Fibre & Systems Group

Location:  Highfield Campus
Closing Date:  Tuesday 31 August 2021
Reference:  1353521PN
Supervisory Team:    Dr Natalie Wheeler, Dr Peter Horak, Dr Ian Davidson

Project description

We are looking for a new PhD student to join our group to work on the fabrication and applications of hollow core fibres. These fibres are an exciting recent development in optical fibre technology and have the potential to transform diverse application areas, from next generation communications to ultrahigh sensitivity gas detection for early disease diagnosis.

 At the University of Southampton, we have a highly collaborative team working on hollow core fibres, from fibre design, fabrication, characterisation through to ultimate applications. This project will involve working across all these aspects of hollow core fibres and will involve developing new ways of controlling the optical properties of hollow core fibres post-fabrication.

 There is substantial scope within this research area for innovation and this work will suit a creative and self-motivated candidate. This project is primarily experimental and you will work with experienced researchers, within extensive and well-equipped cleanrooms and labs and you will engage with our industrial partners to achieve high impact outcomes from your work. The project is supported by generous funding from the EPSRC and the Royal Society.

This project is based at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton. The ORC has led the world in optical fibre technology research for the past 50 years. With over 90 state-of-the-art laboratories and 200 researchers working in all areas of photonics, the ORC provides an outstanding interdisciplinary environment for students to grow. Its cluster of 12 photonics spin-out companies provides a natural career path for PhD graduates. 

In the first year of your PhD, a structured training programme runs alongside the research project, providing a gradual transition from taught degree to open-ended research. Students present their work at conferences worldwide, first-author papers in leading academic journals and emerge with skills at the forefront of glass and fibre optics research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2_6yNQamkU. Former PhD researchers have made successful careers in universities worldwide or as industry scientists and business leaders. 

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr. Natalie Wheeler, Advanced Fibre Technologies Research Group, Email: n.v.wheeler@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 2825.

Entry Requirements

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

Closing date: applications should be received no later than 31 August 2021 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered depending on the funds remaining in place.

Funding: A fully funded PhD position is available for UK applicants (with an enhanced stipend of £18,000 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years.) EU students with no external funding can contend for a small number of competitive scholarships. Students from overseas who have secured some external funding are also encouraged to apply. www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/phd_funding.html 

How To Apply

Applications should be made online. Select programme type (Research), 2021/22, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, next page select “PhD  ORC (Full time)”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor Natalie Wheeler 

Applications should include: 

Curriculum Vitae
Two reference letters
Degree Transcripts to date

Apply online: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/how-to-apply/postgraduate-applications.page

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