Current research degree projects

Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.
Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.
This project aims to investigate nonlinear dynamic behaviour in space structures, focusing on light, flexible systems in extreme environments. It combines numerical modelling, analytical methods, and experimental validation to enhance structural resilience for space exploration and extraterrestrial colonisation in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).
This project aims to develop advanced nonlinear damping mechanisms for space exploration and extraterrestrial colonisation. Combining numerical modelling, experiments, and compliant mechanisms, this research tackles regolith interactions and extreme conditions to improve structural resilience.
This PhD project aims to develop low-carbon, high-performance cementitious materials to combat marine corrosion and reduce global CO? emissions. Using advanced material characterisation techniques, this project explores microstructure evolution and long-term durability for sustainable ocean infrastructure.
Composite materials are at the forefront of airframe technologies successfully providing reliable and high performance aerospace structures. A key barrier to greater deployment of next generation composites for new and novel vehicle concepts is the time and cost associated with certification of new designs.
Quantum technologies promise efficient and secure information processing, but achieving coherence and entanglement at scale remains challenging. This project explores spin transport in industrially relevant atomically thin 2D semiconductors, focusing on developing optimised devices to enhance coherence, reduce power consumption, and enable ultra-fast operation for practical and sustainable quantum hardware.
This project aims to develop advanced digital twin technology for space object re-entry monitoring, addressing multiphysics coupling and hybrid uncertainties. The project focuses on uncertainty quantification, robust model updating, and real-time data integration to improve re-entry prediction accuracy.
The aim of this project is to explore new frontiers in the design of photonics integrated circuits (PICs) by using artificial intelligence (AI). The project has potential to revolutionise chip design and manufacturing processes by reduction of circuit footprint, optimisation of various elements and devices and their integration, and enabling more efficient packaging. It can play a crucial role in shaping the future of PICs and their implementation in various applications.
Quantum technology often requires non-classical, quantum light. Hollow-core fibres, a highly interesting speciality optical fibre where light is guided in a gas filled core, offer a promising route to generate, transmit, and distribute this non-classical light, and this will be the focus of this project.
Gas sensing is a vital technique for many applications, including medicine and environmental monitoring. However, there can be difficulties with many commonly used techniques. The use of quantum technology (such as entangled photons and single photon counting techniques) may be able to alleviate these, and this project will explore this.
The project focuses on advancing quantum photonics through the development of scalable, on-chip single-photon sources using nitrogen rich silicon nitride (N rich SiN).