THE HYDRO NATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME 2018

The Hydro Nation Scholars Programme is part of the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation
strategy. The objective of the strategy is to develop the economic, environmental and social
value of Scotland’s water resources. The Hydro Nation Scholars play an important role in
supporting this by:

 developing understanding of how and where best to develop the value of Scotland’s
water resources
 focusing on enhancing Scottish capacity in areas of existing research excellence
 providing new research and insights where there are gaps related to water resources
in Scotland.

The Programme and the associated graduate school will be managed on behalf of the
Scottish Government by the Hydro Nation Scholars Executive Group (HNSEG), drawing on its
Scotland-wide water policy, industry, and academic network.

Topics of interest for 2018 are:

Adaptive Engineering Solutions to Water Abstraction and Control for Developing

Countries:
Problem:  The Scottish Government is committed to the UN Global Goals and our
Hydro Nation agenda commits our support for SDG6 access to clean drinking water
and sanitation. We recognise that access to water in developing countries is often
constrained by the availability of affordable and contextually-appropriate
technology, and that more low-cost, low-energy and low-maintenance solutions need
to be developed to help communities’ access water resources more effectively and
efficiently to improve their lives. Our Water Futures Project in Malawi should be seen
as providing context for this topic – linking as it does detailed scientific study with
adaptive engineering solutions to respond to the specific issue identified.
1.
Ask:  We wish to encourage research projects to develop adaptive and/or novel
engineering approaches to water abstraction / management suitable for
manufacture and deployment in the developing world that help meet the aims and
objectives of SDG6 - access to clean water and sanitation.  Proposals should identify
a specific water quality issue and how a locally-targeted technological solution
capable of adaptive adjustment to recognise specific prevailing conditions in diverse
geographical areas could be developed and deployed. In responding to identified
issues of access/ water quality / treatment etc., technologies must be low-cost, low-
maintenance and capable of local management.  They should explore
novel/innovative local management solutions / social enterprise type models
potentially including those that encourage and support action to combat gender
inequality.
 Innovative Monitoring and Financial Approaches for the Improved Maintenance of
Water Infrastructure Assets
Problem: Capital maintenance is the investment required to maintain existing levels
of service, through replacing assets at the end of their useful life and intervening to
prevent asset deterioration. The very nature of water and wastewater assets make
the regulation of capital maintenance challenging. Long life-cycles and the
sometimes-inaccessible nature of water industry assets (particularly underground
assets) has complicated our ability to understand the likely timing of deteriorations
or of critical asset failures.  Given the challenges to develop robust information on
asset condition and asset lives, it is difficult to determine the required level of allowed
capital maintenance spend consistent with managing water and wastewater assets
2. effectively at lowest whole life cost.  The current focus on short term is likely to have
implications for intergenerational equity, maintaining stable charges and the long-
term sustainability of the industry. 

Ask: Proposals are sought to explore how regulated companies’ information on asset
condition and asset lives can be improved and monitored. Recommendations on
lessons learned from asset intensive industries in other jurisdictions would be
welcome.  Proposals are invited to explore how capital maintenance could be funded
over the long-term and what financial mechanisms could be adopted within the
regulatory framework to ensure sustainability and intergenerational equity whilst
ensuring companies are investing money efficiently and are operating under a hard
budget constraint.

Opportunities for Creating Value in the Water Sector Through a Circular Economy:
Problem:  The "Circular Economy" is becoming a ubiquitous term and there is a
growing appreciation of the new business opportunities that this could create.  Value
recovery from waste streams is seen as a particular area of interest for the sector, as
much for revenue opportunity as well as reducing treatment costs.
3.
Ask:  Proposals are sought that explore the technological and / or the economic
opportunities and challenges within the water sector that Circular Economy
approaches could bring. Proposals are invited that explore value recovery in the
broadest sense, whether of nutrients, or other value opportunities e.g. water re-use,
heat recovery, energy generation etc that consider commercial imperatives and
potential integrated with appropriate academic study.
 Water Management in the Food and Drink Industry:
Problem: Food and Drink is a hugely important sector to the Scottish economy and a
significant user of water resources with single sites often using water from a variety
of sources against which issues of access and security of supply in volumetric and
water-quality terms often has to be balanced against the interests of other users.
The need to minimise production costs while observing responsible resource
management is adding to increased competitive pressures to which the industry
4. needs to respond creatively. In addition, the impacts of climate change on water
resources for the sector need to be to be taken into account.

Ask: Proposals are sought that explore opportunities to assist this key industry
respond to the kinds of challenges outlined above and maximise the value from the
water resources it uses, whether through improved water efficiency, value and
resource recovery or the creative use of water resources in relation to production.

Assessing the Future Water Landscape of Scotland:

Problem: The water “landscape” in Scotland will be affected by a number of different
drivers including climate change, urbanisation, commercial demands, changes in
agricultural production and land use. Understanding future scenarios of change is an
important pre-requisite for the development of national strategy, planning and
5. policy.

Ask: Proposals are sought that explore future demands and pressures on the water
environment, including linking biophysical, social and economic perspectives.
Developing and exploring scenarios of change and subsequent impacts will be key.

Achieving Regulatory Compliance with Low-Cost, Low-Impact Rural Provision

Solutions:
Problem: Innovative approaches to delivering both water supply and treatment
whilst maintaining compliance can provide potentially cost effective solutions to the
challenges of rural provision. Alternatives to regulation include improved knowledge
exchange, self-regulation and co-regulation which can be implemented through
6. approaches involving behavioral insight and changed enforcement practices. In
addition, this challenge requires a new generation of technological development in
low impact systems and their implementation.

Ask: We seek proposals which explore technological innovation in the sector as well
as those which look to evaluate and explore mechanisms for the adoption of
technologies and approaches to reduce the regulatory burden of compliance.
 Innovation in Water and Health:
Problem: The Scottish Government has identified the need and potential for greater
community engagement, particularly within rural settings, to raise awareness of the
critical role that human interaction has on our water environment and the impact of
the environment on our health, particularly in respect of the role of robust water
treatment and sanitation in protecting public health. As well as individuals there is a
need for greater institutional awareness and strategies to reduce negative health
impacts associated with the water environment. E.g. in relation to hospital sites and
an opportunity to positively influence practice and behaviour through examination of
the social dimensions in water service provision and the benefits that this can deliver
7.
for the protection of public health, particularly in a rural setting.

Ask: As part of Scotland’s ‘green infrastructure’, our freshwaters are an asset which
can help contribute to fundamental public health objectives. A number of
interventions are underway to develop the practice of the ‘Natural Health Service’
and we would welcome proposals that evaluate the social benefits from these and
other innovations. We also welcome projects that examine how public and
institutional awareness and behaviours related to the water environment, including
the discharge of waste, source control, emerging pollutants and contaminants, use of
prescription medication can deliver positive health impacts and reduce negative
health impacts for communities.
THE PROGRAMME

The Hydro Nation Scholars Programme is an open competition for project topics and then
for PhD Scholars to undertake approved projects, hosted within Scottish Universities and
Research Institutes. The areas of interest are set out below.

Full funding is available from the Scottish Government (to host institutions via the Scottish
Funding Council) for up to 7 PhD scholarships. Two of these may be awarded to “overseas”
Scholars. Home and overseas Scholars are defined according to a Scholar’s status for
University admissions. The funding available will be in line with the Research Councils UK
doctoral stipend levels and indicative fees. Currently these are:

 National Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2017/18 is £14,553

 Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2017/18 is £4,195
 Overseas Indicative Fee Level is £17,950

Supervisors will be allocated £2,500 per annum for Travel and Subsistence and all fees and
stipend will be covered. Exceptional costs, for example, additional research costs, travel
costs and placement costs during the scholarship will be negotiated with the HNSEG.

Scholars will be funded for 4 years. The scholarship may involve periods of research at a
water related institution, such as Scottish Water, the Scottish Government, SEPA, or
industry. The HNSEG will liaise between the applicant and the water organisation to develop
this link, following appointment of the Scholar. Please do not contact a placement partner
before application.

Scholars will benefit from specialised programmes provided under the auspices of the Hydro
Nation Graduate School.

THE PROCESS
Call for Project Proposals

 The call for project proposals, based on advertised topics is made at the beginning of
July 2017
 There is a strict limit of one application per academic as a primary supervisor and
one as a second supervisor
 Projects proposals must be submitted to the HNSP Secretariat Laura Logie
(laura.logie@hutton.ac.uk) and on the project proposal form below
 The deadline for submission of project proposals is the 31st August 2017
 Prospective PhD Scholars are encouraged to submit project proposals (Scholar-led
proposals), which will be reviewed alongside academic-led proposals
 The proposal must show that the project is rational, feasible, innovative and relevant
to the Hydro Nation strategy
 Project proposals will be reviewed and selected by a panel chaired by the HNSEG and
includes policy stakeholders from Scottish Water, SEPA, WICS and SNH. Proposers
will be notified of the outcome towards the end of September 2017
 A summary timetable for recruitment is shown below.
Summary timetable for recruitment for 2018

Postgraduate Project Proposal Call Early July 2017

Deadline for Project Proposal Submission 31st August 2017

Review of Project Proposals by Hydro Nation

September 2017
Stakeholder Panel

Advertisement of Approved Projects October 2017

Deadline for Scholar Applications 31st December 2017

PhD Scholar Interviews 6th & 7th February 2018

Final Decisions on PhD Scholars Mid-February 2018

 HYDRO NATION SCHOLARSHIP
PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM
Please return this form to Laura Logie (laura.logie@hutton.ac.uk) in electronic (Word) format by 31st August 2017

Part 1 – Administrative Details

Title of Project:

Topic of Interest:

No. of Number of PhD Scholars under supervision

Supervisor’s name & years
Institution supervision 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Total
experience year year year year +

Primary
Supervisor:

Secondary
Supervisor 1:

Secondary
Supervisor 2:

17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 Total

£ £ £ £ £

Estimated Research/Field Costs (please give a detailed breakdown of the costs you are requesting)
Part 2 - Project Details

Part 3 – Supervisor Details – Primary Supervisor

Personal Details
Surname:
Forename(s):
Organisation and current position

E Mail:
Telephone No.:

Relevant recent publications (if applicable); include papers in press (maximum of 5)

Part 3B – Supervisor Details – Secondary Supervisor 1

Personal Details
Surname:
Forename(s):
Organisation and current position

E Mail:
Telephone No.:

Relevant recent publications; include papers in press (maximum of 5)

Part 3C – Supervisor Details – Secondary Supervisor 2

Personal Details
Surname:
Forename(s):
Organisation and current position

E Mail:
Telephone No.:

Relevant recent publications; include papers in press (maximum of 5)