Current research degree projects
Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.
373 research degree projects
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Engineering
Human-centred AI to support decision-making in defence and security
This interdisciplinary project aims to develop human-centred AI decision support to help operators of complex systems in a way that is reliable, trustworthy and maintains 鈥榤eaningful human control鈥. -
Engineering | Electronics and Computer Science | Physics and astronomy
Smart structures for noise and vibration control
This PhD project will explore and develop smart structures, which integrate advanced sensing, actuation and control, with the overall aim of controlling noise and vibration in practical engineering structures prevalent in automotive, maritime and aerospace applications. -
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering | Biological sciences | Electronics and Computer Science | Physics and astronomy
Biosensing by levitated quantum optomechanics
This PhD project aims to apply frontier advancements in optomechanics to the biosensing and diagnostic fields with the goal to advance optomechanics, mass spectrometry analytics and biophysics towards clinical applications and the fundamental understanding of complex biochemical processes such as the detection of chiral molecules and their relevance for molecular functionalities. -
Engineering
Investigating a low-cost, eco-friendly coating alternative for military aircraft landing gear
This project explores an eco-friendly 鈥渇lash carbide鈥 coating for extreme wear environments in military aircraft landing gear. Through advanced tribological testing and materials damage modelling, it will benchmark this new High Velocity Air Fuel (HVAF) deposited coating against conventional High Velocity Oxy Fuel (HVOF) alternatives. The findings would benefit the aerospace industry with cost-effective, sustainable, and high-performance coating solutions. -
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Multi-stimuli responsive organic photoswitches for advanced encryption
Anticounterfeiting and encryption are a cornerstone of modern communication. This project will build on recent developments in the Williams lab, focussing on the development of new organic photoswitches that can respond to multiple different stimuli in order to create next-generation physical encryption methods. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Resilient trust in AI-based human-machine teaming
As of now, there are no systematic mechanism that can sustain calibrated level of trust in human-machine teams. The aim of this research is to better understand trust dynamics and build the first prototype of AI-based human-machine system that can autonomously facilitate trust resilience in various situations. -
Electronics and Computer Science | Engineering | Physics and astronomy | Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Integrating quantum and classical sensors for long-duration inertial navigation
Navigational drift is a major bottleneck for systems operating in GPS-denied underwater, space, and subterranean environments. This project advances navigation in such conditions by fusing fast, drift-prone classical inertial sensors with stable quantum measurements. You will develop fusion algorithms, explore sensor configurations, and validate performance through simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Large language models for military veteran mental health
This project will explore recent distillation LLM training (e.g. DeekSeek-R1) for the mental health domain, including human-in-the-loop LLM training approaches such as adversarial training and rationale-based learning. These algorithms will be tested on a case study focussing on robust and safe self-help mental health applications for military veterans. -
Electronics and Computer Science | Engineering | Physics and astronomy | Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Symmetry-based control of quantum dynamics: from quantum sensing to magnetic resonance imaging
Quantum spin systems may be controlled by the experimentalist using sequences of magnetic fields. In this project, you will design control fields for spin systems using recently developed symmetry theorems. The project involves a combination of theory, numerical simulation, and experiments performed locally and through international collaborations. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Intelligent, self-adapting metasurfaces for next-generation electromagnetic defence systems
This project will revolutionise electromagnetic defence by creating intelligent surfaces that act as physical neural networks. We will develop metasurfaces that learn in real-time to autonomously counteract jamming, secure communications, and manage sensor signatures, providing a critical advantage in the contested electromagnetic spectrum.