Are you holding Master’s degree and looking for PhD positions – Fully Funded PhD Programs in Europe? University of Nottingham, England inviting application for funded PhD Programs or fully funded PhD Scholarship. University of Nottingham is one of the largest university in the world with thousands of employees, students, and research scientists are involved in the innovation of science and technology daily.
University of Nottingham has huge a campus in England and widely known as for its contribution in top notch education and research. The contribution of University of Nottingham is not only limited to natural sciences and engineering but it also offers high quality research as well as higher education in bio-medical sciences, social sciences, humanities, psychology, education, architecture etc.
1. Rolls-Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Computer vision and robot control for performing on-wing repair of aero-engines
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in on-platform manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at University of Nottingham. This project is in relation to the technical needs of Rolls-Royce to develop smart and robotic solutions to enable in-situ/on-wing repair and maintenance of gas turbine engines. At the Rolls-Royce UTC at University of Nottingham we have developed robotic systems capable to navigate into crammed/hazardous environments and perform inspection and active operations such as machining. This is driven by the need to complete repair tasks without disassembly of industrial installations. We developed a series of continuum robots in both short and long versions. At the Rolls-Royce UTC we are developing the next generation of continuum robots and other robotic solutions to perform tasks within restrictive environments. This project builds on these research/industrial successes and proposes computer vison and control solutions for automated robotic systems capable to be tele-operated using smart human-machine interfaces.
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
2. Rolls-Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Mechatronics system for hybrid manufacturing processing
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology, The University of Nottingham. Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD program in partnership with industry to address key challenges in on-platform manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at University of Nottingham. At the Rolls-Royce UTC, we are developing the next generation of robots and its sensing solutions to perform tasks in challenging working environments. This project is related to the development of smart mechanisms and sensing to support the aforementioned tasks with the following actions: •Develop the principles and theories for governing the scalability principles for building foldable and reconfigurable end-effectors that are able to access geometrically complex workspaces under positional restrictions. •Develop smart control algorithms that will allow the end-effectors to communicate with the central control system and coordinate tasks with other end-effectors and host robots. •Smart sensing systems to support automated manufacturing and maintenance, repair & overhaul. We refer here not only to conventional sensing, e.g. vision, orientation, that are commonly integrated on the end-effectors, but on advanced (e.g. tactile, sound-based, shape) solutions that enhance the perception of the end-effectors so that versatile tasks can be performed.
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
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3. Microstructural and surface integrity in machining of specialist composite materials for next generation aero-engine applications
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3-year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at The University of Nottingham. Having state-of-the-art, purpose built facilities, the UTC offers a world-class environment for the realisation of high-impact research projects. The Rolls-Royce funded Studentship is the result of the expanding machining activities sponsored at the Rolls-Royce UTC dealing with in-depth investigations of the response of difficult-to-cut materials to various machining operations in the scope of robust manufacture of safety critical aero-engine components. The project will seek an understanding of the microstructural changes during machining of anisotropic, heterogeneous and semi-brittle composite materials for high temperature applications used in the latest generations of civil and military aero-engines. This will involve using performance monitoring techniques during the machining such as dynamometers, high-speed imaging systems, accelerometers and acoustic emissions sensors that are complemented by advanced material characterisation techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), 3D optical profilometry and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD).
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
4. Rolls-Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Design and simulation of stiffness-adjustable robotic systems for performing on-wing repair of aero-engines
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in on-platform manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at University of Nottingham. This project is in relation to the technical needs of Rolls-Royce to develop automatic and hybrid tooling solutions to enable in-situ/on-wing repair and maintenance of gas turbine engines. At the Rolls-Royce UTC at University of Nottingham we have developed robotic systems capable to navigate into crammed/hazardous environments, and perform inspection and active operations such as machining. This is driven by the need to complete repair tasks without disassembly of industrial installations. Both systems can be coupled to result into hybrid robots having ability to both walk/navigate and then perform tasks with end-effectors attached to both hexapod and continuum arm sub-systems, as shown in the link below: mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/MiniRoboMach/1_p6wvvkyl. At the Rolls-Royce UTC we have developed a unique capability to design, model and realise our own robotic systems to perform tasks within restrictive environments. This project builds on these research/industrial successes and proposes control solutions for automated robotic systems capable to be teleoperated using smart human-machine interfaces. This is an exciting PhD project that has a combination of academic and industrial challenges which will enhance the student’s ability to tackle complex intellectual and practical aspects of mechatronics/control and manufacturing.
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
5. PhD in Automotive Power Electronics
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a full-time PhD programme to investigate the design and development of smart actuator system for electric vehicles. The research will focus on: high frequency converter topologies with reduced size passive components, improved digital control, more compact fabrication techniques and enhanced thermal management. The project will be partially funded by Infineon Technologies AG. The successful candidate will be based at the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Group, within the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Nottingham. The group has state of the art experimental facilities for power electronics and electrical drives and is renowned for its ability to conduct pure and applied research at realistic power levels (up to 1MW continuous). Depending on how eligibility criteria are met, UK / Home candidates will be entitled to full award (stipend at the UKRI rate and full tuition fees). UKRI 2022/23 rate is £16,062. A Research Training Support Grant will also be awarded towards consumables and travel for the PhD project. The successful candidate is expected to have short secondments at Infineon competence centres in Germany or Austria. Additional funding will be available for these secondments.
Last Application Date: 15th August 2022
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6. Power Electronics Machines and Control Research Group – University of Nottingham
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering and ITT Inc. The successful candidate will be addressing key technological challenges which will translate in more sustainable power converters for variable speed drives. As part of the research work planned for the next 5 years on advancing innovation into Embedded Motor drive (EMD) technologies to reduce global energy consumption in collaboration with ITT and the Royal Academy of Engineering, the PhD candidate will be investigating solutions to the scalability and feasibility of high power EMD architectures looking at low voltage and higher current ranges but also the more challenging, medium voltage and lower current range.
Last Application Date: 4th October 2022
7. Digital Twins for Human – Assistive Robot Teams
Summary of Doctoral Project:
One approach is simulating operational use by building on and extending existing digital twin frameworks. The aim of this PhD will be to extend the state of the art by investigating the feasibility of developing integrated digital twins that capture the key characteristics of mobility assistance robots and frail end-users to help simulate, verify, and validate the adaptation required to support users with changing needs. Working with experts in biomechanics will provide access to instrumentation and facilities for capturing data to develop models. Based in the Cobot Maker Space and part of the Cyber-physical Healthcare and Assistive Robotics Technologies (CHART) research group, this project aligns with the EPSRC EMERGENCE Healthcare Technology NetworkPlus programme. You will have an opportunity to take an active role in the network’s activities and spend time in the labs of partner institutions. You will have funding to attend conferences and go on training where relevant. This university funded studentship will provide a stipend at the current UKRI rate to cover living costs (approximately £16,062 per year) over the duration of the PhD and thesis writing (48 months). The anticipated start date is 1st October 2022.
Last Application Date: 15th August 2022
8. PhD Studentship: Utilization of Sustainable Grouting Alternatives to Fly Ash in Grouting Applications
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Chemical grouts used to stabilize old mine workings are made up of a combination of Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) and cement. PFA is a by-product from coal-fired power stations. In 2015 the UK government was the first in the world to announce its commitment to phase out the use of unabated coal power generation by the end of 2025. This closure of coal-fired stations will cease the production of PFA, leaving no other option but the investigation of substitute materials that can be used to supplement grout mixes.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
9. PhD Studentship: Decarbonising construction materials
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The construction sector has a major impact on the environment, including a significant amount of waste being generated, along with high water consumption and particulate matter in cities. When it comes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions the construction value chain is accounting for up to 25% of global GHG emissions, mainly driven by two components: raw material processing and buildings operation. Climate change and depletion of non-renewable resources have driven decarbonisation strategy plans to promote the transition towards a circular economy. Investment in net-zero construction materials is necessary to meet the COP26 climate goals. Biomass-based construction materials have been identified as low-carbon materials that reduce energy consumption and over-exploitation of natural geomaterials. Biomass and recyclable materials have the potential to be used to produce materials for civil and geotechnical applications. Research has focused on the feasibility of eco-efficient materials in engineering practice mainly to produce building materials. However, there is limited evidence of successful practical applications in the field of construction materials for other applications.
Last Application Date: 26th September 2022
10. HeatToPower: New Generation Sustainable Thermoelectric Materials and Devices
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The EPSRC and SFI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Sustainable Chemistry: Atoms-2-Products is offering fully-funded 48-month PhD studentships associated with materials synthesis and characterisation in its thematic area “HeatToPower: A new generation of sustainable thermoelectric materials and devices”. Thermoelectric materials are capable of converting wasted heat into useful electrical energy and offer new sustainable energy solutions for the climate emergency. The attainment of exceptional efficiency thermoelectric technologies is a truly multidisciplinary endeavour, with synthetic chemistry and characterisation is at its core. Our posts need highly motivated organic, inorganic or physical chemists to take on the challenge of preparing new and exciting molecular thermoelectrics. We will provide research training in synthetic or theoretical skills leading to a core PhD in chemistry but will also afford opportunities to work across disciplinary boundaries with physics and engineering co-investigators to optimise, characterise and exploit these materials’ thermoelectric performance as part of a multidisciplinary team. These posts would ideally suit those with a strong interest in sustainability and in the search for scientific and technical solutions to global energy issues.
Last Application Date: 5th August 2022
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11. EPSRC fully funded studentship 3.5 years, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The overwhelming majority of commercial polymeric excipients are derived from petrochemical sources and lack the versatility needed to be exploited by emerging areas of commercial importance. Historically, the drug-delivery field has made only limited efforts towards green synthetic strategies and miniaturised, low-wastage formulation screening. Now, there is a real drive towards developing scalable transformations to exploit natural resources and waste into truly sustainable polymers To tackle this lack of available “smart” materials, we will exploit natural multifunctional building blocks, developing a library of renewable and degradable polymers with highly tuneable functionalities. All of this will be done using green and selective catalysts. These sustainable polymers will be tested as polymeric (nano) delivery devices, to encapsulate active ingredients (AIs) using a miniaturised approach to eliminate waste.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
12. PhD studentship in: “Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis for the Functionalisation of Complex Organic Molecules”
Summary of Doctoral Project:
A 3.5-year PhD studentship is currently available in the Silvi research group and the recruitment process is officially opened for to fill the vacant position as soon as possible. The student will be based in the University of Nottingham (GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratories for Sustainable Chemistry, Jubilee Campus) and will be involved in a research project fully focused on synthetic organic chemistry. More information about the project below. Synthetic organic chemistry lays at the heart of Science and Technology and has greatly enabled the development of important life-changing discoveries. Conventional approaches for the synthesis of complex organic molecules usually rely on sequences of chemical reactions from early intermediates, often requiring the use of protecting groups and functional group oxidation state modulation. The time and resources required to complete the complex synthetic routes greatly reduce the number of structures accessible, defining strict boundaries to chemists’ imagination for the invention of the molecules of tomorrow.
Last Application Date: 19th August 2022
13. PhD Studentship: Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying intestinal inflammation in patients with cystic fibrosis: a multi-dimensional phenotypic study
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting autosomal recessive disorder affecting over 100,000 people in the UK. Whilst respiratory problems are a major problem, most patients also experience gut symptoms and are at an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer. The pathophysiology of gut symptoms is poorly understood. The GRAMPUS-CF Strategic Research Centre (SRC) is a £750k collaboration between 11 institutions and the patient community, led by the principal investigator Prof Alan Smyth, Professor of Child Health, University of Nottingham, aimed at tackling a question, posed by a patient engagement exercise: “How can we relieve GI symptoms, such as stomach pain, bloating and nausea in people with CF?” Our hypothesis is that the abdominal symptoms arise through a combination of viscid small bowel content, stasis, dysmotility, inflammation and dysbiosis. By triangulating clinical data with the microbiome, inflammation, and physiology (through MR imaging), we will elucidate the mechanisms behind symptoms and identify candidate therapeutic interventions for clinical trials.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
14. Exploring the co-benefits of re-carbonizing soils for food and planet
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Some soils across the planet have become degraded at alarming rates in recent decades and are cause for concern and intervention. Restoring and maintaining the health of our soils is therefore an urgent priority both for activity to protect and where possible improve food security and to mitigate the consequences of climate change. There are many approaches to improving soil value and key to these are an ambition on reversing impacts of soil degradation through replenishing soil organic matter levels, changing and where possible reducing cultivation activities and enhancing biodiversity and soil health through strategic, diverse and innovative crop rotations and in-field management. Recent research suggests the subtle interactions between a soil’s structure and the microbial community have a significant impact on the way a soil behaves. Evidence is accumulating that the complexity of the “diet” of plant materials incorporated into soil has a profound influence upon the functional diversity of soil microbiomes: soils provided more complex diets support greater functional diversity. This project will combine physical (X-ray imaging) and biological (metagenomics) techniques to help identify novel approaches to support climate efficient soil management with minimal environmental impact. It will address important questions including whether diversification of soil organic amendments is as effective as diverse crop rotations in supporting bio-physical aspects of soil health and can a more diverse agriculture approach have significant positive impacts on soil structure leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved crop yields. The studentship offers an opportunity to apply diverse technologies to develop new understanding of soil systems, appealing to anyone who enjoys challenging complexity and systems thinking.
Last Application Date: 26th August 2022
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15. PhD Studentship: The characterisation of carbon deposits using modern surface science and bulk property analytical techniques
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The impact of carbon-based deposits on climate change and human health is the driver for legislation, fuel technology change and engineering improvements. The carbon species produced by the internal combustion engine have various impacts on emissions and despite many years of research are still not fully understood. Recent work at Nottingham has shown a paradigm shift in the understanding of injector deposits.
Last Application Date: 27th September 2022
16. Recycling of acrylic plastics: understanding how to achieve virgin-quality monomer product from chemical recycling technologies
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The aim of the PhD project will be to gain better understanding of how both microwave and conventional heating technologies can be used to process waste plastic and produce monomer product that is of sufficient quality to re-use in acrylic manufacture. Working with the industry partner, other PhD students and project team members the successful candidate will establish and model concepts for refining feedstock and crude monomer to the required quality, where challenges will be around variable feedstock composition and the separation of close-boiling components. These refining processes will be combined with new technologies for acrylic recycling to produce a number of system-level process models that can be used to establish feedstock-technology-product relationships. These models will in turn be used to direct technology development for recycling processes and to develop a broader industry implementation strategy for recycled acrylic, optimising the acrylic circular value chain.
Last Application Date: 27th September 2022
17. Optimising biomass milling, classification and conveying for enhanced power generation
Summary of Doctoral Project:
This project will explore the fundamental link between biomass milling, classification and conveying to optimise biomass processing. The project will explore the fundamental science of milling fracture mechanics to develop a test for the critical particle size for comminution through compression for biomass particles. This test will be bench marked against the industry standard bond work index milling test and milling in a lab scale vertical spindle mill. The fundamental science behind classification will be investigated to ascertain the impact of biomass particle size and shape on classification and linked back to milling fracture mechanics. A model will be developed which can predict if classification will be successful based on the milled product from the grinding bed. An existing rig which examines biomass conveying in pipes will be further developed to analyse a wide range of biomass particle flow conditions.
Last Application Date: 27th September 2022
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18. Improving the water-handling of proton exchange membrane cells
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are a key technology in enabling the transition to net-zero carbon energy. Hydrogen powered fuel cell stacks have been demonstrated to be eminently suitable for powering cars and especially trucks, because battery solutions are not viable for most larger vehicles. A recent Hydrogen Council report (link below) emphasises the synergy in using both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to have a major impact on transport derived CO2 emissions. The heavy duty truck market is expected to be the first to become fully commercialised FCEV application due to the less-demanding infrastructure network requirements.
Last Application Date: 27th September 2022
19. Life prediction of power plant components with welds under flexible, thermal-mechanical loadings and operation cycle optimization
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The aim of the PhD project is to investigate the creep and creep fatigue behaviours of CSEF power plant steels subject to realistic plant loading cycles. The current market conditions are such that combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants are now considering double two-shift operation, so potentially accruing upwards of 600 starts per year. The pressure to reduce the extent of pressure system inspections and repairs continues to increase, with the most recent capacity auction clearing prices for generation showing a significant reduction when compared to previous years. For operators of large generation facilities, the key consideration is the through life revenue return, which will guide decisions on new plant builds and any capital investments on plant currently operating. On this basis the need for effective life prediction and condition monitoring tools to support the supply chain (designer, fabricator, operator and technical service provider) is evident.
Last Application Date: 27th September 2022
20. PhD Studentship in Additive Manufacturing (3D-Printing) of Glass-based Multi-material Structures
Summary of Doctoral Project:
This project aims to produce complex glass structures from photo-curable suspensions using Additive Manufacturing (3D-Printing) techniques. In particular, the project aims to produce parts with high transparency and additional functionality (e.g. electrical conductivity) in specific areas of the designed part. The successful PhD candidate will print novel materials using cutting edge facilities within the Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM) at the University of Nottingham, UK. They will investigate the relationship between material properties, processing parameters and final part properties. In addition to the expertise and facilities within CfAM, they will be supported by internal and external collaborators, including a UK industrial partner and a Japanese research group (details available if selected for interview).
Last Application Date: 25th August 2022
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21. PhD in Power Electronics with focus on wide bandgap power semiconductor device technologies
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 to 4 years PhD programme to investigate the performance and reliability of SiC and GaN device technologies and how performance and performance indicators can shift due to degradation. The research will include the determination of physics of ageing, methods to discriminate and monitor various degradation modes and prediction of the remaining lifetime. The research is considered exceptionally important, particularly for systems that operate in changeable, isolated, and challenging environments or where the degradation of operation can potentially be life threatening. Practical examples of scenarios which would benefit from this research include offshore wind turbines, aerospace power supplies, traction drives and electric vehicles.
Last Application Date: 26th August 2022
22. 3-year PhD studentship: Design and 3D Printing of multimaterial functional structures
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship (3 years) within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with the Velcro Companies. The student will work with an interdisciplinary supervisory team from different Faculties with expertise in 3D printing, drug and actives delivery and functional materials. We seek to use 3D printing to create novel multimaterial functional structures capable of the controlled delivering active compounds, including drugs and agrochemicals. We will use triggerable polymeric materials capable of diverse functionality, that when 3D printed offer spatially and temporally varying functionality throughout the device. We will explore the use of state of the art 3D printing, including ink jet printing, stereolithography and two photon polymerisation, augmented to allow multimaterial deposition. This will be coupled to advanced design protocols to create highly specified and orthogonal functionality that can be controlled either via in vivo or environmental conditions or through an applied trigger.
Last Application Date: 10th August 2022
23. Studentship: Realisation of a metrological characteristics approach to calibration of X-ray computed tomography
Summary of Doctoral Project:
X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is now considered a viable tool for performing non-destructive-testing and dimensional measurements. XCT provides various advantages compared to other types of coordinate measuring machines (CMSs): particularly a high measurement point density and the only CMS capable of non-destructively determining both the external and internal geometries of an object, as well as distinguish between different materials. However, XCT measurements are limited by difficulties in uncertainty determination, most notably because of a relatively poor understanding of many of XCT’s plethora of measurement error sources. In this project, the determination of XCT measurement uncertainty using the metrological characteristics approach is proposed. This approach is based on understanding basic characteristics of an instrument that can be determined with relative ease. These characteristics encapsulate the multitude of influence quantities that contribute to XCT measurement uncertainty and are then used to form the standard uncertainty terms in a given measurement model for a specific task.
Last Application Date: 9th August 2022
24. Studentship: Improving data analysis speed of optical measurement systems for real time inspection
Summary of Doctoral Project:
In the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries, accurate and reliable form and surface measurements are key to producing parts that are within tolerance and fit for purpose. Non-contact optical systems provide benefits over contact systems as they could be used in-process to measure and monitor the part during manufacture. In addition, for camera-based systems artificial-intelligence (AI)-based image recognition algorithms could enhance these measurements further. Yet the limitations of optical systems, such as having lower accuracy, material sensitivity and higher requirements for data handling and storage, are slowing their wide adoption. Combining multiple techniques to address these limitations provides multiple data sets that can be merged to improve the resulting information. However, this adds to the processing time and complexity of the system. For in-process fabrication monitoring, the system needs to gather and process the data within seconds so as not to delay the manufacturing line.
Last Application Date: 5th August 2022
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25. Rolls Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Micromechanics and in-depth materials analysis of advanced aerospace materials upon the manufacturing process
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applications are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in on-platform manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing Technology and On-Wing Technology (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/utc/index.aspx ) at the University of Nottingham. Having state-of-the-art purpose built facilities, the UTC offers a world-class environment for the realisation of high impact research projects. We are seeking applicants for an anticipated September 2020 start on a project with Rolls-Royce plc. The Rolls-Royce funded Studentship is the result of the expanding manufacturing activities sponsored at the Rolls-Royce UTC dealing with in-depth investigations of the response of advanced aerospace materials to various manufacturing operations in the scope of robust manufacture of safety critical aero-engine components.
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
26. Rolls Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Machining of new aerospace materials
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applications are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing Technology and On-Wing Technology at The University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus. Having state-of-the-art facilities, the Rolls-Royce UTC at University of Nottingham offers a world-class environment for carrying out high impact research projects. The Rolls-Royce funded studentship is the result of the expanding machining activities sponsored by the Rolls-Royce UTC dealing with in-depth investigations of the response of “exotic” aerospace materials to various machining operations in the scope of robust manufacture of safety critical aero-engine components.
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
27. Rolls-Royce sponsored PhD scholarship – Laser Beam Processing of Aerospace Materials
Summary of Doctoral Project:
We are seeking applicants for an anticipated October 2021 start, or earlier (depending on the candidate availability, on a project with Rolls-Royce plc. The Rolls-Royce funded Studentship is the result of the expanding its on-platform repair activities sponsored at the Rolls-Royce UTC dealing with investigations on development of the bespoke high-tech laser beam processing methods for surface treatment and repair of aeroengine components. The project will deal with study of a new laser processing method to enable in-situ surface treatment and repair of safety critical rotating parts and further understand the correlation between surface quality, metallurgical characteristics and functional performance of the components and the key process parameters. The project will deal with design of special process setups, testing its working principles and performances followed by assessment of the part quality; this will involve development of laser beam processing on specific aerospace materials, and model to understand the fundamental mechanisms of the process to identify optimal operating conditions and followed by surface analysis techniques (e.g. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction for residual stress measurements, Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy).
Last Application Date: 20th August 2022
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28. Fully Funded Industry PhD Studentship with The Welding Institute
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Applications are invited from suitably qualified graduates for a fully-funded PhD studentship with the world-leading Coatings and Surface Engineering Group at the University of Nottingham and The Welding Institute (TWI) . The project is part-funded through the Lloyd’s Register Foundation. TWI is a world-leading research and technology organisation and The Lloyd’s Register Foundation funds the advancement of engineer-related education and research and supports work that enhances the safety of life at sea, on land and in the air, because life matters. The student will be based at TWI, Cambridge, due to equipment availability.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
29. PhD studentship: Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT): Geoscience and its Role in the Low Carbon Energy Transition
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The use of CO2 to displace methane from unconventional reservoirs, like gas shales, offers the potential for simultaneous improved methane recovery and CO2 storage. A clear understanding of the mass transport mechanisms is essential for predicting the gas recovery efficiency due to its impact on how far the CO2 will permeate throughout the reservoir. Unconventional reservoir rocks like shales have complex void spaces, with various surface chemistries and pore types, corresponding to various phases such as organic carbon and inorganic minerals. Due to the high prevalence of microporosity and surface adsorption in shales, the surface diffusion flux constitutes the largest component of the mass transport. This work will aim at predicting the surface diffusion rates, and thence mass transport fluxes, from the surface properties of typical reservoir rocks. These can then be used to predict large-scale gas recovery and storage.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
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30. PhD studentship: Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT): Geoscience and its Role in the Low Carbon Energy Transition (2022 start)
Summary of Doctoral Project:
This project aims to improve the satellite assessment of the value assigned to carbon credits associated with peatland restoration projects. A new innovative method has been developed that provides a means of precisely quantifying peatland condition using satellite measures of peatland surface motion, this is currently the only effective and economic means of large area monitoring for peatlands. However, the reasons for the variations in observed surface motion of peat are still not understood, and the better they are understood the greater confidence will be in applying surface motion monitoring to quantifying peat condition and carbon value. Porosimetry of peat is key to understanding this relationship. This work will involve studies of percolation effects in the migration of water within peat, to test a percolation-based theory for the hysteresis behaviour of peat surface motion with rainfall and water content. The project will also involve field visits to peatland to obtain samples for laboratory analysis and to develop and situate field monitoring equipment. Field sites are within the area of the Flow Country, in Northern Scotland and the work will be undertaken in collaboration with peatland scientists at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
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31. EPSRC Supported EngD: ZERO CARBON – Solar forecasting and future sustainable power systems (5 fully-funded PhD studentships)
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The contribution of PV energy to the electricity generation mix continues to grow. Installed capacity in the UK in 2020 was 13.4 GW and is expected to increase to 40 GW by 2030. Accelerating the adoption of solar energy will present significant challenges to the electricity transmission and distribution system, as solar power is not dispatchable and therefore its incorporation as a major element of the generation mix requires the accurate prediction of solar energy production. To tackle this issue, the newly established Prediction and Optimisation of Solar Energy Systems Lab (POSES lab) at the University of Nottingham (supported by the University of Nottingham, EPSRC and industry) will provide a multi-disciplinary approach to training researchers in new technologies that can significantly improve the incorporation of solar farms into future sustainable power systems. You will join a large group of postgraduate students in the Faculty of Engineering, working on many aspects of solar energy and zero carbon technologies. The team of potential PhD supervisors spans five departments at University of Nottingham including Architecture and Built Environment, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Social Sciences.
Last Application Date: 11th October 2022
32. PhD Studentship: Retrofitting of substandard reinforced concrete members with innovative materials
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Most of the existing infrastructure and building stock was designed according to old standards using poor material and construction practices. The vulnerability of these structures to natural and man-made hazards is increased further considering the level of deterioration of the structural elements due to ageing and aggressive environmental conditions. Recent events worldwide have illustrated forcefully the catastrophic implications of degradation to civil engineering structures. There is no doubt that there is a global need for sustainable and resilient buildings and infrastructure due to climate change and increased societal exposure to natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis and floods. Retrofitting for enhancing the performance and extending the service-life of deteriorated and deficient structures with quantified sustainability is the only viable solution. This project aims to investigate the efficiency of various innovative retrofitting solutions in alleviating the deficiencies of old substandard reinforced concrete members. Both analytical and experimental investigation will be carried out.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
33. PhD Studentship: Interfacial debonding detection of strengthened concrete structures using smart sensors
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Retrofitting is the only viable solution to extend the service life of existing structures (i.e. bridges, buildings) that present severe deficiencies due to ageing of materials (e.g. corrosion). Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is a popular retrofitting system which is applied as externally bonded reinforcement to upgrade the performance of existing structures. However, one of the major issues in using this system is related to debonding at the interface. The bond failure is a brittle mode of failure with detrimental effects for the stability of the structure. Hence, monitoring the initiation and propagation of interfacial debonding in FRP composite systems and other types of externally bonded systems (mortar-based composites like Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Mortars (FRCM)) is of utmost importance for the safety of the retrofitted structures.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
34. PhD Studentship: Machine learning and computer vision for localisation, classification, and quantification of structural damage
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Inspection and maintenance are essential to ensure the serviceability and safety of bridges. Current inspection on site is often done manually on paper, and paper is the medium to exchange condition information between the involved stakeholders. After damage registration or information exchange, the data is processed digitally. The repeated digitalization is an error-prone process and leads to redundant work. To address these shortcomings, this research aims to devise a framework and deliver an augmented reality toolkit for identification and classification of damage in bridges using machine learning and computer vison techniques. To achieve this goal, the following steps will be carried out: i) data acquisition; ii) data processing and filtering; iii) CV method for localisation damage; iv) Deep learning for the segmentation of images and classification of damage type and severity v) development of a user-friendly augmented reality toolbox for on-site damage identification and classification based on the trained data set. This technology will enable linking the reconstructed bridge condition with a digitized BIM model and to support the complete lifecycle of built infrastructure. Finally, the expert toolkit will embed expert knowledge for decision making support related to repair and retrofitting demands and alternatives for the diagnosed bridge condition.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
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35. PhD studentships in the University of Nottingham / EPSRC Thematic doctoral training programme in Astropharmacy: Space Biology and Space Engineering
Summary of Doctoral Project:
You will join the team of postgraduate researchers who have recently been selected to participate in the European Space Agency’s Orbit Your Thesis! programme. Orbit Your Thesis! is an educational programme offered by ESA Academy for students to operate their self-developed experiment in the International Space Station. Aboard the station, the payload is integrated in the ICE Cubes Facilities operated by Space Applications Services situated in the Columbus module. After flight, the experiment will be returned for further analysis on-ground. You will join the team of researchers and will contribute to the development of the molecular science of the on-demand expression of protein-based therapeutics (including cell-based and cell-free), the pharmaceutical science of the on-site manufacture of medicines (such as additive manufacturing), or the computational, electronic and systems engineering design, construction and development of space-flight systems for such on-site, on-demand manufacture.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
36. 3-year PhD studentship, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The project will develop new bioelectronic interfaces that exploit unique properties of 3D printed multi-material devices. This will include van der Waals heterostructures comprising multiple layers of 2D materials including graphene and hexagonal boron nitride. The primary focus will be to design, fabricate, measure and optimize multi-material devices with three distinct sensing and imaging modalities, which can be utilized either independently or combined by fabricating hybrid devices with multiple functional layers for Electrical impedance tomography, Capacitive sensing and Electromagnetic detection. The architecture of these devices will be developed for specific applications from the detection and analysis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in biological systems, with an aim to translate this research to whole organism imaging using Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans, a free-living soil nematode, is the most completely understood animal on the planet in terms of genetics, neurology, and cell survival. Its application as a model to study complex biochemical process has gathered significant momentum due to its ease of culture (feeds on bacterial lawns on agar plates), short life-cycle (egg to adult in 3 days), optical transparency (permitting optical visualization of anatomical events) and freely available mutants (that could function as experimental controls). The aim of the project will be to determine 3D positioning of AuNPs in the nematode anatomy, monitor AuNP nanowire growth in situ as well as determine the impact of electromagnetic control on C. elegans muscle contractions due to AuNP nanowire growth.
Last Application Date: 30th September 2022
37. Nanophotonic Metamaterials for Imaging
Summary of Doctoral Project:
The advent of the smart-phone has undoubtedly revolutionised portable imaging systems, but the need for smarter imaging capability grows with increased healthcare end-user and accessibility demands. Metasurfaces – the 2D form of metamaterials – are artificial materials that use digitally-arranged nanometre-sized optical structures for intelligent manipulation of light. They require only simplistic (microelectronics-compatible) fabrication processes, and have the potential to replace previous optical components, with enhanced functionalities capable of gathering extra optical information. The proposed project is to utilise the increased functionality and microfabrication approach of metasurfaces [1,2,3] to develop complementary and stackable centimetre-scale devices termed “Metasurface Toolkits” (MSTs) which builds on Dr Kenney’s previous cutting-edge research on large-area meta-lenses [3]. These MSTs will revolutionise complex imaging and sensing techniques and systems in a compact and affordable way. These systems are applicable to all sectors which require compact imaging specifications, including fibre-optic endoscopy and front-end photonic technology for optical-communications.
Last Application Date: 19th September 2022
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38. 3-year PhD studentship: “Techno-economic feasibility and life-cycle assessments of chemical recycling of plastic waste”
Summary of Doctoral Project:
This project aims to support the development of a robust and transparent decision-support framework for economic and environmental sustainability assessments of chemical recycling of plastic waste. This will be aimed at non-specialist users to make it more accessible to the general public, policy makers, businesses and investors facilitating technology development and commercialisation. The primary focus of this PhD will be to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility and environmental impacts of different process scenarios for chemical recycling of plastic waste. Several technologies will be evaluated, including pyrolysis and supercritical water liquefaction.
Last Application Date: 31st August 2022
39. Flower waste valorisation: Towards a sustainable feedstock for the chemical industry
Summary of Doctoral Project:
This project will focus on the structural modification of terpene alcohols present in flower waste into functional building blocks for the flavour, fragrance and the polymer industry. The reactions will first be developed on the bench-scale and investigated for reaction kinetics. The best operating parameters will then be used to test the reaction scale-up in the spinning disc and microchannel reactors for continuous production. The successful candidate will work at the interface of chemical engineering and chemistry and be a part of an interdisciplinary research group. This project will provide the student an extensive training in experimental, analytical and techniques, process scale-up and optimisation. The student will also develop additional skills through participation in research group meetings and seminar presentations.
Last Application Date: 19th September 2022
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40. Proteins in Alien Environments
Summary of Doctoral Project:
Ever wondered what protein-based life might be like in low/no-water environments? What different types of reactions might be catalysed by a different landscape of catalytic folds? An exciting opportunity to work on understanding protein structure in ‘alien’ environments utilising computational chemistry methods, with opportunity for experimental collaboration. Our group specialises in ionic liquid chemistry – solvents that are formed from ions, with unique properties – and are looking to develop machine-learning approaches to explore how different ions impact the chemistry of proteins. We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to take on this challenge with a background in computational chemistry, computational biosciences, computing, mathematics or allied field. You have or expect to graduate with a first-class or good 2:1 honours degree, or a distinction or high merit at MSc level (or international equivalent). The studentship is only available to students qualifying for HOME-UK status.
Last Application Date: 19th September 2022
