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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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346 research degree projects

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
Photonics and optoelectronics

Optoelectronic device integration for next-Generation photonic memories and neuromorphic computing

This project focuses on developing nanostructured optoelectronic devices for next-generation photonic memory and neuromorphic computing. You will design and fabricate brain-inspired nanoscale systems using advanced materials and nanopatterning, integrating them with photonic sources to realise high-speed, energy-efficient optoelectronic neural networks for future artificial intelligence (AI) and computing technologies.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 July 2026
Ocean and earth science

Assessing High-End Sea Level Rise projections and Impacts on Coastal Hazard

Whilst numerous sea level rise projections exist, uncertainty over their upper bounds remain. This PhD will apply a regional, coupled modelling system to examine credible sea level rise maxima under different climate projects, and assess their impact on extreme sea level hazards including storm surge, wave conditions and tidal amplification.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Electronics and Computer Science

Securing artificial intelligence in autonomous vehicles against cyber threats

This project tackles cybersecurity challenges in AI-powered autonomous vehicles, particularly smart cars. It analyses vulnerabilities in AI models, develops a classification system for cyber threats, and creates a mitigation framework. The research aims to improve resilience, enable safe real-time operation, and set best practices for embedding cybersecurity into AI.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 March 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics

Advancing on-chip spectroscopic platforms for real-time bedside monitoring of antimicrobial drugs in critical care

Critically ill patients often receive antimicrobials with unpredictable pharmacokinetics, risking subtherapeutic or toxic levels. This project develops a miniaturized on-chip spectroscopic platform using mid-infrared and Raman techniques with AI analysis for real-time bedside Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, enabling precise, personalized dosing, improving safety, reducing resistance, and optimizing ICU care.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 May 2026
Electronics and Computer Science

Coalgebra for verification

This project will make advances to the rapidly evolving area of coalgebraic verification. This research direction aims to employ methods from the field of coalgebra in order to enhance and extend the applicability of verification techniques.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 January 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics | Electronics and Computer Science | Chemistry and Chemical Engineering | Physics and astronomy

Detection of ionising radiation using optical hollow-core fibres

This project will explore the use of lasers and optical hollow-core fibres to detect ionising radiation, aiming to realise distributed radiation sensing along a single fibre. A novel detection capability of this kind may find applications in areas ranging from nuclear threat reduction to particle accelerators and future fusion reactors.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 August 2026
Engineering | Mathematical sciences | Physics and astronomy

Integrating advanced source models for improved airport noise assessment

This PhD project focuses on improving aircraft noise prediction for emerging technologies at early design stages. It involves developing whole-aircraft noise models, incorporating operational factors and fleet-level scenarios. The research supports Rolls-Royce’s noise prediction systems and informs certification standards and airport noise policies.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 July 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics

Intelligent Nanofabrication for Nanophotonics

Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is a key enabling technology in physical sciences research and industrial micro/nanotech manufacturing. This project will develop and apply deep learning techniques to accelerate and improve FIB nanofabrication processes for advanced photonic materials, in turn enhancing their optical performance and energy efficiency.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 October 2026