If you are seeking to deliver an impactful dissertation topic, with direct relevance to environmental policy makers or, simply looking for inspiration for your final year project, you can search for ideas below.
You can search the research questions that have been directly submitted to us, or browse other collections of research ideas from partner organisation such as Natural Resources Wales and Climate Cymru. We are still adding relevant keywords to the data, so try a different search term if nothing comes up or get in touch for support searching the database.
If you do find a question of relevance and decide to address it through your dissertation, we would really like to know about it. Please fill out the form that can be found here.
[Enter keyword and press ‘search’ or the return key]
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Can we produce improved maps of Annex I subtidal habitat, primarily Reef and Sandbank, using data currently available?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Multibeam data from third parties is available that would improve our evidence and maps of Annex I habitats and broad-scale habitats
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
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Can we use eDNA analysis of dredge vessel hopper water to identify presence of Invasive Non-Native Species?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
For more, and updated information, please visit https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Keywords (discipline, other): Using eDNA to identify invasive non-native species in dredge vessel hopper water,”eDNA, Invasive species, Dredge vessels, Marine habitats, Species detection”,
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: marinecoastalevidence@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Phone: NA
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Can we use eDNA to assess species in lagoons?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
For more, and updated information, please visit https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Keywords (discipline, other): Using eDNA to assess species in lagoons,”eDNA, Species assessment, Saline lagoons, Welsh waters, Biodiversity”,
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: marinecoastalevidence@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Phone: NA
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Can we use eDNA to study presence of diadromous fish in Welsh waters?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
For more, and updated information, please visit https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Keywords (discipline, other): Using eDNA to study diadromous fish in Welsh waters,”eDNA, Diadromous fish, Fish migration, Welsh waters, Species presence”,
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: marinecoastalevidence@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Phone: NA
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Computer Science, data management
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
If you could help put a replacement system together. Note designing a replacement system would be a very nice project for UX and other Computer Science students.
Keywords (discipline, other): Computer Science, data management
Website/URL links:
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: EPW/1 in 5
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
Digital technology
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
New and emerging digital technologies can help us to better understand and respond to flooding and coastal erosion and provide new opportunities to manage flooding and coastal erosion.
Our research activities will support us to:
6.1 – use new digital technologies to improve skills and efficiencies
6.2 – explore how we can use virtual models (digital twins) to accurately reflect flood and coastal processes and inform decision making
6.3 – introduce geospatial systems and new flood and coastal erosion monitoring techniques
7. Net zero a
Keywords (discipline, other): digital technology, flooding, flood, coastal erosion
Website/URL links: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-areas-of-research-interest/flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-areas-of-research-interest
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: NRW
Contact Details
Name: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) team Email Address: fcerm.evidence@environment-agency.gov.uk Phone: NA
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Do urban areas have enough green spaces of the right kind in the right places to be sustainable for people and nature?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Green spaces are the base unit of urban green infrastructure. Knowing their distribution and function is the foundation for assessing the liveability of urban areas.
Keywords (discipline, other): Sustainability, Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Policy, Urban, Ecosystem resilience, Climate change, Biodiversity, Green infrastructure, architecture
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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Do urban areas have enough trees of the right kind in the right places to be sustainable for people and nature?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Trees deliver multiple ecosystem services in a single place. Tracking trends in their distribution and canopy cover shows whether an urban area is becoming more or less sustainable.
Keywords (discipline, other): urban, sustainable planning, trees, ecosystem services, urban planning, canopy, shade
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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Do we have sufficient monitoring evidence to understand the extent and impacts of ground level ozone pollution in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Ground level ozone causes health problems, decreases crop yields and damages the environment. Further monitoring is required to determine concentrations and impacts in both urban and rural environments.
Ground level ozone is not emitted directly from any source in significant quantities but formed by reactions between other pollutants. Progress in reducing nitrogen oxides emissions is likely to result in significant increase in ozone formation. More comprehensive field data will improve our understanding of the actual impact in both rural and urban areas. Currently there is only one site in Wales.
Keywords (discipline, other): Air Quality, Ozone, Agriculture, Crops, Ecosystem resilience, Chemistry, health, urban, rural
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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Do we have sufficient monitoring evidence to understand the extent of ammonia pollution across Wales is accurate?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Ammonia is having a signficant impact on our ecosystems and our regulatory decisions are influenced by modelling. More comprehensive field data will improve our understanding of the actual impacts and ensure our evidence based decision making remains robust.
Keywords (discipline, other): Air Quality
Ecosystem resilience
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
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