PhD scholarship in Integration of Sustainability Assessment with Digital Twins

Do you wish to play a key role in guiding society towards sustainability? It is not sufficient simply to make our activities and technologies more sustainable, we need to make our society sustainable in absolute terms. This requires ability to model the dynamics and interactions between key processes, technologies and sectors in society, e.g. the energy system, building environment, and circular economy. Digital twins have proved valuable for modelling of dynamic systems and gaining insight of technology design and operation. This PhD intends to expand digital twins and dynamic modelling of hierarchical systems with sustainability assessment.

The PhD is offered as part of DTU’s new Centre of Absolute Sustainability (www.sustainability.dtu.dk), and supervised by DTU Sustain and DTU Compute in collaboration. As part of the Centre, you become member of a growing group of Centre affiliated PhD students/Post Docs (currently 9) focusing on methodological advances within quantitative sustainability assessment, as well as being associated with relevant research groups at both DTU Sustain and DTU Compute. The Centre is part of DTU’s current strategy “Technology for People” supporting research and development of technologies that promote sustainable change in society.

Responsibilities and qualifications
The PhD departs from existing methodologies for modelling of dynamic systems and technologies, and expands this with quantification of environmental impacts in a life cycle perspective. Focus is on modelling of system dynamics associated with hierarchically connected subsystems in combination with data for environmental performance of relevant technologies. On this basis, the intention is to develop digital twin models of selected technologies and systems providing direct forecasting of environmental sustainability impacts on system level.

The intention with the PhD is to link system dynamics to evaluation of environmental sustainability in an absolute perspective, i.e. relative to the biophysical boundaries of our planet. This could mean that climate change impacts quantified from the model are evaluated relative to political, industrial or regional targets. Based on selected technology cases, dynamic models are developed and applied in relation to impact quantification, e.g. enabling recommendations for technology performance, system configuration, or sector coupling. Cases are not pre-defined, but selected in synergy with other on-going research projects.

The main tasks in the PhD involve:

• Review relevant literature within dynamic modelling of processes and hierarchically connected systems as well as literature on environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of processes and technologies and absolute sustainability assessment
• Identify critical methodological elements of both sustainability assessment and modelling of system dynamics of technologies, and develop a methodological framework for integrated life cycle assessment and dynamic modelling
• Identify relevant technology cases, collect and analyse needed input data, establish dynamic models (digital twins) for the cases, and integrate with life cycle assessment modelling
• Demonstrate applicability of the integrated modelling framework and provide concrete recommendations for technology performance and system design in relation to the selected cases
• Participate in teaching activities, including supervision of BSc and MSc student projects, and contribute to organisation of Centre activities

You must have a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master’s degree, preferably within engineering or natural science. Computational skills and experience with quantitative modelling, fluency in written and spoken English are required.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU’s rules for the PhD education .

Assessment
The assessment of applicants is made by the lead professors from DTU Sustain (Thomas Fruergaard Astrup) and DTU Compute (Henrik Madsen), supplemented by other colleagues from DTU. Emphasis will be placed on: readiness of the candidates to fit to the PhD project, ability to motivate their research aims, formulated in the application letter and research proposal; and their qualifications leading to successful completion of the PhD.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognised for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterised by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Prof. Thomas Fruergaard Astrup, [email protected] .

You can read more about DTU Sustain at www.sustain.dtu.dk , and DTU Compute at www.compute.dtu.dk .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 18 November 2022 (Danish time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link “Apply online”, fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• A one-page research proposal indicating aim, approach and expected outcome from the PhD

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master’s degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,400 students and 5,800 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.