The University of Birmingham is using EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership funding to train the next generation of PhD researchers across engineering and physical sciences. This matters because the UK needs a steady pipeline of skilled scientists and engineers to sustain its research base and industrial competitiveness. The funding supports PhD students in three strategic priority areas: advanced manufacturing (including materials science and quantum measurement), science frontiers (from gravitational wave astronomy to theoretical computer science), and resilience and sustainability (covering transport, energy, cybersecurity, and healthcare technology). The programme also provides undergraduate research internships and postdoctoral positions to help early-career researchers become fully independent. If successful, this training will produce researchers capable of advancing manufacturing processes, improving infrastructure systems, developing new energy technologies, and strengthening cybersecurity—all areas that underpin everyday life but often go unnoticed. The budget is deployed flexibly to support new research groups, early-career academics, fundamental science, and large externally funded programmes. Training includes both subject-specific skills and transferable skills such as research ethics and public engagement.
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EPSRC DTP funding is used to build the research community of the future. The largest activity is in supporting PhD students in key research areas. Some funding is used to provide opportunities for undergraduates to sample research study through internships and to help PhD students develop into fully independent researchers through post-doctoral positions. The strategic priority research areas of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Birmingham broadly mirror the EPSRC thematic portfolio. We engage in research that matters in terms of impact under the overarching themes of advanced manufacturing, science frontiers, and resilience and sustainability. Advanced manufacturing includes manufacturing processes, the understanding, creation, use and recycling of advanced materials, and precision measurement (eg. using quantum technologies). Science frontiers covers a range of "blue skies" research, from astronomy (eg. gravitational waves and exoplanet discovery), particle physics, together with advanced theoretical subjects (eg. combinatorics, theoretical computer science) through to the study of computational techniques for modelling, artificial intelligence and data analysis. Resilience and sustainability research covers areas of direct societal benefits, such as transport (rail and other vehicle technology), sustainable cities and infrastructure, cybersecurity, energy, robotics and healthcare technology. The strategic research priorities are interpreted in an agile fashion which aligns with a rapidly evolving industrial strategy, eg in the areas of energy, plastics & recycling, batteries & recycling, magnets & recycling, etc. The postgraduate portfolio spans all the above areas and its budget is deployed purposefully to meet multiple objectives: Supporting the growth of new research areas (eg. as part of the recruitment package to support new staff or new research groups) Supporting early career academics (eg. Birmingham Fellows and probationary academics applying for a first grant) Supporting fundamental science (eg. often associated with Personal Fellowships, especially in mathematical sciences and fundamental science research where matching contributions from external sources are rare) Ensuring critical mass of researchers in priority areas (eg. research activity which is commensurate with EPSRC programme grant funding, or large-scale activity in research institutes and centres) Using studentships as matching contribution to leverage large externally funded research funds (e.g. institutional in-kind contribution to significant/strategic industry-funded programmes) Using studentships to accelerate the emergence of impact in specific research areas Underwriting commitments to Centres for Doctoral Training Training for post graduate researchers includes both their subject specific training and that related to transferable skills, research ethics and responsibilities and opportunities for wider engagement. Dissemination of work and findings is primarily by the final dissertation (made available through Ethos) with many PGRs presenting and publishing in conferences and journals. Studentship opportunities are advertised through the University's funding opportunities database (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/findaphd.aspx) and through individual school's web pages (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/eps/index.aspx) with regular use of FindAPhD and jobs.ac.uk. The University devolves the allocation of studentships to schools. University of Birmingham academics should contact their Post Graduate Researchers Academic Lead in the first instance. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Graduate School is the point of contact for interdisciplinary research and cross-college collaborations. The scope for collaborative work is very wide: the Business Engagement team is the first point of contact (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/partners/index.aspx).
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