Post Graduate Vacancies
Ph.D. in Physics
Superconductivity Group
We encourage applications from students with either an experimental or a theoretical background with an interest in superconductivity. We very much welcome students and post-docs from all over the world. If you are looking to do some important science during the next 3 ½ or 4 years and to work in a world-class Physics Department in one of the best Universities in the UK, Durham could be for you.
UK students are expected to achieve a first-class degree. Non-UK students are expected to bring a International scholarship with them.
WE ARE TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW FOR STUDENTS STARTING NEXT OCTOBER.
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The student should have secured or be expected to secure a first class or very respectable upper second class degree (which includes Physics modules). The studentship will be based at Durham University for a period of 3½ years or 4 years. EPSRC (UK) PhD studentships are not means tested (and in 2024 included a tax free annual stipend of approx £15,600)
https://www.dur.ac.uk/physics/postgraduate/prospectivestudents/studentships/ . Students typically start in Oct. but we can be flexible.
No prerequisite specific experience in superconductivity, cryogenics, high magnetic fields or computational simulations is required.
We intend to take two students working on two of the PhD projects we are offering below (we prefer to take either [more] experimentally-based or [more] theoretically-based physicists) and are looking to fill PhD places for the up-coming Oct:
More Experimentally-based PhDs:
i) High Temperature Superconductors in High Magnetic Fields under Strain that Enable Compact Tokamaks: Experimental Jc(Field-temperature-strain) – PhD Fusion CDT – Prof Hampshire – Durham U
ii) Modular High-Field Superconducting Magnets with Joints for Compact Fusion Applications: Experimental HTS and LTS Joints – PhD Fusion CDT – Hampshire-Durham+CCFE
Computational (80%) and Experimental (20%) PhD:
iii) High-field Superconductors under Irradiation.
More Computationally-based PhDs
i) Computational Time-Dependent Ginzburg-Landau Theory for High-Field Superconductors in Compact Fusion Energy Tokamaks : Computational TDGL – PhD Fusion CDT – Prof Hampshire
ii) New Fusion Tokamak System Designs using High-Temperature Superconductors Computational Compact Tokamak System Designs – PhD Fusion CDT – Hampshire-Durham + CCFE
You are welcome to contact members of the Superconductivity group and find out what a PhD is like.
Many PhDs in the group are funded through the Fusion CDT partnership which gives an excellent exposure to many of the best Universities in the UK, an excellent taught course in fusion energy, exposure to the fusion community across Europe and an opportunity to go abroad or stay in the UK to do a collaborative project (usually in Japan) in the 2nd or 3rd year. Choosing to have your PhD under the CDT means you spend about 6-8 months during your PhD away from Durham and makes the PhD last 4 years: http://www.fusion-cdt.ac.uk/contact/ . The alternative to the CDT is to complete your 1st year postgraduate lecture courses in Durham – both choices are excellent.
Please send your CV directly to DPH at [email protected] with just a few sentences saying why you are interested in the PhD research and your availability for interview. Please also state whether you prefer to have your postgraduate training through the Fusion CDT, entirely in Durham or you are happy to leave it open. Please also start the formal application process by applying on-line: https://www.dur.ac.uk/physics/postgraduate/prospectivestudents/howtoapply/ – in order that Professor Hampshire receives your on-line application form please give the topic of interest as: ‘Superconductivity in high magnetic fields’ or ‘Superconductivity for Fusion Energy Applications’
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For U.K. students – we also have Government funded studentships for students with 1st class degrees. If you have or expect to get a 1st class degree in Physics or in joint honours (eg Maths/Physics, Physics/Chem), please be reassured that you have the demonstrated academic record necessary to study for a Ph.D. and are very welcome indeed to apply to the group by sending your CV to Professor Hampshire.
For non-U.K. students – our group has a long record of taking students and post-docs from all over the world: If you would like to study for a Ph.D. in Physics – specialising in high field superconductivity, you will need to secure a scholarship from your home institution or Government – you are then very welcome to apply to join the group by sending your CV to Professor Hampshire..
Help with applications for international scholarships to study for a Ph.D. in Durham: There are some international scholarships which require a proposed research programme summary. We prefer to leave the research programme open until you arrive. However in some limited cases, we can help you with such a proposed research summary if it is required for your application and you are of sufficient potential – you are welcome to ask for help with such text by writing to Professor Hampshire at : [email protected] – you must accompany your request with your CV and have metrics in your CV and transcripts that demonstrate you are in the top 5% of your academic cohort.