EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic Integration & Advanced Data Storage (PIADS)
Deadline: 31 March, 2020
Level of Study
Postgraduate Research
Country Group
EU, GB, International, NI, ROI
Funding Amount
Stipend £15,009 (currently), plus tuition fees
Application Status
Closed
Eligibility summary
- Level of StudyPostgraduate Research
Overview
The Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage is a partnership between Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Glasgow which aims to tackle some of the challenges created by the increasing quantities of data generated by today's society.
The Centre's focus is on developing highly-manufacturable photonic integration technologies related to the magnetic storage of digital information. However, the development of these technologies will be relevant to a wide spectrum of end-users – from telecommunications to biophotonics, in which optical technologies are applied to living organisms and health care. Established in 2014 with substantial investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), both universities and industrial partners including Seagate, the industry leader in hard disc drives and storage solutions, the Centre will help to address a skills shortage in the photonics industry by educating fifty future scientists and engineers over the next eight years.
The CDT offers students a cutting-edge research environment to undertake a diverse and exciting range of topical doctoral research projects which cut across physics, materials and electrical and optical engineering through to applications as diverse as data storage and biosciences. Our doctoral training programme provides a framework for student cohorts to be educated, trained and to learn from industry best practice in distributed working whilst developing specialist technical skills alongside innovation and business skills.
Further Information
Funding Towards
Living Costs / Stipend, Placement, Training and Development, Tuition Fees
Funding Body
EPSRC
Funding Amount
Stipend £15,009 (currently), plus tuition fees
Number of Awards
50
Funding Body
EPSRC
Relevant Links for More Information
Terms and Conditions
Eligibility
Personal Specification
Academic Background
Qualifications
The 4-year PIADS programme provides a range of scientific and research training which bridges physics, chemistry and engineering. As such, our cohort brings together research students from diverse backgrounds including physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering and mechanical engineering.
Applicants should have, or hope to have, a 2:1 (or equivalent) in a cognate physical sciences or engineering discipline, such as physics, materials science, electrical engineering, chemistry or chemical engineering.
International Qualifications
For information on international qualification equivalents please select Your Country from the list on our International Students website.
Additional Information for International Students
International students wishing to apply (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.
*Taken within the last 2 years. For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this programme, our partner INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability to entry to this programme. Please click the links below for more information:
- English for University Study - an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English - a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English
Personal Attributes
The PIADS programme gives unique and unparalleled access to academic excellence and state of the art research facilities across the partner institutions of Queen's University Belfast, The University of Glasgow and the Irish Photonic Integration Centre in Cork/Dublin and our wide range of industrial partners. We train PIADS doctoral researchers in photonic integration & advanced data storage technologies and to prepare them to lead and operate at the highest technical levels in cross-geographical distributed environments. Our students spend time at each of the partner institutions, undertake industrial placements, attend national and international conferences and are actively engaged in all aspects of the Centre's activities through the CDT Doctoral Forum and our external engagement and science outreach activities.
Therefore, in addition to the necessary academic background, successful applicants to the PIADS programme will be motivated to take full advantage of these opportunities and will demonstrate a commitment to engaging with staff and students across the PIADS partnership throughout the entire 4-year programme.
Our procedures will be weighted to ensure that we select candidates who can satisfy both the academic requirements and the personal attributes required. These will be assessed through the written application stage and at the interview stage.
Funding Type
Help with new course
Fee Status
EU, GB, International, NI, ROI
Country Group
EU, GB, International, NI, ROI
Study Level
Postgraduate Research
Start Date
Tue, 01 Oct 2019 00:00:00 BST
Close Date
Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:00:00 BST
How to Apply
Submitting Your Application
Applications for places on the CDT PIADS programme should be submitted through the Direct Admissions Portal at Queen’s University Belfast.
Once in the Direct Admissions Portal, you should click on My Applications and then New Application, you should select Postgraduate Research and then Select Maths & Physics, followed by Physics. You will then select PhD Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage. You should enter Photonic Integration and Advancded Data Storage as the research title and Prof Robert Bowman as the supervisor.
Interview panels will include CDT staff from both Queen’s University and the University of Glasgow. Candidates will be given the opportunity to have a tour of the CDT and to meet some of the students.
The Research Proposal/Personal Statement
Students applying for a generic PhD place (Open Entry) on the PIADS programme are not required to give a research title at the application stage. You are required to upload a Personal Statement as your research proposal.
To be considered for the industrial studentship opportunities please specify this preference within the Project Title, for example
- EPSRC CDT PIADS Seagate PhD
- EPSRC CDT PIADS OIPT EngD
Note: candidates will automatically be considered for the Open Entry route into the PIADS programme if not successful at the interview stage for an industrial opportunity.
It is important that you tell us about your research interests and let us know why you think you are a good fit for the CDT PIADS programme. In addition to fulfilling the necessary academic background, we expect that successful applicants will be motivated to take full advantage of the full range of opportunities that we offer and they will demonstrate a commitment to engaging with staff and students across the partnership.