A physics approach for understanding lifetime and mortality (experiments, theory and simulation)

This project, supervised by Professor Stefan Hutzler, School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin (www.tcd.ie/physics/foams), will examine mortality by combining three main strands of research:
- Experiments using assemblies of soap films as a toy model to study ageing. These have recently been shown to feature the characteristics of the statistics of human mortality. An infant or wear-in phase with decreasing failure-rate (mortality) is succeeded by an ageing phase which broadly follows the law of Gompertz (exponential increase of failure-rate). [Haffner, Lalieu, Richmond, Hutzler (2018) submitted to Physica A]
- Analysis of empirical data for human ageing, obtained from TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, TCD), with the collaborators Dr. Daniel Carey and Prof. Rose Anne Kenny.
- Theoretical modelling of ageing (features of mortality curves)

Project Objectives
Using the above three-fold approach, the aim is to deduce general system-independent aspects of ageing, informed by both theory and empirical data.

Methodology Proposed
This is an experimental project, supported by statistical analysis of experiments and the design of model simulations.

Expected Outcomes
The project will result in a physical model system with tunable ageing properties. This will assist in the interpretation of empirical ageing data.

Closing date for applications
Applications will close 1 June 2018. As we expect great interest in this funded PhD studentship early application is advised.

Application Requirements
Candidates must have a minimum 2.1 grade in an honours degree (GPA of 3.2/4) to be considered for entry to Trinity College Dublin. Individual PI's may have additional specific entry requirements. General information on entry to Trinity College Dublin is available at: www.tcd.ie/courses/postgraduate/faculty

How to Apply
Interested candidates should contact the PI for this project directly, Prof. Stefan Hutzler E: [Email Address Removed], in the first instance. Additional information on how to apply to our PhD programmes is available at: www.tcd.ie/courses/postgraduate/research/az.php