[Full coverage of tuition fees and an annual tax-free stipend of £22,780 for Home, EU and International students.]
This PhD studentship at Imperial College London offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to a multi-centre research programme focused on parallel mesh generation for high-fidelity industrial simulations in aeronautics. The project addresses engineering challenges in areas such as Formula 1, turbomachinery, and nuclear fusion, where complex geometries and dynamic physics require adaptive mesh techniques to accurately resolve and track flow features.
The core research will involve developing novel algorithms for efficient load rebalancing and solver data structure updates in adaptive mesh simulations, specifically targeting large-scale heterogeneous computing environments that leverage both CPUs and GPUs. As a member of the Nektar++ group, you will help advance a sophisticated C++ software framework, gaining hands-on experience in high-order finite element methods, mesh adaptation, advanced parallel programming, debugging, and software engineering best practices.
Students will benefit from access to state-of-the-art computational resources, including Imperial College's HPC clusters and UK National Supercomputer facilities. The programme also offers opportunities for collaboration with leading researchers at Swansea University, Kings College London, Queens University Belfast, and the University of Edinburgh, expanding your professional network and exposure to cutting-edge research.
Supervision is provided by Dr Chris Cantwell and Prof. Spencer Sherwin, both experts in computational aeronautics and engineering simulation. The studentship is fully funded for 3.5 years, covering tuition fees and providing a generous annual tax-free stipend of £22,780 for Home, EU, and International students.
Eligibility requires a First class honours MEng/MSci or higher degree (or international equivalent) in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, or a related discipline. Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for collaboration and software engineering, experience with C++ programming, and strong communication skills.
Imperial College London is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, holding multiple awards and recognitions for its supportive environment.
Application involves submitting a 2-page CV, transcripts, and a 300-word motivation statement via the Supervisor Review Form by 8 January 2026. Long-listed candidates will be contacted with further instructions for formal application. For project-specific questions, contact Dr Chris Cantwell; for application process queries, reach out to the PhD Administrator.