Supervisory Team: Dr Adrian Nightingale

Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.

Colloidal quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystals that sit in between molecular and bulk materials. Their small size (typically <10 nm in diameter) are comparable to the material’s Bohr radius, leading to quantum confinement of excitons and size- and composition-tunable optoelectronic properties. Compared to other quantum-confined nanostructures (e.g. epitaxial quantum dots, wires or wells) they have the advantage of being solution-processable, which makes them well suited for mass production of devices.

In this project you will look at methods for efficiently producing device-quality quantum dots ready for making the quantum technology devices of the future. In particular, you will look at combining flow reactors with inline optical analysis methods and computer control, taking advantage of recent developments in reactor technology and algorithms to control reactions and explore reaction parameter space. You will autonomous reactors that can continuously produce high quality quantum dots, monitor the quality of them as they are produced, and independently determine optimum reaction parameters.

If you are interested, please contact the supervisor for more information: Adrian Nightingale a.nightingale@soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024. Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: HERE Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Quantum Tech Eng”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor.

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

Supervisory Team: Prof Ali Elham

Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.

Topology optimisation is one of the most powerful engineering design technologies. It is superior to shape and size optimisation as it can theoretically create an optimum object from scratch. There is an ever-growing interest in using topology optimisation in industries for different design problems. An ultimate example is aircraft configuration design. After more than a century of aviation, we still do not know what the optimum configuration for a flying vehicle is. In other words, if we want to transport a given amount of payload over a given distance using state-of-the-art technologies, how should the flying vehicle shape to e.g., minimise energy consumption and in-flight emissions? A topology optimisation technology might be able to answer this question. We have developed a technology for creating flying vehicle configurations using topology optimisation. However, it is still in very early development stages, i.e., it works for the aerodynamic design of micro-air vehicles at very low speeds. However, we need a few million design variables coupled with high-fidelity aerodynamic analysis for such a basic design. Extension of this technology towards more realistic design problems means the need for a few billion design variables coupled with multi-physics (e.g. fluid-structure interaction) solvers. The computational costs of the state-of-the-art technologies for multi-physics topology optimisation are prohibitive for such applications.

Quantum optimisation algorithms are in the early development stages; however, they showed promising potential for accelerating complex optimisation problems. This project aims to investigate the development and application of dedicated quantum optimisation algorithms to solve topology optimisation problems relevant to aerospace design.

If you are interested, please contact the supervisor for more information: Ali Elham a.elham@soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024. Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: HERE Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Quantum Tech Eng”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor.

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

The University of Southampton is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking to study part time. The University of Southampton takes personal circumstances into account, has onsite childcare facilities, is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.

Supervisory Team: Dr Srinandan Dasmahapatra

Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.

Recent research objectives in noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) algorithms seek to exploit hard-won gains in quantum hardware developments to access computational results that challenge classical computers. Variational quantum algorithms (VQA) are a family of methods that optimise the parameterisation of quantum circuits to approximate expectation values of properties measured on quantum states. The expressive power of these parameterised circuits in VQA depends on the ansätze designed for a particular problem. In addition to expressivity, limitations on error-correction in NISQ hardware imply the amplification of errors with the depth of quantum circuits, further constraining the design space. Machine learning (ML) methods are being developed to navigate this design space using hybrid methods, and this will be the focus of this project. ML methods that operate by reducing an appropriately defined loss function by gradient descent are also generically known to encounter a ‘barren plateaus’ problem which hinders access to the parameterised space, prompting a further reconsideration of the circuit ansatz. A family of measurement based quantum algorithms have also been proposed that start with an entangled cluster state and well-chosen single qubit measurements alter the state of the network, propagating information via teleportation across the cluster. These measurement based variational quantum algorithms offer a different window into the space of states defining the computational state, as well as the compiled set of qubits that come with the noisy profiles that the neural network based algorithms will seek to ameliorate, within the constraints over the design space. Classical processing of information shared across nodes of a graph have been successful in graph neural network architectures; this project will explore the design of a suitable graph quantum neural network for measurement based variational quantum algorithms.

If you are interested, please contact the supervisor for more information: Srinandan Dasmahapatra sd@ecs.soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024.

Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: HERE Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Quantum Tech Eng”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor.

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

Supervisory Team: Dr Sajjad Taravati, Dr Jize Yan

Project description: This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.

This cutting-edge research initiative focuses on the development of Nonreciprocal quantum metasurfaces for the next generation of telecommunication systems, merging academic excellence with a strong emphasis on enterprise collaborations. While static metasurfaces have proven efficient in manipulating electromagnetic waves, they are constrained by inherent reciprocity and fixed time-/frequency-invariant responses. In response to these limitations, our project introduces a groundbreaking approach: active nonreciprocal quantum metasurfaces. These dynamic solutions enable the generation, guidance, and control of quantum states of light. This breakthrough technology holds immense promise for applications in free-space quantum communication, quantum information processing, quantum computation, and quantum imaging. By providing versatility, reciprocity control, and the ability to translate frequencies for electromagnetic waves, these metasurfaces have the potential to revolutionize the field of telecommunications. A distinctive feature of this project is its strategic design to foster robust industrial collaborations. By actively seeking partnerships with industry leaders, we aim to drive enterprise efforts and create opportunities for spinouts and commercialization. This collaborative approach ensures that the research outcomes are not only academically significant but also commercially viable, contributing to the broader technological landscape. The project employs innovative techniques such as spatiotemporal decomposition, quantum scattering and diffraction, digital coding, nonreciprocal transmission, pure frequency conversion, parametric wave amplification, and multifunctional operations. These techniques form the basis for pushing the boundaries of light manipulation, opening new avenues for the development of advanced telecommunication systems.

In summary, this transformative project stands at the forefront of research in nonreciprocal quantum metasurfaces, aiming to redefine the possibilities in telecommunications. Through a combination of academic rigor and strategic industry collaborations, we aspire to not only advance the scientific understanding of quantum metasurfaces but also pave the way for practical applications that will shape the future of telecommunication systems.

If you are interested, please contact the supervisor for more information: Sajjad Taravati s.taravati@soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024. Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: HERE Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Quantum Tech Eng”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor.

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

Anglia Ruskin University and Norfolk Museums Service are pleased to announce a fully-funded Collaborative doctoral studentship, from September 2024, under the AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Scheme.

Using around 1,000 surviving objects held at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse – one of the largest and most under-researched set of objects related to workhouses in the UK – the successful PhD student will analyse the lives, living conditions and institutionalisation of the people who resided and worked in Gressenhall workhouse between c. 1777-1948.

Alongside a material culture approach, the student will engage with the archaeological fabric of the building, conduct archival work at Norfolk Record Office and analyse objects held in other relevant collections. Importantly, the student will work alongside the curator and volunteers at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse to contribute to the objectives of the museum through resources and exhibitions, while undertaking skills development and training to gain the experience needed to develop a future career in the museums and heritage sector.

This project will be jointly supervised by Dr Joseph Harley and Ms Rachel Kidd (Curator). The student will undertake research at both Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, part of Norfolk Museums Service, and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, as well as becoming part of the wider cohort of CDP-funded students across the UK.

Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a Masters-level qualification in a relevant subject (suitable disciplines are flexible, but might include History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Art History, or Museum Studies), or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting (e.g. work and volunteering in Archaeology, Heritage, History, and museums/collections, or the public sector and/or roles that require significant research and/or writing skills outside this sector).

We encourage the widest range of potential students to apply for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. Given the topic of research, we particularly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of the contemporary social care and welfare systems in the UK, such as care leavers. We also particularly encourage applications from Norfolk and the neighbouring region.

The studentship can be studied either full or part-time, and we welcome applications from both home and international applicants.

Applications must be submitted through our online application portal on our website:

Part-time: https://e-vision.anglia.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=R0050PCAM01D&code2=0023

Full-time: https://e-vision.anglia.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=R0050FCAM02D&code2=0016

 You will also the following documents available electronically to upload them to the application portal (we can accept files in pdf, jpeg or Word format):

1.     Certificates and transcripts from your Bachelor and Master’s degrees

2.     Your personal statement explaining your suitability for the project. We recommend uploading this as a Word or pdf file, but you can also type it directly on the form.

3.     Curriculum Vitae

You do not need to upload a research proposal with your application, only a personal statement is needed. 

We will review all applications after the submission deadline of 12th May. Interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 3rd June.

Between 10am-2pm on Thursday 18 April, we will be opening up Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse for potential applicants to come to the museum, meet the supervisors, view some of the objects, and look around the workhouse. If you would like to come to this event, please email Rachel Kidd on Rachel.kidd2@norfolk.gov.uk to confirm your place by Monday 15 April. If you cannot make this date, please email Rachel Kidd to ask for an alternative time if you wish to visit before applying. We also encourage applicants to contact the supervisory team with informal enquiries about the studentship:

·       Dr Joseph Harley, Senior Lecturer in History, Anglia Ruskin University - joseph.harley@aru.ac.uk

·       Ms Rachel Kidd, Curator, Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse - rachel.kidd2@norfolk.gov.uk

The University values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity.

Supervisory Team: Dr James Gates, Dr Rex Bannerman

Project description:

This project is part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering at the University of Southampton. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.

Using Southampton's state-of-the-art fabrication facilities, we will develop core components for interfacing quantum computers and photonic quantum networks. Unlike optical telecoms, where losses are tolerated and compensated by amplifiers, in the world of quantum technology, every photon is precious. This project will create new ultra-low-loss optical components, reducing losses and allowing us to create large, entangled quantum states. In particular, the project will focus on the development of key missing components – quantum memories and switchable delays.

As a PhD candidate, you will gain hands-on experience in designing, modelling, and fabricating these photonic systems and then testing your devices with classical and quantum light. Working with some of the world’s leading groups in Quantum Technology, you will demonstrate the application of your devices with state-of-the-art quantum computers and networks. You will also benefit from comprehensive training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills, preparing you for a thriving future in career Quantum Technology Engineering.

This project offers the chance to work in a supportive, collaborative environment, alongside leading experts, and innovative peers. You'll emerge not just with a degree, but with skills and experiences that are highly valued in academia and industry.

If you are interested, please contact the supervisor for more information: James Gates j.gates@soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024. Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: For UK students, tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate tax-free per annum for up to 4 years rising annually. We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: HERE Select programme type (Research), 2024/25, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Quantum Tech Eng (Full time)”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor Dr James Gates

Applications should include:

Research Proposal

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk