Phd in ENVIRONMENTAL AND HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

List of courses / activities for the first year

More information During the first year, the student is expected to complete the training acquired during the degree program on characterizing topics such as fluid mechanics, pollutant dispersion, and physical modeling of phenomena, as well as on basic elements such as statistics and programming. The student can then take both courses taught ad hoc by the Ph.D. and those regularly taught in master's degree programs. Courses may be substituted with others not on the list or with seminars, subject to approval by the board. Students may take courses and seminars taught by other universities or qualified research institutions. During the first year, students are encouraged to attend conferences, both in Italy and abroad, in order to update the state of the art of the research activity they intend to carry out and to establish contacts with other Ph.D. students and faculty from other institutions. The student may propose variations in his/her training plan to the board by including courses or seminars other than those initially planned or by including additional or different training and research activities. Method of choosing the subject of the thesis Each student must submit to the board a proposal for a research project in the field of environmental or hydraulic engineering. The project must bring an element of novelty, whether it relates to the theoretical representation of the phenomenon to be studied or to the methodological approach (analytical, experimental, or numerical) to be adopted. The student performs a thorough literature search aimed at defining the state of the art related to the subject of the thesis, identifies an unsolved problem and selects the methodological tools (theoretical, experimental, or numerical) that he/she intends to use for the solution of the problem; he/she then formulates a research project proposal to the board, which evaluates the student's proposal and assigns an internal Tutor and, if necessary, a Co-tutor, who may or may not be a member of the board. Admission to the second year For admission to the following year, two examinations are scheduled within the first year of the course. A first test is scheduled by July and a second in October. The first one consists of a presentation of about 10 minutes by the student to the board, in which he/she presents the main elements of the research project he/she intends to develop, the state of the art of the line of research he/she proposes to follow and the objectives he/she wants to achieve. The board provides the student with guidance regarding any changes, insights and corrections to be made to the submitted research project. In the second verification, which lasts about 15 minutes, the student exposes to the board the main elements of the research project he/she intends to pursue, the state of the art of the problem he/she wants to tackle, the state of the methodological tool (analytical, numerical, experimental) he/she wants to adopt, and any partial results obtained. Following this verification, if the board judges the student's work positively, he/she is admitted to the following year.

List of courses / activities for the second year

More information In the second year of the doctoral program, the student's activities focus on more specialized topics close to his/her research path. As in the first year, the student may attend courses and seminars taught at other universities and qualified research centers. The student may propose to the board variations to his/her training plan, including courses, seminars, or training and research activities. Such variations to the training plan must be approved by the board. Students are encouraged to participate in conferences, especially international ones, and are also encouraged and supported to spendat least three months abroad in qualified universities or research centers. Method of preparation of the thesis For the preparation of the dissertation, the student provides the scientific background necessary to take ownership of the conceptual cornerstones of the problem he/she intends to develop and of the methodologies necessary to address the problem. The student provides for the development of the methodological tools he/she intends to use and for the production, with these tools, of partial results and preliminary conclusions. Admission to the third year For the preparation of the dissertation, the student provides the scientific background necessary to take ownership of the conceptual cornerstones of the problem he/she intends to develop and of the methodologies necessary to address the problem. The student provides for the development of the methodological tools he/she intends to use and for the production, with these tools, of partial results and preliminary conclusions.

List of courses / activities for the third year

More information In the third year, the student is not required to take any courses since most of the activities are devoted to writing the final thesis. However, the student may take seminars or courses of interest to his or her research path. Participation in conferences, especially international ones, is always encouraged. Method of admission to the final examination By July of the third year, the candidate presents to the board (approximately 30 minutes) the research activity carried out during the entire course of the program and submits an initial version of the doctoral thesis. If this is judged favorably, the college identifies two external referees, experts in the subject, to whom the thesis should be sent. Within 45 days of receipt of the thesis, the referees make a written analytical judgment, proposing admission for public discussion or postponement of the discussion of the thesis for a period not exceeding 6 months, if they deem significant additions or corrections to be necessary. After this period, the thesis is in any case admitted for public discussion. The board identifies Professors not belonging to the board, experts in the topics covered by the doctoral theses, as members of the Final Examination Committee. Final examination The student presents the research work done and the main results obtained to the National Commission. The length of the exposition is determined by the Commission.