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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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290 research degree projects

Electronics and Computer Science

Multimodal machine learning for photonics manufacturing

Join the CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre’s (C-PIC)’s Open Platform to develop multimodal machine learning that revolutionises silicon photonics manufacturing. Using open datasets from design, simulation, test, fabrication, and metrology, you’ll create multimodal AI frameworks that predict process outcomes, optimise fabrication, and accelerate sustainable, cost-efficient development of photonic integrated circuits.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2025
Engineering

Optical Diagnostics for Condition Monitoring of Next-Generation Batteries

Help shape the future of safe, high-performance batteries. This PhD will develop new optical diagnostic tools to monitor strain, pressure, and temperature inside batteries in real time. You will combine photonics, materials innovation, and sensing technology to create scalable solutions improving reliability and lifetime across energy and transport sectors.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 March 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics

Pushing the boundaries of light: fabricating the next generation of hollow core fibres

This project focuses on developing novel Hollow core fibres designs using cutting-edge fabrication techniques. Applications range from quantum communications and computing to radiation-immune sensors for fusion reactors and particle accelerators.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 July 2026
Engineering

Novel composite materials in non-ambient environmental conditions

This PhD project explores the behaviour and design of advanced composite materials for use under extreme and non-ambient environmental conditions, particularly at cryogenic temperatures relevant to hydrogen storage. The research aims to develop new composite systems with enhanced toughness, reduced cracking, and improved durability and design margin, enabling safe, efficient, and sustainable hydrogen storage solutions for the clean-energy transition.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 May 2026
Photonics and optoelectronics | Engineering | Electronics and Computer Science | Mathematical sciences | Physics and astronomy

AI-driven silicon photonics circuits design

This PhD applies AI to inverse design, a method that works backwards from desired performance to generate efficient photonic circuits. You'll develop algorithms that intelligently explore vast design spaces, enabling compact, manufacturable light-based chips. 

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2026
Engineering

Sounds of healthy soil – foundations of acoustic monitoring of soil bioturbation and soil health

Soil health underpins numerous processes critical to food security. Current methods for evaluating soil health are local, lab-based, and not scalable. This project develops acoustic techniques for monitoring biological activity in soil (e.g., earthworms) that can transform management practices. What does healthy soil sound like?

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Engineering

Distributed acoustic sensing for complex environments

This project investigates the fundamental physics of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) using optical fibres. DAS is an exciting technology enabling large-scale acoustic monitoring. Although it is commercially available, numerous fundamental aspects of how it works remain to be explained. This research will lay the groundwork for physics-based analysis of various DAS configurations and evaluate the performance of array signal processing algorithms applied to DAS signals from complex environments.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Engineering | Physics and astronomy | Electronics and Computer Science | Mathematical sciences

Investigating surface textures to optimize flow dynamics using multi-fidelity surrogate modeling

This project will develop a multi-scale surrogate modeling framework to optimize passive surface textures (like dimples) for maximum fluid drag reduction. By enabling efficient shape optimization and identifying critical flow parameters, this research seeks to resolve conflicting results and advance the theoretical understanding and practical application of cost-effective flow control in transportation.

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 31 December 2029
Engineering

Ultrasonic detection and monitoring of challenging defects in composite pipes

Pipelines are the gold standard of long-range resource transport. Their integrity is paramount to the health of the environment, while remote automated monitoring with minimal intervention is essential for sustainability. Sound is the most powerful sensing modality, which has found numerous applications in non-destructive evaluation. This project addresses small, challenging defects in composite pipes that are not detectable using currently available approaches. This research will develop practical, field-applicable local imaging and long-range monitoring solutions. 

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Physics and astronomy

Electrodynamics of the aurora

The aurora is an inherently electrical phenomenon, and electric fields and currents associated with aurora cause heating of the upper atmosphere, leading to expansion and drag on spacecraft. But how are the currents structured around auroral arcs of different types and widths, and what controls their variability?

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 6 January 2026