Simone Hochgreb

[Four-year studentship covering full fees and maintenance for eligible home students and a limited number of international students; funded by Rolls-Royce and EPSRC.] Applications are invited for a fully funded 4-year PhD studentship at the University of Cambridge to research low-order modelling of rotating detonation engines (RDEs) in collaboration with Rolls-Royce under the EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award (IDLA) scheme. This project sits within an advanced propulsion initiative and focuses on developing a simplified skeleton model for an RDE that can estimate performance using realistic thermodynamics. The work will involve translating and extending existing thermodynamic and detonation codes, implementing eigenvalue-based simulations to determine RDE frequency and cycle properties, and validating the model against higher-fidelity simulations such as RANS and/or LES as well as experimental results where available. The model is expected to be extended to different fuels, geometries, and interfaces with compressor and turbine components, ultimately enabling integration with a gas turbine simulation platform. The studentship is funded by Rolls-Royce and EPSRC. It covers full fees and maintenance for eligible home students and a limited number of international students. The award lasts four years and is aimed at strong candidates with a relevant background in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or Mathematics. Applicants should ideally have a strong grounding in fluid mechanics, numerical methods, thermodynamic modelling, and some programming experience in Python and/or C++. The project also values self-motivation, teamwork, and clear communication, since the student will produce reports, present to company specialists, attend conferences, and contribute papers to journals. To apply, candidates should email a two-page CV to Prof Simone Hochgreb and also submit a separate PhD admission application through the University of Cambridge Graduate Admissions portal. The funding deadline is 28 February 2027, while the final PhD application deadline is 14 May 2027. Early application is advised because the funding competition may close before the deadline if a suitable candidate is found. University of Cambridge actively supports equality, diversity, and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of society.