Janet Lees

[Fully-funded studentships (fees and maintenance) are available for eligible home students. Limited funding for international students may be available at a later stage. See university and UKRI links for details.] This four-year EPSRC FIBE3 CDT PhD studentship at the University of Cambridge offers a unique opportunity to advance research in the prediction of future technical performance of lower carbon concretes. The project is delivered in partnership with leading engineering consultancies Buro Happold and Ramboll, both of which are at the forefront of sustainable design and low carbon material innovation. The studentship is part of the Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT) programme, which aims to accelerate the transition to sustainable infrastructure through cutting-edge research and industry collaboration. Cement production is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, and the construction industry is seeking rapid adoption of lower carbon concrete technologies. This project addresses the urgent need for reliable performance prediction methods for novel concrete mixes, which are often not yet covered by building codes and standards. The research will combine experimental work using advanced digital measurement tools and state-of-the-art equipment in the Cambridge Civil Engineering laboratories with multi-physics modelling to provide new insights into scalable, low-carbon concrete options such as calcined clays, limestone fines, and innovative binder formulations. Outcomes from this research will inform the specification of concrete compositions that meet scalability, performance, and carbon reduction goals, helping to accelerate the adoption of novel mixes in real-world infrastructure projects. The successful candidate will benefit from close collaboration with industry partners, access to world-class facilities, and the support of the FIBE3 CDT cohort and academic supervisors. Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, at least a high 2.1 or preferably a 1st class degree in engineering, sciences, or a related discipline, ideally at Masters level. Prior experience with concrete materials is desirable. Fully-funded studentships covering fees and maintenance are available for eligible UK home students, with limited funding for international candidates considered at a later stage. For project-specific queries, contact Professor Janet Lees at [email protected]. For general enquiries, email [email protected]. Applications should be submitted online via the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal, referencing course code EGEGR3 and the project title. Early applications are encouraged, as offers may be made before the stated deadline of 15 April 2026. The University of Cambridge is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.

[Fully-funded studentships (fees and maintenance) are available for eligible home students. Limited funding for international students may be available at a later stage.] This four-year EPSRC FIBE3 CDT PhD studentship at the University of Cambridge offers an exciting opportunity to advance the prediction of future technical performance of lower carbon concretes. The project is part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT), and is funded in collaboration with leading engineering consultancies Ramboll and Buro Happold. These partners are at the forefront of sustainable design and low carbon materials, providing a unique industry perspective and support for the research. Cement production is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, accounting for 5-7% worldwide, and the transition to lower carbon concrete is critical for sustainable infrastructure. By the 2030s, the industry expects a broader range of concrete technologies with improved performance and more flexible design standards. However, many novel concrete mixes are not yet covered by building codes, and the lack of validated long-term performance data hinders their adoption. This PhD project will combine experimental research using state-of-the-art digital measurement tools and equipment in the Cambridge Civil Engineering laboratories with advanced multi-physics modelling. The aim is to develop fundamental performance measures for concrete, moving beyond traditional Ordinary Portland Cement-based metrics. Research will focus on scalable, promising lower carbon options such as calcined clays, limestone fines, and other innovative binder formulations. Outcomes will include guidance for specifying concrete compositions that meet scalability, performance, and carbon reduction goals, helping to accelerate the adoption of novel mixes in the construction industry. Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, at least a high 2.1 or preferably a 1st class degree in engineering, sciences, or a related discipline, ideally at Masters level. Prior experience with concrete materials is desirable. The studentship is fully funded for eligible UK home students, covering both fees and maintenance, with limited funding available for international candidates at a later stage. The University of Cambridge is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from all backgrounds. For project-specific enquiries, contact Professor Janet Lees at [email protected]. General enquiries can be directed to [email protected]. Further details on eligibility and funding are available via the provided links. Applications should be submitted online through the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal, using course code EGEGR3 and specifying the project title. Early applications are recommended, as offers may be made before the deadline of 15 April 2025. Please note there is a £20 application fee.

[Fully-funded studentships (fees and maintenance) are available for eligible home students. Limited funding for international students may be considered later. See https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/fees and https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/ for details.] This four-year EPSRC FIBE3 CDT PhD studentship at the University of Cambridge offers a unique opportunity to advance research in the prediction of future technical performance of lower carbon concretes. The project is funded in collaboration with leading engineering consultancies Ramboll and Buro Happold, both of which are committed to sustainable design and the adoption of low carbon materials in infrastructure. Cement production is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, and the transition to lower carbon concrete is essential for achieving net zero goals. The research will focus on developing fundamental performance measures for concrete, moving beyond traditional Ordinary Portland Cement-based metrics. Many innovative concrete technologies and mixes are not yet covered by building codes, and the lack of validation routes for long-term performance hinders their adoption. This project aims to address these challenges by combining experimental work using state-of-the-art digital measurement tools in the Cambridge Civil Engineering laboratories with advanced multi-physics modelling. The outcomes will provide guidance for specifying concrete compositions that meet scalability, performance, and carbon reduction targets, facilitating the rapid adoption of novel mixes such as calcined clays, limestone fines, and other innovative formulations. Applicants should have a strong academic background, with at least a high 2.1 degree or preferably a 1st class degree in engineering, sciences, or a related discipline, ideally at Masters level. Previous experience with concrete materials is desirable. The studentship is fully funded for eligible home students, covering fees and maintenance, while a limited number of international students may be considered for funding at a later stage. For project-specific enquiries, contact Professor Janet Lees at [email protected]. General enquiries can be directed to [email protected]. Applications should be submitted online via the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal, stating course code EGEGR3 and the project title. Early applications are encouraged, as offers may be made before the official deadline of 15 April 2026. The University of Cambridge actively supports equality, diversity, and inclusion, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds. For further information on eligibility and funding, consult the provided links.