Brunel University London is using EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership funding to train the next generation of PhD researchers in engineering, design and physical sciences. This matters because the UK needs a steady pipeline of skilled researchers to tackle complex technical challenges—from making materials stronger and manufacturing more efficient, to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and developing smarter energy grids. The funding supports students working in areas such as structural integrity, liquid metal engineering, autonomous systems, applied AI, and biomedical and environmental engineering. If the training succeeds, these PhD graduates will move into industry and academia, bringing expertise that could improve the performance of aircraft components, reduce energy use in food supply chains, advance water treatment technologies, or strengthen the UK’s capacity in big data and robotics. The programme also requires students to spend time at industrial companies, ensuring their research has direct practical relevance. This is primarily a skills and capacity-building initiative rather than a single research project. It sustains critical research mass at Brunel’s institutes—including the National Structural Integrity Research Centre—and supports newly appointed academic staff in mathematical sciences.
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Brunel University London has a well-founded reputation as a leader in research, consistently offering "research and enterprise for the benefit of individual and society" since 1966 when the University received its Royal Charter. Brunel University London is firmly within the top quarter of research universities in the UK according to REF 2014. Our research in engineering, design and physical sciences spans a variety of major fields from energy, automotive, materials and manufacturing, as well as mathematical sciences and computing. Our College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences ranks amongst London's biggest and best for the quality of its research. EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) studentships are available to support postgraduate research opportunities in engineering, design and physical sciences in the Institute of Materials and Manufacturing (IMM) (for improving the performance of materials and structures), Institute of Energy Futures (IEF) (for improving energy usage and reducing greenhouse gas emissions), Institute of Environment Health and Societies (IEHS) (Biomedical and Environmental Engineering), Brunel Digital Science & Technology Centre, and the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences (CEDPS) (discipline based research in engineering, mathematics and computer science). We welcome applications for studentships in these areas. The DTP funding will be used to match the industrial support of PhD studentships and to support PhD students spending a period of time at an industrial company. The DTP funding will be used strategically to consolidate the critical mass in areas of intensive research activities and excellent infrastructure at Brunel, which are represented by the research themes in the research institutes and the inter-disciplinary research centre in digital science and technology in the CEDPS. Such research areas include: Structural Integrity (National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC)) Materials Characterisation and Processing Liquid Metal Engineering (Advanced Metal Casting Centre (AMCC)) Design for Sustainable Manufacturing Micro-Nano Manufacturing Energy Efficient and Sustainable Technologies (RCUK National Centre for Sustainable Energy use in Food chains (CSEF)) Advanced Powertrain and Fuels Smart Power Networks Resource Efficient Future Cities Bio-medical and Environment (Water) Engineering Big Data Autonomous Systems and Robotics Applied AI Computer systems and software In support of mathematical sciences and their application to engineering and physical sciences, the DTP funding will continue to be made available to newly-appointed academic staff in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. The National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC) based in Cambridge, also funded by HEFCE, is a partnership between Brunel and internationally-renowned technology, engineering and research organisation TWI. NSIRC aims to provide some of the best facilities for engineering and materials research in the world, with 300 training places for Brunel's postgraduate and research students. With regard to recruitment, the DTP-funded postgraduate studentships will be advertised on our University website at https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees as well as in other on-line media, such as www.findaphd.com The advert will also be circulated by email to academic staff which will also include an outline of the application, interview and award process. The admission of postgraduate research students will be based on academic entry criteria of a minimum of upper second class honours degree, confirmation that they meet the EPSRC eligibility criteria, a supporting statement from their proposed principal supervisor and their performance at interview with an independent panel led by the Vice Dean (Research).
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