SCENARIO students share a common interest in improving scientific understanding to address today’s and tomorrow’s environmental challenges, including climate change, air and water pollution, and biodiversity loss. Our students come from diverse backgrounds, having first degrees and/or Masters degrees in Physics, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Geography, Meteorology, and Environmental Sciences; their PhD projects span many fascinating aspects of the sciences of the environment, from the atmosphere and ocean to space weather, from earthworms to elephants.
SCENARIO has hosted over 160 students since 2014. 65 students have completed their PhDs and are now working in academia, government, and the private and public sectors, in the UK and abroad. The names and projects of current students are listed below and you can find our alumni here.
Cohort 9 (Autumn 2022 entry)
|
Lead supervisor: David Brayshaw, University of Reading |
|
Toward next generation sea ice models: taking the rough with the smooth?
Lead supervisor: Danny Feltham, University of Reading |
|
The effect of non-neutral winds on wind power aerodynamics
Lead supervisor: Marco Placidi, University of Surrey |
|
How does Boundary Layer Variability affect Cumulus and Convective Storm Development?
Lead supervisor: Thorwald Stein, University of Reading |
|
Trapped lee waves as a source of low-level drag on the atmosphere
Lead supervisor: Miguel Teixeira, University of Reading |
|
Decadal climate forecasting for the energy-sector
Lead supervisor: David Brayshaw, University of Reading |
|
A holistic framework for assessing co-benefits of street-scale green infrastructure interventions
Lead supervisor: Prashant Kumar, University of Surrey |
|
Does pollinator diversity moderate ecosystem function in agroforestry systems?
Lead supervisor: Robbie Girling, University of Reading |
|
Ice cloud microphysics and its connection to cloud optics and remote sensing
Lead supervisor: Chris Westbrook, University of Reading |
|
Evaluating the efficacy of particle image velocimetry to estimate flow velocity in vegetated rivers
Lead supervisor: Ponnambalam Rameshwaran, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology |
|
Developing a next-generation global biodiversity indicator to provide improved estimates of trends in wildlife abundance
Lead supervisor: Robin Freeman, Institute of Zoology |
|
Assessing the threat of exposure of UK birds of prey species to Microplastic pollution based on diet and trophic level
Lead supervisor: Campbell Murn, University of Reading |
|
High resolution mapping of fine sediment and pollutants throughout large river cross sections with innovative uncrewed survey boats; supporting improved flux estimation, habitat assessment and bathing water safety
Lead supervisor: Ponnambalam Rameshwaran, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology |
|
Evaluating the ability of human communities and environmental systems to adapt and recover to Late Holocene climate change in the Peruvian Andes
Lead supervisor: Nicholas Branch, University of Reading |
|
Lead supervisor: Ted Shepherd, University of Reading |
|
Upper tropospheric humidity and climate change
Lead supervisor: Richard Allan, University of Reading |
|
The role of anthropogenic aerosol in near-future sub-Saharan precipitation change
Lead supervisor: Laura Wilcox, National Centre for Atmospheric Science/University of Reading |
|
Solar Wind Interactions with Planets and Minor Planetary Bodies
Lead supervisor: Chris Scott, University of Reading
|
|
Lead supervisor: Sue Gray, University of Reading Co-supervisor: John Methven, University of Reading |
|
The role of rats and mice in dissemination of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance Lead supervisor: Soon Gweon, University of Reading |
Cohort 8 (Autumn 2021 entry)
|
Ice-Ocean interactions and the circulation of salty oceans on icy moons
Lead supervisor: David Ferreira, University of Reading |
|
The role of ozone in sub-seasonal to seasonal weather prediction
Lead supervisor: Michaela Hegglin, University of Reading |
|
Modelling cities in a global weather model
Lead supervisor: Sue Grimmond, University of Reading |
|
Exploiting the benefits of convective-scale ensemble forecasts
Lead supervisor: Suzanne Gray, University of Reading |
|
Modelling and forecasting the Indian Ocean Dipole
Lead supervisor: Andy Turner, University of Reading |
|
Modelling the frequency of extreme event forecasts for the management of funds for humanitarian action
Lead supervisor: Liz Stephens, University of Reading |
|
Coatings for Agriculture: Food Security without a Microplastics Problem
Lead supervisor: Peter Roth, University of Surrey |
|
Carbon gain vs water loss – using state-of-the-art simulation models and remote sensing to examine the potential impacts of woodland expansion
Lead supervisor: Anne Verhoef, University of Reading |
|
Airborne infection risk in complex urban environments: modelling, mapping and mitigation
Lead supervisor: Zhiwen Luo, University of Reading |
|
Ocean heat uptake and transport
Lead supervisor: Till Kuhlbrot, University of Reading |
![]() |
UK meteotsunamis in a changing climate
Lead supervisor: Hannah Cloke, University of Reading |
|
Improvement of fog forecasting using atmospheric electricity
Lead supervisor: Keri Nicoll, University of Reading |
|
Understanding risks and optimising anaerobic digestion to minimise pathogen and antimicrobial resistance genes entering the environment
Lead supervisor: Bing Guo, University of Surrey |
|
Assimilation of future ocean-current measurements from satellites
Lead supervisor: Amos Lawless, University of Reading |
|
A global assessment of functional biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene
Lead supervisor: Manuela González Suárez, University of Reading |
|
The effect of multi-scale roughness on the structure of atmospheric turbulence
Lead supervisor: Marco Placidi, University of Surrey |
|
Snowflake dynamics: in the lab, in the atmosphere, in models
Lead supervisor: Chris Westbrook, University of Reading |
|
Using simple spectral technology to engage farmers in building soil health to enhance environmental outcomes
Lead supervisor: Chris Collins, University of Reading |
Cohort 7 (Autumn 2020 entry)
|
Fundamental Mechanisms of Arctic Summer-time Cyclone Growth and Sea-Ice Interaction
Lead supervisor: John Methven, University of Reading |
|
Sensors for real-time monitoring of drinking water quality and treatment processes
Lead supervisor: Dan Lapworth, British Geological Survey |
|
The domestication of Amazon rainforests by pre-Columbian societies
Lead supervisor: Frank Mayle, University of Reading |
|
Enhancing forecasting flood inundation mapping through data assimilation
Lead supervisor: Sarah Dance, University of Reading |
|
Extreme rainfall, flooding and climate change impact on water quality in south west catchments of the UK
Lead supervisor: Hannah Cloke, University of Reading |
|
Detecting severe weather with radars for observations-based nowcasting
Lead supervisor: Thorwald Stein, University of Reading |
|
Venus Ionised Droplet Investigations
Lead Supervisor: Giles Harrison, University of Reading |
|
Maximising the environmental benefits of gardens through optimal planting choices and understanding of occupants’ engagement
Lead supervisor: Jake Bishop, University of Reading |
|
The impact of air pollution on children’s health in Reading, UK
Lead supervisor: Hong Yang, University of Reading |
|
Reducing risk to hydrological extremes with Nature-based Solutions
Lead supervisor: Hannah Cloke, University of Reading |
|
Predicting the ecological and societal impacts of species on the move with climate change in the UK
Lead supervisor: Nathalie Pettorelli, Institute of Zoology |
|
Improving convective storm simulations through scale-adaptive and flow-adaptive sub-grid methods
Lead supervisor: Bob Plant, University of Reading |
|
Using Aircraft Observations and Modelling to Improve Understanding of Mineral Dust Transport and Deposition Processes
Lead supervisor: Claire Ryder, University of Reading |
![]() Joy Schmeer |
Pollutant transport, air quality and the urban environment Lead supervisor: David Birch, University of Surrey Co-supervisor: Marco Placidi, University of Surrey |
|
Using high-resolution climate models to predict increases in atmospheric turbulence
Lead supervisor: Paul Williams, University of Reading |
|
Atmosphere blocking dynamics: Persistence, re-intensification and interaction with other weather systems
Lead supervisor: Oscar Martinez-Alvarado, National Centre for Atmospheric Science/University of Reading |
|
Forecast improvements from solar wind data assimilation
Lead supervisor: Matt Owens, University of Reading |
|
Robustness of bridge structures under extreme hydraulic actions Lead supervisor: Boulent Imam, University of Surrey |
Cohort 6 (Autumn 2019 entry)
|
Controls on the track and intensity of tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal
Lead Supervisor: Chris Holloway, University of Reading
|
|
Energy transportation in monsoon system and its variability
Lead supervisor: Andy Turner, University of Reading |
|
Combining Machine Learning and Data Assimilation to Infer, Estimate and Characterise Model Errors
Lead supervisor: Peter Jan Van Leeuwen, University of Reading
|
|
Exploiting the UK and Global COSMOS Soil Moisture Sensor Network to Provide Space Weather Alerts for Aviation and Critical Infrastructure
Lead supervisor: Keith Ryden, University of Surrey |
|
A new approach to navigating uncertainty in climate-related hydrologic risk
Lead supervisor: Ted Shepherd, University of Reading |
|
Climate Response to Short-lived Pollutants (CReSP)
Lead supervisor: Bill Collins, University of Reading |
|
The feeder stream: investigating the mechanisms causing extreme precipitation in cyclones
Lead supervisor: Helen Dacre, University of Reading |
|
Roles of woodland birds in the transmission of emerging tree diseases
Lead supervisor: Glynn Barrett, University of Reading |
|
Climate and Speciation in the Mediterranean biome
Lead supervisor: Alastair Culham, University of Reading |
|
Understanding forecast value in complex decision-making systems
Lead supervisor: David Brayshaw, University of Reading |
|
The impact of megafaunal loss and climate change on ecosystem functions in aridland ephemeral river systems
Lead supervisor: Emily Black, University of Reading |
|
Advanced methods for assimilating satellite data in numerical weather prediction
Lead supervisor: Alison Fowler, University of Reading |
|
Origins of the solar wind
Lead supervisor: Matt Owens, University of Reading
|
|
Evaluating the impact of woodland management and drinking water abstraction on groundwater-fed wetlands
Lead supervisor: Jo Clark, University of Reading |
|
Impact of risk assessments for small water supplies in low income countries in the Southern Hemisphere
Lead supervisor: Kathy Pond, University of Surrey |
|
Origin and evolution of detailed structure in coronal mass ejections
Lead supervisor: Chris Scott, University of Reading |
|
Nutrient release from coniferous woodland stimulated by changes in forest management: A new nitrate time bomb?
Lead supervisor: Martin Lukac, University of Reading |
![]() |
Multi-model data assimilation techniques for flood forecasting
Lead supervisor: Sarah Dance, University of Reading
|
|
Evaluating the multiple functions of woodlands for Natural Flood Management
Lead supervisor: Joanna Clark, University of Reading |
|
The impacts of long-term declines in insect abundance on ecosystem function
Lead supervisor: David Roy, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford |
![]() |
Analysis of peatland carbon dynamics using combined optical and microwave satellite data
Lead supervisor: Keith Morrison, University of Reading |
|
Understanding microbial community dynamics and resilience in communal sink drains
Lead supervisor: Soon Gweon, University of Reading |
Cohort 5 (Autumn 2018 entry)
|
Quantifying the effectiveness of natural flood management in lowland catchments Lead supervisor: Gareth Old, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford |
|
The control of cloud and moisture on extratropical cyclone evolution
Lead supervisor: Suzanne Gray, University of Reading |
|
Do microplastics transfer potentially toxic elements from water to soil?
Lead supervisor: Mónica Felipe-Sotelo, University of Surrey |
|
Solar wind modulation of lightning
Lead supervisor: Chris Scott, University of Reading |
|
Energy transfer in marine ecosystems based on phytoplankton size structure from satellite remote sensing
Lead supervisor: Shovonlal Roy, University of Reading |
|
Using aviation meteorology to improve aircraft safety
Lead supervisor: Paul Williams, University of Reading |
|
Quantifying responses to abrupt climate change in the Andes, South America: empirical data and model synergies
Lead supervisor: Stuart Black, University of Reading |
|
Using Sentinel satellite remote sensing data to monitor the state of grasslands across a range of management intensities
Lead supervisor: Tom Sizmur, University of Reading. |
|
Arctic sea-ice reduction: gaining new knowledge from data assimilation
Lead supervisor: Danny Feltham, University of Reading. |
Cohort 4 (Autumn 2017 Entry)
|
British garden plants: a threat to the natural environment due to climate change?
Lead supervisor: Alastair Culham, University of Reading. |
![]() |
Predicting species’ responses to climate change using spread models, data inference and climate velocities
Lead supervisor: James Bullock, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford. |
|
Surface fluxes, temperatures and Boundary Layer evolutions in the building grey zone in London
Lead supervisor: Sue Grimmond, University of Edinburgh. |
Cohort 3 (Autumn 2017 Entry)
|
Developing optical methods for catchment management to protect drinking water
Lead supervisor: Joanna Clark, University of Reading. |
|
Exploring the role of deadwood in the forest carbon cycle Lead supervisor: Joanna Clark, University of Reading. Co-supervisor: Elena Vanguelova Co-supervisor: Liz Shaw, University of Reading. Co-supervisor: James Morrison CASE support from Forest Research |