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PhD programmes at the University of Salford
Who we are
The University of Salford is located across three campuses - Peel Park, Frederick Road and MediaCityUK. Although we have multiple campuses, travelling here couldn't be easier, with transport links connecting our campuses to Manchester city centre and beyond. We have a wide range of research facilities, laboratories and clinics, including Energy House and THINKlab.
Our campus is just 2km from Manchester city centre, providing our students with opportunities to make these connections in an international city that’s home to many growing industries that collaborate with us.
At Salford, we recognise that innovation involves the creation of knowledge through fundamental research and we facilitate its adoption through applied research, knowledge exchange and technology transfer, industry placements, and research and enterprise consultancy.
Research at the School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford
Our research areas
By choosing Salford, you’ll be joining a large aspirational community of postgraduate researchers exploring topics across a suite of interdisciplinary research centres. Whether you’ve been planning your research for a while, or you’ve found fresh perspectives during the pandemic, the University of Salford is ready to help start your research journey.
The School of Science, Engineering and Environment (SEE) brings together research fields under:
- Autonomous Systems & Advanced Robotics (ASAR) that includes Autonomous Vehicles and new robotics innovations such as soft robotics.
- Innovation through multi-disciplinary research (SIRC) in the Computing and Engineering Sciences, which includes Computer and Data Sciences, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, Cybersecurity, and others.
- The Life Sciences are supported by two research centres, the Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre that encompass Sustainable Natural Environments and Infectious Diseases, and the Biomedical Research Centre that focuses on biomedical aspects such as cancer diagnosis, prevention and cardio-respiratory physiology.
- Urban Processes, Resilient Infrastructures & Sustainable Built Environments (UPRISE), is a multi-disciplinary research centre that covers hard technical work, such as our work in BIM, simulation, smart and connected homes and energy, and wider questions of how we create a resilient city in the face of climate change
Our researchers
By pursuing a PhD or other postgraduate research degree at Salford, you’ll have the opportunity to work with some of the most prolific researchers and leaders in research and industry. You’ll become a part of an inclusive community in which collaborative and interdisciplinary research can flourish.
Click here to meet our staff.
Facilities, support, and training for postgraduate researchers
At Salford, each doctoral researcher develops their thesis with experienced academics who are experts in their fields. Their supervision is supported by our dedicated Doctoral School where we offer PhD and Research Masters-specific training that ranges from research support, career coaching and opportunities to contribute to our annual Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference (SPARC) and The Festival of Research.
We are committed to supporting our postgraduate researchers in fulfilling their goals and potential beyond their time at the university.
Who we're looking for
There is no such thing as a typical Salford PhD researcher as people join us from all over the world, at all stages in life, adding their life experiences and unique journeys to our collective knowledge and expertise. We are looking for innovative ideas and committed individuals who are passionate in driving their research that responds to timely and pressing challenges in the social, economic, natural, and built environments.
Whether you’re researching for academia or for business, postgraduate researchers choose Salford to explore the areas of research they’re passionate about. They are able to take advantage of our world-class training and support that is tailored to their individual needs and can benefit from development opportunities that enable them to fulfil their potential.
How to apply
For further information and details on how to apply, please visit:
www.salford.ac.uk/postgraduate-research/apply
Academic Units
Research Profiles:
Project List:
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr P Comfort)Assessment of force production characteristics in sport
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof Richard Jones)Combined treatments in knee osteoarthritis
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr M Granat)Improving Access to Prosthetic Devices: Challenges and Opportunities for Monitoring Physical Behaviour of Prosthesis Users
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Y Prior)Improving access to work for people with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Daniel Parker)Plantar tissue and activity in diabetes
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Alex Clarke-Cornwell)To examine how physical behaviour is associated with perceived job satisfaction, happiness, and wellbeing, in both blue- and white-collar workers.
From starting as a Royal Institute in 1896, then the College of Advanced Technology, to receiving its University charter in 1967, the University of Salford has always been a place where original research is combined with applications for industry.
The School of Science, Engineering and Environment brings together several high-profile research centres across STEM disciplines, and strong industry links around key strategic priorities in Industry 5.0, Healthy Living, Sustainable Environments and Creative and Resilient Communities.
Be it robotics and automation, data science and cybersecurity, acoustics, materials science or biomedical science, or the interface of the built and natural environments, we attract significant investment from research councils and charities in the UK, the EU and further afield to deliver impactful research with our industry partners.
Project List:
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Athena Moustaka)“Why are models so attractive?” Exploring the use of physical and digital modelmaking in architectural design production.
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Taha Mansouri)A computer vision model to detect black mold
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Eda Majtan)A New Generation of Dam Assessment: An Artificial Intelligence Approach
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Sadaqat ur Rehman)A Unified framework for early anomalies detection
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof Apostolos Antonacopoulos)AI for visual information extraction and document/text analysis
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Antonio J Torija Martinez)Aircraft Noise Auralisation for Advanced Air Mobility
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr J Latimer)Antibacterial technologies in air transportation.
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Derek Hales)Architecture and pataphysics, the science of imaginary solutions
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof I Morrison)Atomistic simulations of condensed Matter under extreme conditions
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Joshua Lehr)Biofunctionalization of materials for sensing and diagnostics
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Juan Antonio Ferriz-Papi)Biophilic airport terminal design: impacts on decarbonisation and passenger well-being
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Juan Antonio Ferriz-Papi)Circular economy and sustainable materials management at airport terminals
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof Bingunath Ingirige)Climate change impacts (and variability) on livelihoods and key sectors of the economy / economic models
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr A Hargreaves)Computational Acoustics: Predicting, Simulating and/or Auralising how the world sounds
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Greg Watts)Considering how the risks, lessons learnt, stakeholders, and practicalities of mega-projects impact and influence project success and failure. Considering views of UK and African construction industries.
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Juan Antonio Ferriz-Papi)Construction materials and products. Investigation about embodied carbon assessment methods and solutions
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr A Nourian)Decarbonization of airports and the use of renewable energy sources
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Guowu Wei)Design, development and control of a reconfigurable triphibian unmanned vehicle
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Azadeh Mohammadi)Developing Explainable Recommendation Systems
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Guowu Wei)Development of a Novel Biomimetic Anthropomorphic Robotic Arm-Hand System
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Paul Coates)Development of Informational Systems to support the Circular Economy
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Paul Coates)Digital Transformation in Construction and Lean Practices
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr R Arrigo)Electro-catalysis over 2D Materials
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Joshua Lehr)Electrochemical Sensors for Medulloblastoma Diagnostic and Prognostics
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof J Underwood)Engineering Better Social Outcomes through Requirements Management and Integrated Asset Data Processing
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr A Mukhopadhyay)Evaluation of RNA Epigenetic modifications as non-invasive biomarkers for human diseases
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Alireza Ahangar Asr)Experimental and numerical investigation into the behaviour of unsaturated soils to develop a behaviour prediction model
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr W Wang)Fatigue Damage Mechanism of Cable-stayed Structures under Corrosion Attack and the Quantum Technology for Corrosion Inspection and Monitoring
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Joshua Lehr)Functional Antifouling Electroactive Interfaces for Electrochemical Biosensing
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof D Waddington)Habitats: Managing the ecological impacts of noise on wildlife habitats for sustainable development
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr J Latimer)Host-microbiome interactions in human skin – implications for wound healing in type 2 diabetes
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof J Underwood)Imagining a Digital Competency Management Ecosystem Approach to Transforming the Productivity of People in the Built Environment
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr R Arrigo)Inorganic chaperones fused to fungal derived chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr C James)Investigating interactions between temperate bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr S Namvar)Investigating the mechanisms of fungal induced airway damage and biomarker production in asthma
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr A Akinshina)Liposomes for drug delivery of hydrophobic agents
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr R Arrigo)Metal organic framework in gas capture and drug delivery
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof William Holderbaum )Model of Energy Demand and Carbon Reduction for Control of Energy Storage
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Eda Majtan)Moisture-induced degradation in masonry structures
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof William Holderbaum )Motion Planning in Autonomous Robots
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr T Chen)Multimodal imaging and its applications
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(PhD Supervisor: Mr N Entwistle)Multiple river response to restoration and climate change
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr R Arrigo)N2 and CO2 Electrocatalysis using biomimentic metal supported materials
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Omar Alani)Network Slicing in 6G Networks: Towards Efficient and Scalable Resource Management
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Z Krpetic)Next-generation nanomedicine: robust approach to design, synthesis and characterisation of engineered teranostic nanoparticles
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Paul Coates)Optimising Sustainable Construction with Artificial Intelligence: Integrating Machine Vision, Natural Language Processing, and Predictive Analytics
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(PhD Supervisor: Prof J.A. Jackson)Parasite responses to host immunity
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Lee Herrington)Prospective study to assess the value of a ACL risk reduction intervention on ACL injury attrition rates in elite female adolescent football
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr S Rossington)Quaternary ammonium compounds in plants with specific reference to the Fabaceae and Berbidaceae families
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Omar Alani)Security-aware Resource Allocation in 6G Networks
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Alireza Ahangar Asr)Seepage through water retaining structures; an experimental and numerical investigation
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Theo Theodoridis)SLAM-Based UAV Inspection and Docking via ROS
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Ali Alameer)Tackling Bias: Investigating and Addressing AI Fairness in Machine Learning Systems
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr P Miklavc)The role of extracellular vesicles in lung epithelial cell communication in health and disease
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr P Miklavc)The role of extracellular vesicles in pulmonary epithelium
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr M Leontiadou)Ultrafast laser spectroscopy: using light to study materials on femtosecond timescales
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr M Leontiadou)Ultrafast laser spectroscopy: using light to study materials on femtosecond timescales
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr W Wang)Unsaturated soil hydrology – Soil water retention technology for agricultural production improvement
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Ali Alameer)Using artificial intelligence and machine vision for real time identification and prediction of aggressive behaviour in livestock
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(PhD Supervisor: Dr Kaveh Kiani)Utilizing Data Augmentation Techniques for Applying Machine Learning Techniques in Survival Analysis with Limited Data Availability