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Current research degree projects

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Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.

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304 research degree projects

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Synthesis of doped metal mixed anion thin films for transparent conductor applications

This project investigates the synthesis of mixed anion thin films for transparent conductor applications. The project will involve the use of a range of thin film deposition techniques, including aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 1 June 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics

Crystalline dielectric mirrors for high power lasers

This project focuses on the development of crystalline dielectric mirrors for high-power Lasers. It aims to shape the future of energy transfer technologies in areas such as, laser interactions, plasma physics, materials science and engineering.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 1 August 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

High-purity rare-earth complexes for preparation of ultra-high power fibre optic lasers

The preparation of molecular rare-earth (lanthanide) complexes for chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is key to the development of rare-earth doped optical fibres for high-powered lasers. This project will deliver the next generation of CVD precursors through development of novel, volatile rare-earth complexes, using synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 March 2026
Engineering

Cargo bikes as a vehicle for transport equity

Cargo bikes are promoted as a sustainable alternative to car-based travel, but their use as care infrastructure in a family setting is under-explored. This project seeks to investigate how these technologies function within family contexts and how their use may shape everyday mobility practices, children’s experiences, and transport equity.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 August 2026
Electronics and Computer Science

Secure and trustworthy AI for autonomous vehicle ecosystems

This project develops AI-enhanced threat-modelling techniques to improve the cybersecurity and resilience of autonomous vehicles. It analyses vulnerabilities in AI-driven sensing and decision systems, models complex adversarial interactions, and designs adaptive detection and mitigation strategies, with applicability to other safety-critical domains.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 16 March 2026
Engineering

Modelling of liquid-fuelled rotating detonation engines for gas-turbine applications

Using a rotating detonation engine (RDE) as gas turbine combustion chamber could increase engine efficiency dramatically. This project will implement two-phase flow and spray combustion modelling into our in-house dynamically adaptive RDE code to quantify the potential of RDE-based jet engines by massively parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. 

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Engineering

Efficient and trustworthy CFD simulation of hypersonic glide vehicles under dynamic control

Hypersonic glide vehicles operate in an extreme aerothermal environment and are genuinely difficult to control. While evaluating control methodologies currently relies on precomputed aerodynamic databases, this project will extend and directly couple our inhouse predictive, non-equilibrium aerothermodynamic overset strand-mesh computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver with the control methodology.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Engineering

Development of electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry for spacecraft missions

This project will pioneer space-ready electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry to detect biosignatures in the Solar system. Combining spacecraft propulsion electrospray techniques with flight-proven miniaturised mass spectrometers, the project develop cutting edge electrospray mass spectrometry techniques through a unique collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) mission heritage.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 1 June 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Decarbonisation of the maritime sector: understanding the generation of natural hydrogen

As the need to decarbonise transportation, especially the maritime sector, intensifies, there is growing interest in hydrogen energy. Geological seeps of Natural Hydrogen have been known for decades but regarded as curiosities. The aim of this project is to understand more about the underlying chemistry responsible for the formation of this low cost and energy efficient source of hydrogen.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 27 February 2026
Engineering

Aero-optics of high-speed flow

Supersonic and hypersonic flows contain density fluctuations that affect the performance of optical sensors, including non-intrusive flow measurement. An additional feature is the challenging aerothermodynamic environment with extreme surface heating. On this project you'll use scale-resolving numerical simulation to understand the flow physics and develop new prediction methods. 

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 May 2026