Publisher
source

University of Exeter

PhD Studentship: Bioinspired fluidic metamaterials for passive directional water transport University of Exeter in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Environmental Science

Funding

Available

Deadline

Dec 8, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Exeter

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Keywords

Environmental Science
Biomedical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Materials Science
Biology
Surface Science
Surface Topography
Microfabrication
Microfluidic
Metamaterial
Physics

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About this position

[Funding of fees plus a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7.]

PhD Studentship at the University of Exeter: Bioinspired fluidic metamaterials for passive directional water transport.

This PhD project explores how engineered, plant-inspired surface patterns can be used to control the speed and direction of water transport. The research sits at the intersection of metamaterials, wetting phenomena, surface topography, and microfabrication, with inspiration drawn from carnivorous pitcher plants whose hierarchical ridges and grooves enable rapid, gravity-defying water spreading.

The project asks how microscale and nanoscale surface features interact with intrinsic surface hydrophilicity to determine liquid flow. The student will characterise natural plant surfaces, quantify their water-guiding capabilities, fabricate synthetic PDMS replicas, modify wettability using oxygen plasma treatment, and use two-photon polymerisation to isolate and test specific topographical features such as grooves and overhanging arches. By varying feature shape, size, and spacing, the work aims to define the functional limits of water transport on bioinspired metasurfaces and provide data for future predictive models.

The research is highly interdisciplinary and is suited to a student interested in materials/physics/engineering approaches to bioinspired design. The project has clear applications in medical diagnostics, automated drug delivery, wound drainage, fog water harvesting, micro-irrigation, and more sustainable manufacturing processes. The successful student will join a culturally diverse lab with long experience studying specialised plant surfaces and carnivorous plant traps, and will benefit from co-supervision by Calum Williams (Exeter Centre for Metamaterial Research and Innovation) and Halim Kusumaatmaja (Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids, University of Edinburgh).

Funding: The studentship provides full fees plus a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7.

Eligibility and skills: The advert does not specify a degree class or language-test threshold, but it does emphasize strong interest in experimental research, surface design, microfabrication, characterisation, data analysis, and modelling, along with communication and teamwork.

Deadline: 08 December 2026.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Applicants should be suitable for PhD-level research and be interested in interdisciplinary work spanning physics, engineering, plant surfaces, microfabrication, and fluid mechanics. The post highlights a diverse skillset including surface design, microfabrication and characterisation, experimental design and execution, data analysis, modelling, communication and teamwork; no specific degree classification, GPA, or language test requirement is stated in the advert.

How to apply

Apply through the University of Exeter funding/application link provided in the advert. Prepare your PhD application materials and submit before the deadline. Review the project description carefully and ensure your application aligns with the interdisciplinary research aims.

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