Engineering PhD

As an Engineering PhD student at the University of Brighton you will be joining the prestigious Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC). The centre has its own dedicated building and enjoys an international reputation for producing innovative, future-facing research.

Here, we investigate and optimise complex thermofluid processes and develop laser-based measurement techniques, fundamental modelling and computational simulation and conduct engineering research across a range of areas including aeronautical, aerospace, electrical and manufacturing.

Together with our numerous industrial partners, we continually invest in facilities, equipment and our researchers to help us build new capabilities, refine our modelling and simulation methods and exploit fully our joint expertise.

We welcome students to work with us for their Engineering PhD and offer dedicated supervision together with hands-on opportunities to develop research that changes the future including

Our research team collaborates with more than 40 academic institutions and 30 commercial companies, offering many opportunities for our PhD students to develop collaborations and build their international network.

Many of our graduates with a PhD in Engineering from the University of Brighton stay within academic research, predominantly by securing post-doctoral research positions or lecturing roles, both within UK and international institutes. Some of our graduates also work in Research & Development (R&D) departments for engineering companies.

For Civil engineering PhD please see our alternative page

Apply to 'computing, Engineering and Mathematics' in the applicant portal

Key information

As an Engineering PhD student at Brighton, you will benefit from:

a supervisory team comprising two and sometimes three members of academic staff. Depending on your research specialism you may also have an additional supervisor from another school, another research institution, or an external partner from government or industry.
desk space and access to a desktop PC, either in one of the postgraduate offices on the 6th floor of the award-winning Cockcroft Building, or within the adjacent Huxley Building.
access to a range of electronic resources via the University’s Online Library, as well as to the physical book and journal collections housed within the Aldrich Library and other campus libraries.
various state-of-the-art research facilities on the Moulsecoomb site.

Research themes

The University of Brighton boasts a world-leading Advanced Engineering Centre, and attracts research expertise, partnerships and funding from across the world as well as contributing to complex global engineering problems.

PhD students take an active role in a range of intellectual and social activities and the AEC gives you opportunities to present ‘work in progress’ and network with other researchers.

The Brighton Doctoral College offer a training programme for postgraduate researchers, covering research methods and transferable (including employability) skills. Attendance at appropriate modules within this programme is encouraged, as is contribution to the Schools’ various seminar series. Academic and technical staff also provide more subject-specific training.

The main focus of our Engineering research is to develop new knowledge for advanced energy systems and emerging technologies for ground and space applications. The scope of our research covers a number of fundamental, complimentary activities as outlined below:

Thermal propulsion systems - Significant improvements in the efficiency of thermal propulsion systems (e.g. engines), leading to more radical and disruptive approaches to conversion of heat into useful work.
Thermofluid processes - Exploration and characterisation of complex thermofluid processes, including fluid dynamics, mass and heat transfer. We use a unique combination of both simulation and experimental work to better understand the physics of flows, droplets and sprays, to allow faster and more robust optimisation and validation of new and improved products.
Heat management and energy storage - Design of heat transfer devices (e.g. heat exchangers, heat pipes and other two-phase systems) and energy storage systems, aiming to enhance efficiency of waste heat recovery systems, electronic cooling and renewable energy systems.

Beyond these core research areas many other engineering opportunities are available, including the study of educational technology, remanufacturing processes, magnetostrictive materials and acoustics.

Some of our supervisors

Dr Steven Begg

I am interested in supervising postgraduate research students in experimental thermofluids, powertrain engineering for future transportation, heat transfer, sprays, two-phase flows, laser and optical measurement techniques.

Current PhD students

Mr Zuhaib Nissar (2021-) - Sprays: Liquid Break-up and Droplet Distribution

Ms Aleksandra Skalba (2022-) - Universal Life Cycle Emissions Tool Applied to the EV's in Automotive Sector

Mr Ian Kemp (2022-) - Micropower Volumetric Machines as Energy Recovery Expanders in Two-phase Conditions

Prof Cyril Crua

I supervise research students in experimental thermofluids, including the development of optical measurement techniques for droplets, sprays and other complex flows. These subjects are often linked to applications in energy (fuel efficiency, energy recovery, carbon capture), manufacturing (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) and medical devices (bioartificial organs, optical implants).

I have supervised 14 PhDs to completion and examined 20 PhDs in the UK, France, Denmark, Malaysia, and Australia. I currently supervise 3 PhDs researching spray systems and complex fluids (Paul McGinn, Alex Gander, Louis Dacanay).

Dr Anastasios Georgoulas

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling of diabatic two-phase flows with phase change (pool boiling, flow boiling, cavitation), turbulent multiphase flows (water-sediment/turbidity currents, water-air/free surface flows), heat and mass transfer, aerodynamics, HVAC

Prof Marco Marengo

My research is very broad and covers different aspects of Mechanical, Aerospace and even Building Engineering. Also, I am applying Engineering and Physics knowledge and skills to design medicine micro-devices. I have supervised over 25 students to completion of their PhD and am keen to supervise more students in the fields of multiphase flow physics, phase change physics (including boiling and condensation), thermal management and particularly heat pipe, energy management, drop and sprays, surface wettability, heat exchangers, microfluidics, lab-on-chip design and modeling, energy saving in building. All these research streams can be open to experimental, numerical and mathematical analysis. In such sense, I am particularly interested in applicants interested in multiscale numerical simulations.

Prof Robert Morgan

My research is in the broad area of sustainability focusing on clean, efficient propulsion for transport and large scale energy systems. My work in engines is currently focused on the recuperated split cycle engine, working industrial partners such as Ricardo and Fiat Powertrain. This research includes experimental activities on engines and test rigs and fundamental modelling of the processes in the engine using computation fluid dynamics. I also work in energy systems, such as liquid air energy storage and sustainable fuels. I welcome approaches from PhD applicants working in these and related areas.

Dr Angad Panesar

My supervision interests in the theme of energy engineering via simulation and experimental methods are aligned with my research interests in energy recovery, energy storage, advanced engines, sustainable fuels, low carbon transport and life cycle assessment. I welcome correspondence from potential Placement, PhD and Post-Doctoral applicants, and new academic and industrial collaborators.

Dr Oyuna Rybdylova

I am interested in supervising research students in mathematical and numerical modelling for multiphase flows, aerodynamics and mass and heat transfer.

Completed:

Dr Abbas Al-Ameeri - Effect of climate change on durability of existing concrete structures: Comparison between UK & Iraq

Current:

Mr Zuhaib Nissar - Sprays: Liquid Break-up and Droplet Distribution

Prof Sergei Sazhin

Numerical and asymptotic modelling of fluid dynamics, heat/mass transfer, and combustion processes in Diesel and gasoline sprays. Heating and evaporation of multi-component fuel droplets (hydrodynamic and kinetic models)

Dr Chris Stafford

I am interested in supervising research projects within the broad domain of fluid dynamics modelling. This encompasses both mathematical modelling to extract physical relationships that exist within flows, and numerical modelling to enable and improve the simulation of flows. My main focus is the study of dispersed multiphase flows, where the use of statistical descriptions for the dispersed phase is an active area of research in the development of numerical and mathematical models which are both computationally efficient and accurate. Also of interest is the development of turbulence models that are able to account for the physical effects present in specialised flow configurations.

Dr Simon Walters

I’m interested in research supervision in: electrical, electronic, automotive, mechanical and aeronautical engineering, including computer science - intelligent systems applications. I have particular interest in: power and high voltage systems, power electronics, intelligent systems - neural networks and fuzzy logic.

PhD Students:

Name

Thesis

Rama Rahimi (2022-present)

TBA

Bartosz Płoszaj (2020-present)

TBA

Alan Thomas (2014–present)

Intelligent optimisation techniques for minimising transient vehicle emissions

Shaun H Lee (2011)

Intelligent techniques for improved engine fuel economy

Merrenna Manula De Zoysa (2003)

Neural network estimation of air-fuel ratio in internal combustion engines

Nicolas Miché (2002)

Gas Flow Analysis of a Uniflow Diesel Aero-engine

For further supervisory staff including cross-disciplinary options, please visit research staff on our research website.

Making an application

You will apply to the University of Brighton through our online application portal. When you do, you will require a research proposal, references, a personal statement and a record of your education.

You will be asked whether you have discussed your research proposal and your suitability for doctoral study with a member of the University of Brighton staff. We recommend that all applications are made with the collaboration of at least one potential supervisor. Approaches to potential supervisors can be made directly through the details available online. If you are unsure, please do contact the Doctoral College for advice.

Please visit our How to apply for a PhD page for detailed information.

Fees and funding

Funding

Undertaking research study will require university fees as well as support for your research activities and plans for subsistence during full or part-time study.

Funding sources include self-funding, funding by an employer or industrial partners; there are competitive funding opportunities available in most disciplines through, for example, our own university studentships or national (UK) research councils. International students may have options from either their home-based research funding organisations or may be eligible for some UK funds.

Learn more about the funding opportunities available to you.

Tuition fees academic year 2023–24

Standard fees are listed below, but may vary depending on subject area. Some subject areas may charge bench fees/consumables; this will be decided as part of any offer made. Fees for UK and international/EU students on full-time and part-time courses are likely to incur a small inflation rise each year of a research programme.

MPhil/PhD
	Full-time	Part-time
UK	£4,712	£2,356
International (including EU)	£15,300	N/A
International students registered in the School of Humanities and Social Science or in the School of Business and Law	from £13,900	N/A

PhD by Publication
Full-time	Part-time
N/A	£2,356

Contact Brighton Doctoral College

To contact the Doctoral College at the University of Brighton we request an email in the first instance. Please visit our contact the Brighton Doctoral College page.

For supervisory contact, please see individual profile pages.