On this programme your research will address the need for safe and sustainable environments in which we can all live and work. Your research can be about anything covered by one of our four research centres, or within the wider research interests in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. You’ll be assigned two supervisors, who will guide you through your PhD and meet with you at least once a month. Your supervisors will be responsible for your progress, professional development and your personal welfare. They’ll also be able to support you with preparing your work for publication, and for presenting to research seminars. You’ll normally spend the first few months of your studies exploring the existing literature within your area of interest, and establishing the research question that you will address. After your first year, you’ll take a confirmation exam, and produce a report setting out your research objectives, what you’ve done so far, and a plan for how you’ll complete your final thesis. Your final assessment will be on your written thesis, and by a viva examination with both internal and external examiners. As a research student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, you’ll be able to attend our monthly research seminars, where you can find out more about what your fellow researchers are working on and try your hand at presenting yourself, improving your presentation skills. We encourage our research students to interact with all our research staff throughout their programmes.