PhD Studentship - Phase Discrimination using Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy University of Cambridge in United Kingdom

[Full funding for 4 years covering a personal maintenance stipend starting at £20,780 per annum with a top up of £5,500 per annum from Tata Steel. Fees covered for UK/home students; exceptional overseas candidates may be eligible for an International Doctoral Scholar award.] This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of Cambridge focuses on phase discrimination in steel using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Hosted by the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy within the Structural Materials Group, the project aims to address the challenges of characterising steel microstructures, which are highly sensitive to composition and processing conditions. Traditional metallographic and crystallographic methods struggle to distinguish closely related microstructural phases due to their fine scale and similar structures.

The proposed research leverages acoustic methods, specifically resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, to exploit differences in elastic behaviour among steel phases. The project will begin with untextured steel samples to avoid complications from acoustic anisotropy, correlating elastic responses with microstructures observed via microscopy. As the technique is refined, the research will expand to textured samples and in-situ monitoring of phase transformations during heat treatments.

The Structural Materials Group is a dynamic team working across aerospace, automotive, energy, defence, and biomedical sectors, with expertise in alloy design, microstructure-property relationships, phase transformations, and advanced materials processing. The studentship is funded for four years, offering a starting stipend of £20,780 per annum plus a £5,500 per annum top up from Tata Steel, with fees covered for UK/home students. Exceptional overseas candidates may be considered for additional support.

Applicants should hold or expect to obtain a good UK Masters degree or overseas equivalent in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering, and demonstrate motivation, independence, and strong communication skills. Training in all relevant computational and experimental methods will be provided. Applications should include a research statement, CV, publication list, and contact details for two referees.

The University of Cambridge encourages applications from all backgrounds and supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.