Current PhD Studentships

2020 studentships

Doctoral Training Partnerships

We invite applications for full-time PhD studentships, supported by a multi-million-pound government package of investment and managed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The studentships will be based at The Open University, and details of currently available projects can be found below. Candidates are required to have at least a good undergraduate degree (minimum 2:1) in a relevant subject. Studentships cover full-time fees and a stipend for three years (c. £15,009 per year).

The successful candidates will be based at The Open University’s campus in Milton Keynes, UK, which combines a friendly and flexible working environment with well-resourced laboratories and workshops. Situated on the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, and just over half an hour’s train journey from London, Milton Keynes is a well-connected, modern town with a population of around 250,000.

Available Projects

Click on the title of each project below for a detailed description:

• Plastics in the Air: Quantifying sources and sinks with novel detection methods
• Predicting and mapping the fate of microplastics in the ocean
• Carbon dioxide capture using algal hydrogels
• Medical applications of silicon nanoparticles
• The effect of silicone molecular architecture on adhesion, tribology, and lithography
• The strategies and practices of long-life products in circular economies
• Data-driven Residual Stress Mapping Tool using Artificial Intelligence
• Fatigue Life Enhancement through Residual Stress Management in Offshore Monopiles
• Micro-Contour Residual Stress Measurement Technology
• The Effect of Plastic Collapse on the Results of a Creep Rupture Test
• Design and validation of 3D printed aperiodic cellular structures
• Low cost coating of 2D functional nanomaterials for steel

How to Apply

If you would like to apply, please send an email to STEM-EI-PHD@open.ac.uk by 24 April 2020 and include:

1. A completed Open University application form, downloadable from: Application Process. (Note: This is an advertised studentship and you do not need to submit a proposal);
2. An academic CV containing contact details of three academic references;
3. A 1000 word cover letter outlining why the project is of interest to you and how your skills match those required;
4. Applicants will need to demonstrate good competence in the English language. To be eligible for a full award, a student must have no restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship.

You are encouraged to contact the lead supervisor of the project(s) for any informal enquiries relating to the project and candidate suitability.