Advances in engineering and physics are helping to develop the economy, protect our environment and shape the information society in the 21st century. Our research in engineering and physics is focused on seven core themes, reflecting the interests of the engineering staff. Engineering is closely associated with the Department of Computer Science, which provides the ideal opportunity for research of an interdisciplinary nature.
The newly established Engineering Centre provides a focus for academics, researchers and support staff working in control engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, energy systems, healthcare engineering, mechanical engineering, power engineering, telecommunications engineering, and physics.
All postgraduate researchers are registered in the University’s Graduate School and housed in the faculty or department that is most appropriate for the project on which they are working. PGRs working on engineering projects are typically housed in the Department of Engineering.
Key research themes and potential projects
Healthcare engineering
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with an engineering background to engage in healthcare engineering research. Key areas include:
the development of biomedical sensors and bioelectronic devices for real-time health monitoring
computer-aided clinical monitoring and diagnosis using computational techniques and machine learning
healthcare informatics and data analysis leveraging big data and AI to enhance clinical decision-making
the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and SMART healthcare, which focus on connected medical devices and intelligent systems to improve patient care and outcomes
Instrumentation and control engineering
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with strong foundations in instrumentation and control, sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and mathematics. This is a chance to contribute to pioneering research in instrumentation and robotics while practicing your expertise in a collaborative and dynamic environment. We invite you to apply if you are passionate about cutting-edge research and enjoy solving complex, real-world problems. Our projects offer opportunities to explore advanced control systems, automation, and robotics. You’ll work on innovative solutions, often involving analytical derivations and simulations using tools like MATLAB in one or more of the following areas:
Autonomous Systems
Cooperative Control
Intelligent Systems
Robotics
Mechanical engineering
We are inviting applications from ambitious, highly-skilled graduate engineers and applied scientists with strong backgrounds in mechanical engineering, materials science, mathematics or physics, and with a keen interest in working on cutting-edge, multidisciplinary mechanical engineering and composite materials research projects. Projects may involve analytical derivation, simulation using tools such as MATLAB, and hardware and software development in one or more of the following areas:
Fibre reinforced composite-metal hybrid materials for automobile.
Sustainability and recycling of fibre reinforced polymer composites.
Liquid composite moulding processing optimisation
Multifunctional composites
Power engineering
We are inviting applications from motivated and skilled electrical graduate engineers with strong backgrounds in power systems, power electronics and applied control techniques to work on innovative research projects. Projects may involve rigorous mathematical derivations, software development using simulation tools such as MATLAB and OPAL-RT, and hardware prototype development in one or more of the following areas:
Development of new architectures of hybrid AC/DC systems, smart grids and super grids.
Design of novel topologies of power converters such as solid-state DC/DC transformers
Control of converters in microgrid and multi-microgrid systems
Optimisation of energy storage in renewable and distributed energy systems
Power flow and power quality improvement using devices such as flexible AC transmission and distribution system devices
Decarbonisation, digitalisation and decentralisation of energy systems
Signals and systems
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with an engineering background to engage in signals and systems research. The focus of this research is to develop innovative, multi-dimensional engineering applications in electromagnetism, hyperspectral imaging and remote sensing, image processing, optical theory, and signal processing, addressing challenges across various fields such as communication, sensing, and imaging technologies.
Electromagnetism
Hyperspectral imaging and remote sensing
Image processing
Optical theory
Signal processing
Telecommunications engineering
We are inviting applications from ambitious, highly skilled graduate engineers and applied scientists with strong backgrounds in telecommunications engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), mathematics or physics, and with a keen interest in working on cutting-edge, multidisciplinary telecommunications engineering research projects. Projects may involve analytical derivation, simulation usings tools such as MATLAB, and hardware and software development in one or more of the following areas:
Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) and Radio-wave propagation
AI-enabled networks
6G and beyond communications
Sustainable communications
Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless sensor networks
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and satellite communications
Theoretical physics
We are looking for enthusiastic and highly skilled physics graduates with an interest in topological solitons and related areas of theoretical physics to join our physics research team. Successful applicants will be conducting research under one of two broad themes:
Topological Solitons in optical and magnetic systems: exploring the properties of solvable models of chiral magnets and the soliton solutions that they possess. Studying optical skyrmions and seeking to understand an effective model governing their properties and how they propagate.
Gauge theoretic solitons such as monopoles, instantons, and vortices: studying monopoles with non-maximal symmetry breaking and their moduli spaces. Exploring the construction of twisted calorons and their applications to Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), as well as studying the analogue of calorons on hyperbolic spaces, and more generally instantons on gravitational instantons. Working with integrable models of vortices and looking at methods to understand the metrics on vortex moduli spaces along with their relationship with moduli space of metrics on a Riemann surface.
In the first instance please direct all general enquiries about proposed projects on topics related to engineering to Professor Ray Sheriff, Graduate School Research Degree contact for engineering.
The University particularly welcomes applications for studentships in the project areas outlined below. All PGRs will be supported by a supervisory team with appropriate expertise. Also, see the University’s research repository for further information on the research outputs of each member of staff. Further information on our research activities can be found on the research area webpage.