Current research degree projects
Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.
373 research degree projects
-
Electronics and Computer Science
Submodularity-based computational sustainability for remotely sensed data
This project focuses on leveraging remote sensing data (satellite imagery and related datasets) to produce high-resolution, low-cost socioeconomic and environmental maps, with a particular emphasis on scalable algorithms rooted in submodularity and combinatorial optimization. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Improving the sustainability of non-emergency hospital transport
Every day, thousands of staff, patients, and visitors travel to hospitals, creating congestion, delays, and emissions. This project reimagines hospital transport through intelligent, shared mobility. You’ll design algorithms for optimal routing, scheduling, and pricing, building simulations that cut costs, reduce carbon, and make hospital travel smarter, faster, and more sustainable for everyone. -
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Sustainable batteries for smart textiles for healthcare
Flexible batteries with seamless integration in textiles will revolutionize the healthcare system. Such batteries could power sensors to continuously monitor vital signals, and antennas to transmit the information to a medical doctor when urgent action is required. This project will investigate smart combinations of materials to build such batteries. -
Electronics and Computer Science
AI control in chaotic skies for perpetual flight
Imagine aircraft that never need to land. This project pioneers the science of perpetual flight, developing intelligent control systems that let UAVs harvest energy from the atmosphere to fly indefinitely. Blending AI, reinforcement learning, and adaptive control, you’ll help create resilient, energy-neutral aviation, advancing autonomy, sustainability, and climate-friendly technology. -
Physics and astronomy | Engineering | Photonics and optoelectronics
Terahertz beam modulation and steering
This project will focus on designing and testing terahertz (THz) light modulators and manipulators using microstructured materials combined with liquid crystals. It will explore how such systems can resonantly amplify THz field, causing the adjacent layer of liquid crystals to locally reorient thus changing the optical transmission and beam path. -
Physics and astronomy | Engineering | Photonics and optoelectronics
Silicon-liquid crystal systems for dynamic wavefront control and light modulation
The project will focus on developing a new, adaptive meta-optical platform, combining micro-structured silicon with the tuneable layer made of liquid crystals for effective manipulation of near- and mid-infrared beams. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Safeguarded AI for a sustainable power grid
Powering the Net Zero future demands smarter, safer AI. This project tackles one of energy’s greatest challenges: ensuring resilient, cyber-secure power systems run by decentralised AI agents. By developing novel methods to detect and prevent unsafe behaviours, you’ll help unlock reliable, renewable-powered grids and shape the future of sustainable, intelligent energy systems. -
Physics and astronomy | Electronics and Computer Science | Engineering
Development of large-area infrared metaoptics technologies
The project will explore the design and fabrication of metasurface-based optical components using advanced full-wafer fabrication tools available in the University of Southampton cleanrooms and use advanced nanophotonics laboratories for testing. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Explainable and predicable building operation and maintenance optimisation
Tackling climate change starts with transforming our buildings. This project will develop a new toolkit that integrates technologies such as heat pumps, photovoltaics, smart controls, and energy storage, to enable cost-optimal, low-carbon retrofits at scale. Driven by hybrid physics–AI models and real-world validation, it will challenge how buildings save energy and reduce emissions. -
Electronics and Computer Science
Additive manufacturing/3D printing for the electrical power industry
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a computer-controlled manufacturing process, creating 3D objects by subsequent deposition of layers. AM has developed rapidly over the past decade, but there is a lack of work in the field of electrical power engineering, thus the benefits of this revolutionary technique have not yet been harnessed.