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Oliver Buxton

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PhD Studentship in Aeronautics: Offshore Wind Farms, Cloud Interaction & Scientific Machine Learning Imperial College London in United Kingdom

I am offering a fully funded PhD studentship in aeronautics at Imperial College London, focusing on offshore wind farm-cloud interactions and scientific machine learning.

Imperial College London

United Kingdom

Jan 8, 2026

Keywords

Environmental Science
Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Wind Energy
Power Generation
Cloud Physics
Turbulence
Data Assimilation
Large Eddy Simulation
Physics
Machine learning

Description

[Full tuition fees and annual tax-free stipend of £22,780 for Home, EU and International students.] This PhD studentship at Imperial College London offers a unique opportunity to investigate the complex interactions between offshore wind farms and cloud formation, with a focus on maximising wind farm performance using scientific machine learning. The project addresses how the operation of large offshore wind farms modifies the Marine Boundary Layer (MBL), influencing the formation of marine stratocumulus clouds and, in turn, affecting local mesoclimate and wind farm power generation. The research will use high-fidelity large eddy simulation (LES) codes and scientific machine learning tools, including real-time optimisers and actuator disc/line wind-turbine models, to simulate wind farms under various atmospheric conditions. The student will develop strategies for discovering self-similarity laws, quantised local reduced order models, and real data assimilation, gaining deep insight into the flow physics of cloud formation and wind energy. The successful candidate will be jointly embedded in the research groups of Prof. Oliver Buxton (expert in turbulence, wind-energy flows, and cloud microphysics) and Prof. Luca Magri (expert in scientific machine learning for aeronautical applications). Both groups host ERC projects, providing a vibrant and collaborative research environment. 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. There is potential for international collaboration, including short research visits to The Netherlands. Eligibility requires a First class honours MEng/MSci or higher degree (or international equivalent) in Aeronautical/Mechanical Engineering or a closely related STEM field. Applicants should demonstrate strong academic performance and a willingness to learn new skills and techniques. The application process involves submitting a CV, transcripts, and a motivation statement for supervisor review, followed by a formal application for long-listed candidates. The deadline for applications is 8 January 2026. Imperial College London is committed to diversity and inclusion, holding Athena SWAN Silver, Stonewall Diversity Champion, and Disability Confident Employer status, and partnering with GIRES to promote respect for trans people.

Funding

Available

How to apply

Submit a 2-page CV, transcripts, and a 300-word motivation statement via the Supervisor Review Form by 8 January 2026. Supervisors will review and long-list candidates. Long-listed candidates will receive instructions and an application link to formally apply.

Requirements

Applicants must have achieved or expect to achieve a First class honours MEng/MSci or higher degree (or international equivalent) in Aeronautical/Mechanical Engineering or a similar STEM subject. Candidates should be willing to learn new skills and techniques. Due to the competitive nature of the studentship, strong academic performance is required. There may be a requirement to travel for short periods for collaboration in The Netherlands.

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