Modelling of Heterogeneous Systems PhD

Find out more about our Modelling of Heterogeneous Systems PhD.

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P-F343

PhD

4 years full-time;
7 years part-time

6 October 2025

HetSys Centre for Doctoral Training (School of Engineering)

University of Warwick

HetSys is an EPSRC-supported Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Warwick which recruits students from across the physical sciences, mathematics and engineering and trains them to use their mathematical and computational modelling skills to solve complex problems in heterogeneous materials.

The transferability of this training allows HetSys students to address a very broad range of challenges in understanding the behaviour of heterogeneous materials across a range of length and time scales.

This is vital for the competitiveness of the UK's high-value manufacturing, high-tech and automotive industries.

CDT training will run throughout the four-year PhD programme, you will be recruited directly onto a project and will have a supervisor from the start of the course, as well as a second supervisor in a related area and a cohort mentor for academic and pastoral advice. In projects with industry links there will often also be an industry co-supervisor. 

Teaching and Learning

HetSys' training programme is designed to enable you to become a high-quality computational scientist who is comfortable working in interdisciplinary environments, has excellent communication skills, and is well prepared for a wide range of future careers in areas where there is demonstrable need.

During the first year of the programme you will study four core modules (Quantum and Atomistric Modelling, Continuum and Mesoscale Modelling, Scientific Software Development and Predictive Modelling and Uncertainty Quantification). You will also participate in a Group Software Development Project supported by academics and RSEs. You will carry out an independent research project in the area of your PhD project assessed through a written report and viva 12 months into the programme. During the first 18-24 months you will also take at least two optional modules that complement your PhD project.

The individual project also leads to a peer-to-peer activity early in the second year. These activities will contribute to the formal award of a postgraduate diploma (120 credits), which must be successfully completed 18-24 months into the programme.

In Years 2-4 the majority of your time will be spent conducting PhD research. There will be ample opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange through cohort-wide activities.

Overarching research themes

Our organisational structure connects our research with our study programmes to ensure quality research-led teaching.

We have four disciplines shaping our framework, they are:

• Civil and Environmental
• Electrical and Electronic
• Mechanical, Materials and Process
• Systems and Information

Discipline streams

Civil and Environmental

Our Civil and Environmental researchers work on a broad range of global research challenges underpinning civil engineering.

Combining modelling with practical experimentation, they tackle issues such as:

• Low carbon structures and structures using high-performance materials.
• Structural dynamics and structural health monitoring
• Vibration serviceability
• Human interaction with structures
• Resilient infrastructure to Climate Change
• Environmental Pollution
• Sustainable ground improvement material and techniques
• Geohazards prediction and mitigation
• Offshore geotechnics
• Tunnelling and underground space

Key specialisms within the Civil and Environmental Engineering stream include Water and Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, and Geotechnical Engineering.

Electrical and Electronic

The Electrical and Electronic Engineering research group covers a range of Power, sustainability, and improved communications at the heart of our Electrical and Electronic stream.

Key areas of research include:

• Artificial olfaction (or 'electronic nose')
• Electrical energy conversion
• Grid-scale energy storage
• Nanoscale communications
• Quantum devices

Key specialisms include Communications, Electrical Power and Sensors and Devices.

Mechanical, Materials and Process

Our Mechanical, Materials and Process Engineering discipline is our largest and most diverse stream. The stream has research groups in the fields of:

• Chemical engineering
• Fluid mechanics
• Materials
• Measurement
• Sustainable thermal energy technologies

Current research interests include: efficient production of green chemicals and low carbon fuels; investigating flow dynamics from the nanoscale to global environmental systems; atomic scale modelling of materials to improve their functional properties; experimental materials science for applications including silicon photovoltaic solar cells, terahertz imaging, optoelectronic devices based on 2D materials, sensing, and photoelectrochemical water splitting; developing methods of precision measurement for automotive, aerospace, bioengineering, healthcare applications; developing new technology for sustainable energy systems such as solar collectors, heat pumps and thermal storage.

Systems and Information

The Systems and Information research group bring together expertise in:

• Nonlinear and stochastic systems
• Modelling of human activity
• Biomedical Systems Modelling and Data Analytics
• Neural engineering
• Telemedicine
• Imaging
• Synthetic biology

Much of the research undertaken is around health and security and the nature of the work means that many labs are cross-group. Key specialisms include Biomedical and Biological Systems, Data Analytics and Systems Modelling and Control.

Explore our research areas on our Engineering web pages.Link opens in a new window

HetSys offers a range of research projects. A research proposal is not required. Instead, you should nominate one to three projects that you are interested in, in order of preference.

Learn more about our groups and projects.Link opens in a new window

2:1 honours degree at BSc/BEng or an integrated Master’s degree (e.g. MPhys, MChem, MSci, MEng etc.) in a physical sciences, mathematics or engineering discipline.

• Band A
• Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 and minimum component scores not below 6.0.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.