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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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344 research degree projects

Photonics and optoelectronics | Physics and astronomy

Integrating hollow-core fibres with photonic integrated circuits

Are you excited by cutting-edge optics, photonics, and the chance to help develop revolutionary new technology? This PhD project explores how to combine two transformative technologies – Hollow-Core Fibres (HCFs) and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) to build a revolutionary new photonics platform and unlock new possibilities in science and engineering.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 July 2026
Engineering

Experimental Measurement and Modelling of Turbulent Dispersed Multiphase Flows using Computer Vision and Machine Learning

This PhD tackles the challenge of understanding turbulent emulsions, which is crucial for developing cleaner, more efficient industrial processes. Using cutting-edge experiments, computer vision and machine learning, you’ll generate unique data to build predictive models of droplet dynamics, advancing both fundamental fluid mechanics and sustainable process engineering.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 July 2026
Ocean and earth science

Developing a Sustainable Framework for Monitoring Estuarine Water Levels

Flooding is the UK’s costliest natural disaster, particularly in estuaries where rivers meet the sea. Rising seas, storms, and heavy rainfall increase flood risks, threatening homes, infrastructure, and economies. Traditional monitoring is expensive and limited, this project combines satellites and AI to sustainably track water levels and reduce flood impacts.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Engineering

Acoustics of future aircraft

This project will investigate novel signal processing and measurement techniques to extract key acoustic source information from test models in reverberant wind tunnel spaces. 

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 5 January 2026
Electronics and Computer Science

Nanostructured neural architectures for sustainable neuromorphic computing

Artificial intelligence is transforming society but comes with a growing energy and carbon cost. This project will explore new nanostructured materials and device architectures that can deliver brain-inspired computing with radically improved energy efficiency.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 17 July 2026
Ocean and earth science

Developing understanding of flood hazard from bimodal wave overtopping

A 1m rise in mean sea level is almost certain this century (Committee on Climate Change, 2018), but seawalls cannot be built infinitely high. Understanding flooding from wave overtopping is crucial. The PhD will examine bimodal wave interactions that exacerbate overtopping for seasonal beach levels and different coastal protection structures.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Ocean and earth science

Beyond the peak – towards improved understanding of flood signatures, their drivers and trends

This project will exploit a novel dataset that captures detailed information on flood signatures and rainfall characteristics, including duration, volume and rate-of-rise, from 1200 catchments, to identify trends in flood signatures, like duration, total volume and rate-of-rise, through non-stationary statistical methods, disentangling the separate effects of climate and land-use change.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics

Innovation framework for scaling semiconductor prototypes: focus on photonic integrated circuits in manufacturing

This project will investigate the UK’s semiconductor innovation ecosystem needed to support companies innovate using semiconductor manufacturing processes to accelerate the transition from prototypes to scale-up ready for high value manufacturing.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 December 2025
Engineering | Ocean and earth science

Habitat dependence of tipping points in upland soils and implications for natural flood management

Flooding and drought are intensifying under climate change. Natural Flood Management can reduce flood risk by restoring natural hydrological processes. This project addresses a key real-world challenge: how to optimise land and soil management in uplands using computer modelling to enhance infiltration, reduce runoff, and build resilience to extreme weather.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Electronics and Computer Science

Secure communication protocols for photonic integrated circuits in the quantum era

This project explores new cryptographic protocols for metasurface-enabled photonic circuits, addressing vulnerabilities exposed by quantum computing. By integrating quantum random number generators, authentication methods, and formal verification, the research will deliver quantum-resilient optical communication frameworks, advancing secure photonic networking for defense, government, and commercial applications in the era of quantum technologies.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 2 March 2026