Studentships

JUST-CIRCLE is a European Commission-funded Horizon Europe Innovation Action project This is led at Brunel Business School, Brunel University of London by Dr Grigorios Theodosopoulos. The project examines how circular business models can be designed, measured and advanced in ways that support a fair and sustainable transition. This PhD studentship will focus on the accounting, accountability, stakeholder and social-value dimensions of circular business models. Circular economy policies and business models are often presented as environmentally beneficial, but their wider social, economic and accountability implications are harder to measure, evidence and validate. This creates important research questions around how circular business models can be assessed, how sustainability claims can be made credible, and how businesses, policymakers and stakeholders can use evidence to support a just circular transition. The PhD will be aligned with the JUST-CIRCLE research programme and will contribute particularly to work on circular business model design, social innovation and stakeholder engagement, sustainability accounting and circularity assessment, pilot validation, and dissemination to policy and practice audiences. The successful candidate will develop academically rigorous and practically useful approaches for assessing circular business models and their contribution to sustainability, accountability and social value. The project may address questions such as:  How can circular business models be designed and assessed in ways that support a fair and sustainable transition?  What forms of sustainability accounting, accountability and evidence are needed to validate circular business models?  How do SMEs, consumers, communities and other stakeholders understand, trust and respond to circular business model claims?  How can circular economy evidence be translated into useful guidance for businesses, policymakers and project partners? The final focus of the PhD will be refined with the supervisory team and aligned with the JUST-CIRCLE work packages, pilot activities and project deliverables. The project is suitable for candidates interested in sustainability accounting, circular economy, circular business models, ESG and sustainability reporting, social value, stakeholder engagement, sustainable innovation, accountability, or sustainable transition policy. The PhD is expected to use an interdisciplinary research design, potentially combining quantitative analysis with qualitative case study research, interviews, stakeholder engagement, documentary analysis, circular business model mapping, sustainability accounting and accountability analysis, and social-value or impact assessment. The successful candidate may contribution to project workshops, pilot activities and dissemination outputs as part of the wider JUST-CIRCLE consortium

Applications are invited for a full-time PhD Studentships within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Aerospace Research Centre at Brunel University of London. The studentship is jointly supported by Vestas Wind Systems and EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award programme. The PhD studentship is for a period of 36 months effective 1 October 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The successful applicant will receive an annual tax free stipend (bursary) of £23,805 plus payment of their full time Home tuition fees. This PhD research aims to advance bio-inspired wind turbine blade technology (inspired, for example, by the silent flight of owls) to reduce aerodynamic noise while maintaining or enhancing aerodynamic performance. The project will also develop methodologies for translating laboratory-scale findings to full-scale wind turbine applications. This project is a collaboration between Brunel University of London and Vestas Wind Systems, one of the world's leading wind turbine manufacturers. Joining this project offers the opportunity to contribute to pioneering research in sustainable energy within a highly collaborative industrial environment, while developing advanced research skills and establishing strong links with one of the world's foremost renewable energy companies. The successful candidate will contribute to research with direct industrial impact. Informal enquires may be addressed to Professor Tze Pei Chong via email at t.p.chong@brunel.ac.uk