PhD

Graphene Technology

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 26.9 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 49.9 k / Year(s) Deadline: Jun 29, 2024
6 place StudyQA ranking:3573 Duration:4 years

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The aim of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Graphene Technology is to build a world-class cohort of young scientists who can become the next generation of high-tech entrepreneurs and technology leaders in the field of graphene technology.

The Centre’s vision is to take graphene, related layered materials and hybrids to a point where they can revolutionise flexible, wearable and transparent (opto)electronics, with a manifold return in innovation and exploitation. The four-year course offered by the Centre comprises an initial MRes year, followed by a three-year PhD programme.

The objectives of the programme are to:

  • produce engineering leaders with a high level of understanding and skills in Graphene Technology, in particular the fundamentals of the field together with the necessary research, technology, systems, applications knowledge and hands-on skills;
  • encourage an appreciation of relevant technology opportunities of graphene and relevant materials and the business, road-mapping and cost analysis tools used to determine the adoption of new technological solutions;
  • develop strong business awareness in graduates on graphene and related nanomaterial commercialization opportunities to foster an understanding of the connections between technology, management and entrepreneurship;
  • expose the students to a range of technology areas, and provide an experience of a variety of different research and development cultures of various leading research groups across the university;
  • encourage students to work across discipline boundaries, with a resultant enhancement of interdisciplinary understanding;
  • equip the graduates of the programme with communication and outreach training, personal development as well as research specific training to enable them to be future technology leaders with excellent public engagement skills.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates from the MRes programme will have developed knowledge, skills and experience in the following broad areas:

  • the fundamentals of graphene and other 2-, as well 1- and 0- dimensional nanomaterial systems in the broad areas with special emphasis on materials technology, energy, electronics, communications and sensing;
  • concepts, research skills and strategies regarding nanomaterial-based device fabrication, system design and characterization, enabling graduates to critically evaluate and solve technical problems in these areas;
  • practical development of good research practice, individually and as part of a team, and effective reporting on research outcomes through research skills sessions and mini-project placements led by the university research groups and partner industries;
  • aspects of business, innovation, technology development and entrepreneurship in the areas of technology management, transfer and exploitation.

By the end of the PhD, successful students will have produced original work making a significant contribution to
knowledge in the area of graphene technology.


Continuing

All students who pass the MRes year will proceed to study for the PhD if they have demonstrated adequate research potential (such potential is normally demonstrated simply by passing the MRes year). Note that, as for all Cambridge PhDs, the first year of the PhD (the year after the MRes) is still probationary and students will be required to pass a first-year assessment.

In the first year, students will undertake structured programme consisting of:

  1. A core of taught courses, with instruction on nanomaterials and nanofabrication, the science and technology of graphene and related layered materials systems, flexible and printable (opto)electronics, antennas and communications, energy storage and energy delivery
  2. Laboratory sessions (designed to provide training in a range of experimental skills such as lithography, printing, vacuum processing, solution processing, device testing and materials characterisation)
  3. Two technical projects, one academically-led and one industrially-led, with no two projects in the same group
  4. Enterprise skills. Industrial experience in the partner companies, public engagement activities in schools or exhibitions, and periods of time spent in academic collaborator laboratories will be encouraged. Students will also attend an induction camp, weekly advanced technology lectures, and a variety of support seminars.

Successful MRes students will then proceed to a three-year programme of supervised doctoral research, during which time they will continue to be supported by the CDT. They will continue to participate in lunch meetings, in the Weekly Advanced Technology Lectures,  and in workshops on various aspects of industry and research.

The numbers given below reflect the MRes year only.

   
One to one supervision

Students will have approximately 20 hours of contact time with the Principal Investigator on each mini-project (40 hours total). Some of this will take the form of group meetings with other students on the project; one-to-one meetings will be organised as required to discuss individual project progress and resolve difficulties.   Additionally, every student will be assigned both a primary and a secondary daily supervisor in the laboratory in which the project is based; in each mini-project, students can expect approximately 40 hours of contact time with their primary supervisors and 30 hours with their secondary supervisors.

Seminars & classes

55 hours per year

Lectures

Approximately 100 hours per year

Practicals

120 hours per year

Literature_reviews

Prior to each short project, students will be required to do a literature review. Literature will also be recommended pertaining to the research skills training.

At the end of the MRes, students will conduct a literature review over a month-long period in preparation for the PhD.

Placements

One of the two short projects will be based in industry.

Feedback

Students can expect to receive reports at least termly on the Cambridge Graduate Supervision Reporting System. They will receive comments on items of coursework, and will have access to a University supervisor for their dissertation. All students will also have personal access to the Course Director and the other staff delivering the course.

Assessment

Thesis

At the end of the second year of the degree (the first year of the PhD programme), students will be required to submit a report of 10,000 to 15,000 words.

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted by the end of the fourth year (the third year of the PhD programme) and must not exceed 65,000 words. A compulsory viva voce examination will follow the submission of the dissertation.

Essays

Some of the research skills sessions will be assessed by course-work (i.e, post-laboratory reports).

A major component of the degree is the completion of two individual mini-projects, each of which is assessed through a dissertation of up to 8,000 words.

Written examination

The core courses will be assessed by written examination.

Practical assessment

The experiments undertaken during some of the research skills sessions will be assessed during those sessions.

Other

Students who fail the examinable components may be further assessed through a viva.

  • Magistr (Master's Degree) at Pass level. Diploma Specialista (completed post-1991) with a minimum overall grade of good or 4/5 Bachelor's from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and other prestigious institutions with an overall grade of 4/5 Bologna Bachelor's from other institutions with an overall grade of 5/5, Excellent
  • Diploma Specialista (completed post-1991) with a minimum overall grade of Excellent or 5/5 Bachelor's from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and other prestigious institutions with an overall grade of 5/5
  • IELTS (Academic) 7.0
  • TOEFL Internet Score 100
  • £50 application fee
  • First Academic Reference
  • Second Academic Reference
  • Transcript
  • Personal Reference
  • Global Education
  • Gates Cambridge Scholarships
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