Funded PhD studentships available at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary University of London

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences has an excellent reputation for research in a variety of fields, ranging from the theoretical to the applied sciences. Our research groups specialise in Particle Physics, Condensed Matter, Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics and Chemistry, and each contain world-leading researchers in their respective fields. Links to the web pages for each of these groups are provided below, and you are welcome to contact any them to find out more about the opportunities they offer. Where possible, we are actively developing multidisciplinary collaborations within academia, as well as with industry and government services.

Our PhD students are given comprehensive training, furnishing them with a range of transferable skills and a network of more than 90 active research students. The School is a member of the GradNet Training Consortium that provides training in a range of advanced research skills. We are also part of the DISCnet consortium offering data-intensive science training to physics PhD students. The training also includes possibilities for industrial placements (e.g. with IBM, National Crime Agency, and BAe Systems) for those interested in data science careers.

We offer funded PhD studentships in the following areas:

Particle Physics Research Centre

• Neutrino oscillation and neutrino cross-section measurements
• Precision tests of the Standard Model at the LHC
• Searches for physics beyond the Standard Model
• Radiation detector development for particle physics and wider applications
• Contact: Dr Linda Cremonesi
• PhD projects on offer in the group

Centre for Theoretical Physics

• Scattering amplitudes in gravitational physics, quantum field theory and string theory
• Dualities in quantum field theory and string / M-theory
• Black holes in (super)gravity and string theory
• Among other topics, e.g., quantum chromodynamics and collider physics, machine learning in theoretical physics
• Contact: Dr Ricardo Monteiro
• PhD projects on offer in the group

Centre for Condensed Matter Physics

• Experimental, computational and theoretical condensed matter physics, including inorganic materials, oxides and related inorganic materials, metals, glasses and liquids, magnetic and hybrid materials
• Fundamentals of materials properties and behaviour. Examples include opto-electronic materials, organic semiconductors, disordered crystalline materials, magnetic and nanoscale materials, liquids and supercritical fluids, phase-transitions and energy materials.
• Quantum and nanoelectronics, bio-applications of nanoscale system.
• Contact: Dr Andrei Sapelkin
• PhD projects on offer in the group

Astronomy Unit

• Theoretical and observational cosmology
• Planetary formation and exoplanets
• Solar and space plasmas
• Observational astronomy
• Contact: Dr Tim Clifton
• PhD projects on offer in the group

Chemistry Department

• Functional Materials and Nanoscience
• Physical and Computational Chemistry
• Synthesis and Catalysis
• Contact: Dr Devis Di Tommaso
• PhD projects on offer in the Department

Applications are invited from outstanding individuals for several 3-year, 3.5-year and 4-year studentships from a range of UKRI, international and institutional sources. The School hold several EPSRC, STFC and QMUL-funded studentships as well as access to China Studentship Council and Mexican Conacyt studentships.

These studentships are open to UK students and exceptional EU and international candidates. We invite international applicants to apply for institutional projects with a view to securing additional external funding. The College will offer a fee waiver for all stipends offered by the Chinese Scholarship Council as it does for Mexican applicants via the Conacyt scheme.

All UKRI-funded and institutional studentships come with all fees paid, and a tax-free stipend of £19866p.a. (2022/23 rate). These studentships are open to those with Home and International fee status; however, the number of students with International fee status which can be recruited is capped according to the Research Council’s terms and conditions so competition for International places is particularly strong.

The deadline for applications is the 31st of January 2023.

Links for application:

Please contact your admissions tutor directly with any queries, alternatively, you can contact the Postgraduate Research Officer Rob Miles.