorisation – Ireland
About University College Dublin, University of Galway & Teagasc
Applications are open for PhD and Research Masters scholarships in digestate and CO2 valorisation at University of Galway, University College Dublin, and Teagasc in Ireland. The EMPOWER project aims to develop zero-waste processes for converting digestate and CO2 into fertilizer and high-value bioproducts. This four-year project has been funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI). Three partner organizations will participate: the School of Engineering/Ryan Institute/J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway; Teagasc Grange Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority); and the School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD). This project will provide financial support to four PhD students and one MScEng student who will be registered at University of Galway and UCD.
The project aims to develop a zero-waste, synergistic process to support anaerobic digestion (AD) deployment by converting digestate and CO2 into fertilizer and high-value bioproducts. It will overcome key barriers in biomethane production, enhancing its sustainability and economic viability while supporting Ireland’s renewable energy transition and climate action goals.
Scholarship Overview
Project 1: PhD Scholarship – Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis for Nutrient Recovery
Project Description
This scholarship will develop technologies to valorise liquid digestate and biogenic CO2 for commercial grade nutrient recovery and cost-effective biomethane enhancement with an integrated bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) technology. The research work will be conducted in the Environmental Lab at University of Galway under the supervision of Prof. Xinmin Zhan.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline |
| Experience | Demonstrated laboratory research experience |
| Skills | Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills |
| Technical Knowledge | Experience with fermentation and anaerobic digestion; knowledge of analytical instrumentation (e.g., GC, HPLC) |
Project 2: PhD Scholarship – Solid-State Fermentation for Microbial Biopesticides
Project Description
This project focuses on transforming solid digestate into high-value microbial biopesticides using an innovative biphasic solid-state fermentation (SSF) process. The research addresses critical bottlenecks in SSF, particularly heat accumulation and process scalability, and aims to deliver semi-continuous, industry-relevant production systems. The PhD student will be supervised by Dr. Yuansheng Hu at UCD.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or related discipline |
| Microbial Knowledge | Strong understanding of microbial processes and/or fermentation systems |
| Experience | Demonstrated laboratory research experience |
| Skills | Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills |
Desirable:
- Experience with solid-state fermentation, composting, or anaerobic digestion
- Experience with cell and spore enumeration techniques (e.g., CFU counting, microscopy)
- Familiarity with microbial community analysis (e.g., sequencing methods)
- Knowledge of analytical instrumentation (e.g., GC, HPLC)
Project 3: PhD Scholarship – Bioeconomic Systems Modelling for AD Integration
Project Description
Systems modelling can be a useful aid to understand how production systems react to changing circumstances and new developments and innovations in production systems research. Previous research by Dr. Paul Crosson combined bioeconomic farm systems modelling with partial LCA for integrated livestock-AD production models. The overall objective of this study is to further extend this framework to quantify the impact of novel technologies (specifically bipolar membrane electrodialysis) on AD plant performance and the emissions intensity of biofertilizer production. The PhD student will be supervised by Dr. Paul Crosson at Teagasc.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | First-class Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Agricultural Science, Environmental Science, Biosystems Engineering or related discipline |
| Understanding | Strong understanding of agricultural systems and/or sustainable energy systems |
| Experience | Demonstrated data analytics or quantitative analysis experience |
| Skills | Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication (written and oral) skills |
Desirable:
- Experience with anaerobic digestion and biomethane production
- Experience with life-cycle assessment or biosystems modelling
- Familiarity with economic evaluation of agricultural or energy systems
- Publication of scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals
Project 4: PhD Scholarship – Market and Stakeholder Analysis for AD Byproducts
Project Description
This project aims to complete a market and stakeholder analysis for energy security and climate goals. This is a unique opportunity to work on a nationally funded project that combines academic insight with real-world applications. The PhD candidate will specifically explore the market potential and exporting opportunities of anaerobic digestion (AD) byproducts, e.g., biogas, digestate and fertilizer, in both Irish and international markets. The project aims to contribute impactful theoretical results for marketing and sustainability, as well as evidence-based recommendations for energy security. This PhD research is supervised by Dr. Patricia McHugh in the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at University of Galway.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | 1st class or 2.1 honours Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Marketing, Business, or closely related discipline |
| Communication | Excellent written and verbal communication skills |
| Motivation | Strong passion and motivation for excellence in research, with a view to publication, international conference presentations and collaborations |
| Personal Qualities | Strong self-motivation and self-learning abilities, high sense of responsibility and teamwork spirit |
| Problem-Solving | Problem-solving, critical thinking and troubleshooting skills |
Project 5: Research Masters Scholarship – Pilot-Scale BMED for Nutrient Recovery
Project Description
This project aims to test a bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) technology for nutrient recovery from digestate at a pilot scale. This research work will be supervised by Prof. Xinmin Zhan at University of Galway.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education | 1st class Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Chemistry |
| Communication | Excellent written and verbal communication skills |
| Motivation | Strong passion and motivation for excellence in research |
| Personal Qualities | Strong self-motivation and self-learning abilities, high sense of responsibility and teamwork spirit |
| Problem-Solving | Problem-solving, critical thinking and troubleshooting skills |
Summary of All Projects
| Scholarship | Project Focus | Supervisor | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD 1 | Bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) for nutrient recovery from liquid digestate and CO2 | Prof. Xinmin Zhan | University of Galway |
| PhD 2 | Solid-state fermentation (SSF) for transforming solid digestate into microbial biopesticides | Dr. Yuansheng Hu | UCD |
| PhD 3 | Bioeconomic systems modelling for AD integration with livestock systems | Dr. Paul Crosson | Teagasc |
| PhD 4 | Market and stakeholder analysis for AD byproducts (biogas, digestate, fertilizer) | Dr. Patricia McHugh | University of Galway |
| Research Masters | Pilot-scale testing of BMED technology for nutrient recovery from digestate | Prof. Xinmin Zhan | University of Galway |
My Application Strategy
- Match your qualifications to the specific scholarship – Each PhD has different requirements. Apply only to the one that fits your background
- For PhD Scholarship 4 (market and stakeholder analysis), prepare a strong research proposal – This is required and will be a key part of your application
- Highlight relevant laboratory experience – For scholarships 1 and 2, emphasize hands-on lab skills (GC, HPLC, fermentation, microbial enumeration)
- For Scholarship 3, showcase quantitative analysis skills – Experience with LCA, biosystems modelling, or economic evaluation is highly desirable
- Apply early – The positions will remain open until filled, and they reserve the right to close the call at any time
What They Offer
| Benefit | PhD Students | Masters Student |
|---|---|---|
| Stipend | €25,000 per annum | €25,000 per annum |
| Duration | 4 years | 2 years |
| Tuition Fees | €6,000 per annum covered | €6,000 per annum covered |
| Partner Institutions | University of Galway, UCD, Teagasc | University of Galway |
Who Should Apply
These scholarships are perfect for students with backgrounds in environmental engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology, microbiology, agricultural science, business, or marketing, depending on the specific PhD. Each project addresses a different aspect of the anaerobic digestion value chain – from nutrient recovery technologies (BMED) to biopesticide production (SSF) to systems modelling to market analysis. Candidates should apply only to the scholarship that matches their academic background and research interests. The ideal candidate is someone who wants to contribute to Ireland’s renewable energy transition and circular economy goals.ts their research to have direct practical impact on farm animal welfare and sustainability.
How to Apply
For PhD Scholarships 1, 2, and 3 and the Research Masters Scholarship, send your transcript, CV, a cover letter with names and contact details of two referees to the respective supervisor with the subject line “PhD application 2026 – your name”:
| Scholarship | Contact |
|---|---|
| PhD Scholarship 1 | Prof. Xinmin Zhan – xinmin.zhan@universityofgalway.ie |
| PhD Scholarship 2 | Dr. Yuansheng Hu – yuansheng.hu1@ucd.ie |
| PhD Scholarship 3 | Dr. Paul Crosson – paul.crosson@teagasc.ie |
| Research Masters Scholarship | Prof. Xinmin Zhan – xinmin.zhan@universityofgalway.ie |
For PhD Scholarship 4, send a research proposal, your transcript, CV, a cover letter with names and contact details of two referees to Dr. Patricia McHugh at patricia.mchugh@universityofgalway.ie with the subject line “PhD application 2026 – your name”.
Note: The position will remain open until it is filled, and we reserve the right to close the call at any time.
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