STFC Durham Physics 2015 DTP

The UK Research Councils are funding a new cohort of doctoral students through a Doctoral Training Partnership, with Durham Physics as the lead organisation. This grant addresses the need to train the next generation of scientists in fundamental physics. Without sustained investment in postgraduate education, the UK risks losing the expertise needed to advance knowledge in fields such as particle physics, cosmology, and quantum materials. The abstract describes a standard funding mechanism—a training grant that supports a range of postgraduate research projects, either at a single institution or across a consortium. If this training succeeds, it will produce skilled researchers who may go on to make discoveries that reshape our understanding of the universe. Much of the work will be curiosity-driven, exploring questions about the nature of matter, space, and time. Historically, similar fundamental research in physics has led to unexpected breakthroughs—from the development of the World Wide Web at CERN to the medical imaging technologies that rely on particle detectors. While no immediate practical application is guaranteed, the trained scientists themselves become a resource for industry, academia, and public-sector innovation.