So, you’re interested in applying to one of the FDRI-supported PhDs… or maybe you need something to peak your interest! Hear from current PhD candidate, Alex Braggins, about his first impressions, what he hopes to achieve through his research and top tips for applicants.
What was your background prior to joining the programme and what got you interested in hydrology?
Water has run through everything I’ve studied and worked on. I don’t see it as “just a resource”; it’s the backbone of resilience, equity and a fairer future. Over the past three years I’ve specialised in sustainability and nature-based solutions, building on a BSc and an MSc. Field projects, data analysis and time with communities taught me a simple rule: good ideas only matter if they change real decisions. Hydrology is where I can test things properly and turn insight into policy action – precisely what I want to achieve with this project!
What will you be looking at as part of your PhD?
I've just started (October 2025) a fully funded PhD at Heriot-Watt University, supported by the UK’s Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure (FDRI). My project focuses on upland wetlands and floodplains in the Upper Tweed (Kingledores, Southern Uplands, Scotland).
To sum up, I want to understand when land use and a changing climate make floods arrive faster or slower—and what helps rivers keep flowing during dry spells.
I’ll be tacking this through:
- Hydrometric monitoring: measuring rainfall, river levels and flows to track how catchments respond to different storms.
- Stable isotope tracers (²H and ¹⁸O): using the water’s “fingerprints” to work out where it came from and how long it’s been stored.
- Tracer-aided modelling (e.g., Dynamic TOPMODEL): testing scenarios to see what changes when we restore peat, reconnect floodplains, or alter management on hillslopes.
The aim isn’t a complicated report for a shelf. It’s practical guidance on where and when nature-based actions work.
You're about 1 month in (!) how's it been - any learnings, challenges or experiences you'd like to share?
One month in, I’ve mostly had my head down doing the essential groundwork. I’m running a systematic sweep of the literature to map what we know, what we don’t, and what matters most for decisions. I’m grouping studies by storm type, antecedent wetness and valley form, and tracking which measures were tested and which metrics shifted - peak timing, attenuation, baseflow behaviour and low-flow persistence. The point is not to stockpile papers, but to surface the research and knowledge gaps that block confident action.
From this review I’m shaping a short list of testable “entry points” for the fieldwork. A key learning in research workflow is that zooming out is essential. Sensitivity in environmental studies comes first: if long, wet sequences really amplify floodplain exchange, I should see delays and damping that differ from short, intense storms where hillslope fast paths dominate. That informs where to place sensors, how often to sample isotopes, and which model experiments actually reduce uncertainty rather than add complexity. It also helps define hypotheses that can be falsified, not just described.
Next up is turning this map into a clean monitoring plan and a focused workflow. The goal is to formulate clear evidence that travels from the catchment to the committee room, helping decision makers choose the right action in the right place at the right time.
The support I have received from my supervisor has been great! Leo has regularly checked in with me be that for the project purposes or to see how things are going in general. I’ve undertaken an initial site walkover and scoping visits to look at some suitable sites for rain gauges to feed into FDRI.
Do you have any tips for applicants?
Start with a real-world problem you want to fix. Say what decision your work will help (and how you’ll know it worked). Pick only the methods you need—explain them in plain English. Keep the project small enough to finish; make it testable. Show a tiny sample of your work (map, short script, one-pager). Chat to practitioners and write down what you learned. Be honest about limits and timelines. Write like you talk, be reliable, be kind.
Like what you hear? Apply to FDRI-supported PhDs here. Application deadlines are in January and are specified for each PhD.
