EngD and PhD Studentships: Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Innovation in Non-Destructive evaluation (FIND-CDT)

The Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Innovation in Non-Destructive evaluation (FIND) is a partnership between a group of leading universities (Bristol, Imperial College London, Manchester, Nottingham, Strathclyde or Warwick) offering a 4-year industrially-linked doctoral training programme designed to launch you into an engineering career. The CDT has close links to the UK’s internationally leading Research Centre for Non Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE) with a vibrant network of more than 250 researchers across a range of disciplines.

What is NDE?

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) is likely the most important discipline you have not heard of, planes would not fly and power stations would not generate power without it. It employs sensor and imaging technology to assess the condition of components, plant and engineering structures of all kinds during manufacture and in-service. This key technology area underpins the safe and sustainable future of a broad cross-section of UK industry including power generation, oil & gas, aerospace, defence and high value manufacturing. We have a range of projects and industrial sponsors for applicants to choose from. Projects fall into three broad themes:

The Future NDE technologies theme will focus on the physics and engineering of the sensing transducers, imaging and processing methods.

Future infrastructure NDE will be driven by the need to reduce manual inspection through increased use of robotic manipulators and permanently installed systems.

Future manufacturing inspection places speed and automation at its core which must be seamlessly integrated, including into fast moving production lines.

PhD or EngD?

Both routes mean a 4-year programme that will equip you with the skills needed to succeed in a career in industry. All our projects are linked to industry, with EngD students based in a company for a significant proportion of their time, while PhDs are based primarily in the university. During the 4 years, each student completes a range of cohort-based advanced technical courses and courses on innovation and entrepreneurship, all delivered by world leading experts. Students present their research at national and international conferences and at regular events to audiences from across industry. Networking workshops also provide an opportunity for collaboration across disciplines, reflecting the wide range of scientific skills needed within this area.

Benefits

• Enhanced 4-year studentships of ~£17,000 per annum living stipend (tax free)
• Payment of all (home) tuition fees
• A substantial consumables and travel budget to support additional specialist research training courses, secondments, purchase of specialist equipment and travel to international conferences, seminars and workshops
• Industry sponsored cutting-edge research projects
• Wide choice of EngD and PhD projects ranging from applied to blue-sky research
• State-of-the-art research facilities at leading UK universities
• Opportunities for overseas secondments to industrial partners and universities
• Access to a network of high calibre industrial partners of the Centre
• Excellent career prospects on completion

Applications

You should have a first or upper second class honours degree in engineering, mathematics or a physical science. For more details see www.find-cdt.ac.uk/apply/ or contact us at find-cdt@bristol.ac.uk.