The University of Huddersfield will train roughly 10 PhD students per year in materials science and related fields, with a focus on areas like manufacturing, biomaterials, and energy applications. This matters because materials research underpins many of the challenges in the UK’s Industrial Strategy—from improving nuclear fission to developing new catalysts and functional materials. The programme fills a gap by ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled researchers who can tackle these problems, while also supporting early-career researchers and offering flexible skills training based on the national Vitae framework. If successful, this training will produce graduates who can advance manufacturing processes, improve energy storage, or create new biomaterials for medical use. These are not immediate consumer products but the foundational work that keeps industries competitive and infrastructure resilient. The programme also aims to convert at least one studentship into a CASE award with industry partners, and to use any surplus funding for vacation bursaries to attract undergraduates into research careers.
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The University of Huddersfield (UoH) DTP will be allocated to projects in materials research and allied subject areas primarily across two academic schools - Computing & Engineering and Applied Sciences. Materials research continues to be an area of growth and strategic importance for UoH and underpins multiple pillars and challenges within the Government's Industrial Strategy. Areas of particular importance with alignment to EPSRC research areas include: manufacturing technologies and materials engineering, functional materials, biomaterials, catalysis, nuclear fission, materials for energy applications, surface science, synthetic and computational chemistry. In addition, mathematical research linked to these areas will be supported. Doctoral research opportunities are advertised externally on the UoH website at: https://research.hud.ac.uk/researchdegrees/researchscholarships/phdstudentshipsinmaterialsscience/, as is information for staff regarding application processes for studentship projects at: https://research.hud.ac.uk/research-degrees/researchscholarships/phdstudentshipsinmaterialsscience/epsrcmaterialssciencephdsupervisorinformation/ The next DTP cohort will commence Sept 2020 for a two year period. A Research Skills Development Programme (RSDP) is available for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) offering maximum flexibility to meet development priorities, build skills, abilities and intellectual qualities whilst completing a research degree and for their longer term career goals. The programme is based on the national Vitae Researcher Development Framework and encompasses four key areas: Knowledge & Intellectual Abilities, Personal Effectiveness, Research Governance & Organisation, Engagement Influence & Impact. Training includes: Explore all aspects of being a PGR Personal strengths Prioritise areas for professional development Write a plan, monitor progress and success Productive discussions with others Formal and informal development opportunities Routes to impact for research Preparing for one-to-one progress reviews, appraisals or career development conversations When considering future career options and goals, help is provided to: Consider capabilities and experiences to enhance career prospects Assess opportunities offered within the institution for continued research Explore development opportunities outside research area Highlight, articulate and provide evidence of the transferability of capabilities and expertise in a CV, in job applications and at interviews. Develop entrepreneurial skills through various support programmes All PGRs attend the central welcome and induction event designed to help them familiarise with life as a postgraduate researcher. This provides an opportunity to meet other researchers from their own and other disciplines, to meet key university staff and to ask any questions regarding their programme of study. PGRs meet the Dean of the Graduate School. Topics covered at central and local induction include: Expectations of Supervisors and Postgraduate Researchers Research Skills Training Virtual Learning Environment Library & IT, Open Access, Wellbeing, Careers Supervision and Progression Monitoring Research Council funded student and supervisory requirements including, Je-S, Research Fish and Gateway to Research Discipline and cohort specific training is also provided within the two academic schools. Funding will provide ~10 studentships per annum across two intakes. We will aim to convert a minimum of one studentship into a CASE award and to support at least 3 ECRs per intake. Where possible, we will seek to lever match funding from industry or other bodies to increase the number of studentships supported through the DTP. We intend to use any surplus funding over the DTP period to provide vacation bursaries for outstanding undergraduate students planning to undertake research on completion of their studies.
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