Located in the heart of Glasgow’s City Centre, we offer a unique combination of expertise including civil, environmental, chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as geosciences, material science, physics, chemistry and microbiology.
We have a vibrant postgraduate research community, with over 90 research students from a wide variety of backgrounds. We offer training in a diverse and international setting and working closely with industry and government ensures our research is sector-leading and meets the needs of our stakeholders. Our world-class research portfolio includes international and multi-institutional research collaborations.
Our postgraduate research degrees can be studied over one year (MPhil, MRes) or three years (PhD). Our research is supported by funding from research councils, the Scottish Government and industrial partners.
Our Civil & Environmental Engineering department has close links with industry. Around 25% of our PhD students have financial help from those links.
We also have several high-profile visiting professors who supervise current PhDs.
This PhD research will explore the challenges associated with reliable quantification of CO2 emissions. It will use the latest cutting-edge uncertainty quantification methods combined with modern digital and generative tools.
This project develops a novel solution for removing transition metal ions from water for recycling into useable cobalt solids for clean energy production.
An enhanced geothermal system (EGS) is a renewable energy technology that extracts energy from a naturally occurring heat source. EGS technology injects a fluid under high pressure, typically water, down into rock subsurface, fracturing the rock and enabling access to the thermal reservoir. One of the challenges in this technology is mineral precipitation. This project aims to understand how the precipitation (nucleation) of these minerals occurs in different rock types.
The research will develop methods for automatic uncertainty characterization and propagation based on probabilistic computing and virtual experts. Probabilistic computing is a promising approach from the AI community for addressing the uncertainties inherent in so-called natural data (or uncertain numbers).
Investigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development and dissemination in the One Health context—the interaction between human, agricultural and environmental health.
The correctness and validity of simulation models for structural-health digital twins is under scrutiny in this project. We propose a paradigm shift in the way simulation models are solved numerically that allows the efficient and rigorous uncertainty propagation. The research will investigate current scalability concerns in relation to the application of these rigorous solvers in structural-health monitoring.
Cement and concrete are unsustainable materials for the modern world coping with the effects of climate change. One solution to reduce reliance on cement is to create concretes from incinerator waste ash. This project uses chemical analysis of ash compositions to create safe, ‘green’, concrete formulations and understand their long-term stability in a concrete material.
The PhD student will work closely with our industrial partners to develop innovative digital tools and methodologies for improving the resilience and sustainability of critical infrastructure. These will include but not limited to the development of: mathematical models to address the performance of critical functions and critical hazards; new uncertainty methods with quantifiable confidence; fast simulation tools based on machine learning and engineering-physics based automatic learning.
Green infrastructure like raingardens can be used to capture and filter the water from roads and paving, cleaning it and thus increasing its potential uses. This research explores how the soils, aggregates in the raingardens can be used to enhance water cleaning, and explores ways of optimizing further water cleaning to increase the potential use of the stormwater.
Fully funded PhD opportunity to develop cutting-edge computational models that will optimize fluid flow in porous media for CO₂ storage, hydrogen storage, geothermal energy, and other climate solutions. Work with leading researchers, access high-performance computing resources, and collaborate with industry partners in Australia. Gain multidisciplinary expertise, international exposure, and hands-on training with state-of-the-art facilities, preparing you for a career in academia or industry.
This project focuses on using advanced monitoring technologies to study coastal dunes and shoreline dynamics, which are critical habitats and buffers against coastal hazards. By utilising high-resolution remote sensing technologies, this project will provide a detailed evaluation of sediment transport, shoreline morphology, and dune system dynamics over a 20–30 year timescale. It will generate actionable insights to support conservation and sustainable management of Scotland's coastal regions.
John Anderson Research Studentship Scheme (JARSS) doctoral studentships are available annually for excellent students and excellent research projects.
There are two main sources of funding:
The JARSS 2025/26 competition will open in October 2024 and students successful in this competition will commence studies in October 2025. Faculties will set their own internal deadlines for the competition.
Academics/Supervisors make the applications for this scheme and there are various deadlines across Departments and Faculties, therefore, in the first instance, all interested students should contact the Department where they would like to carry out their research.
You can study for your choice of these degrees in any of our research areas:
Get in touch with us at contact-civeng@strath.ac.uk to discuss your own project ideas.
You'll have the opportunity to attend our research seminars, as well as specialist classes and training courses from across the University.
Our MRes degree is specific to the following programmes:
For applicants looking to do a work-based PhD, the Faculty of Engineering’s Industrial Doctorate Programme allows you to remain in full-time employment while working on a PhD relevant to your area of work. You can find more information on the Industrial Doctorate web page.
You'll have access to our £6 million state-of-the-art research laboratories. Our facilities include:
You'll also be given your own work area with an allocated desk, computer and storage space in our offices in the James Weir building.
We support a wide range of international research collaborations. These include activities in:
Our staff are experts in their fields. Some examples of their prestigious achievements include:
Kanzis has been awarded £1k funding from the Met Office to formally recognize and support her continued collaboration with the Met Office (as this is where her third supervisor, Joanne Robbins, is based). This support means she can spend time at the Met Office headquarters in Exeter during the final year of her PhD.
Kanzis’ research investigates multivariate compound cold events in the UK, their link to weather patterns, and their associated impacts. This is executed through hazard characterization, analyzing impacts on the Scottish railway sector, and producing a framework for an operational impact-based forecasting tool.
Magdalena won an Innovate UK ICURe award in 2024 to commercialise her PhD project. It funds her for 12 weeks to conduct a market assessment and build her industry network
Rachel's research paper 'The co-benefits and risks of smart local energy systems: A systematic review' has been awarded ‘‘Highly Commended” in the Research Design and Methods category of the RGS-IBG Energy Geographies Postgraduate Paper Prize.
Rachel’s paper will be included in the 2024 winners on the Energy Geographies Research Group (EnGRG) competition webpages.
The Strathclyde Doctoral School offers a vibrant, student-centred research and training environment, dedicated to supporting both current and future research talent.
Bringing together all four of our faculties, it is committed to enhancing the student experience, increasing research outputs and opportunities, and ensuring that training is delivered at the highest standard.
As a postgraduate researcher, you will automatically become a member of the Strathclyde Doctoral School.
All fees quoted are per academic year unless otherwise stated.
Entrants may be subject to a small fee during the writing up period.
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
| Scotland | £4,786 |
|---|---|
| England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £4,786 |
| Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
| International | £27,500 |
| Additional costs | Some projects will have research costs in addition to the tuition fees. Assessment is made on a case by case basis. Applicants are informed at the point of offer that their project may incur bench fees (max £5,000 per year) and are sent a letter if a bench fee applies. This only applies to projects which will use particularly expensive equipment in one particular research lab. Students are provided with lab coats, gloves etc. International studentsInternational students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information.
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| Funding | Take a look at our funding your postgraduate research web page for funding information. You can also view our scholarships search for further funding opportunities. |
| Postgraduate research opportunities | Search for all funded and non-funded postgraduate research opportunities. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year.
When you apply, you'll be asked to choose a potential supervisor. Don't worry if you can't see your desired area below – we'll do our best to match you to a supervisor when you apply.
| Name | Area of expertise |
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| Tara Beattie |
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| Doug Bertram |
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Iain Beverland |
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| Kate Dobson |
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| Bahareh Kamranzad |
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| Charles Knapp |
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| Rebecca Lunn |
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| Tracy Morse |
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| James Minto |
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| Edoardo Patelli |
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| Matteo Pedrotti |
General topics:
Specific topics:
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| Vern Pheonix |
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| Stella Pytharouli |
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| Jo Renshaw |
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| Jen Roberts |
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| Philippe Sentenac |
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| Zoe Shipton |
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| Stephen Suryasentana |
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| Christine Switzer |
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| Alessandro Tarantino |
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| Enrico Tubaldi |
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| Christopher White |
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| Shangtong Yang |
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For effective completion of PhD, it's necessary to have a healthy interaction with your supervisor, a good research facility and academic support. I am lucky enough to have all of these at Strathclyde.
As part of your PhD, you will be enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development (PgCert RPD).
This certificate is designed to enhance your research experience and recognize the skills and activities you develop as a research student.
It will help you build essential skills for both professional development and employability, including:
You will plan these activities alongside your doctoral studies, documenting and reflecting on your journey to success along the way.
The University Careers Service can help you with everything from writing your CV to interview preparation.
From financial advice to our IT facilities, we have a wide range of support for all students here at Strathclyde. Get all the information you need at Strathlife.
In 2022, our Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering became the only engineering department in the UK to hold a Gold Athena Swan Award. This award marks our commitment to being an inclusive and supportive place to work and study, and recognises our efforts to improve and embed gender equality in all aspects of department activity. The award recognises our 'commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.'
We have strong links with industry, including input from high-profile visiting professors. We have an active industrial advisory board and we offer a varied seminar series, which includes speakers from industry. We work closely with academics and industry to produce world-leading publications.
My favourite aspect about Strathclyde was the people. From the students, to the mentors and lecturers. Everyone I spoke with was very helpful and engaging. I also loved the fact that Strathclyde had a number of interaction events with industry, this allowed students to liaise directly with industry and prepare themselves for the professional world.
We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.
Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.
We look for a first-class or upper second-class UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent, in a relevant discipline, from a recognised educational institution.
During the application you'll be asked for the following:
By filling these details out as fully as possible, you'll avoid any delay to your application being processed by the University.
Note for MRes Applicants:
Research Statement (Mandatory): The content and structure of this statement is largely up to you, but it should communicate why you want to do an MRes, why you want to do this MRes programme, and why you are a suitable candidate. It can also be helpful to outline how you meet the application criteria, your career aspirations, and an indication of the research topic or topic area you are interested to pursue (and any potential supervisor(s) that you have identified). We cannot process your application without your research statement.
If you're applying internationally, you'll also need to provide us with the following:
Research supervisors are assigned to you by the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Let us know in your application who you'd like to work with, but the department will team you up with the best supervisor for your project.
Once we've received your application, your research proposal is passed to potential supervisors for consideration. If it's not compatible with the researcher's current projects and they are unable to supervise, it's passed along to another for consideration. If they can supervise you, they’ll confirm and nominate a potential second supervisor.
As soon as a second supervisor is confirmed, an offer will be sent to you through Pegasus, our online application system.
When you accept our offer of study, you'll receive a full offer in writing via the email address you'll have provided.
Once you've accepted our offer, we'll need you to fulfil any academic, administrative or financial conditions that we ask.
If you're applying as a UK student, you'll then be issued with your registration documentation.
An ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate is a mandatory requirement for some postgraduate students in science, engineering and technology.
Telephone: +44 (0)141 548 2827
Email: morag.mcintosh@strath.ac.uk
James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ
All fees quoted are per academic year unless otherwise stated.
Entrants may be subject to a small fee during the writing up period.
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
| Scotland | £5,006 |
|---|---|
| England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £5,006 |
| Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
| International | £30,250 |
| Additional costs | Some projects will have research costs in addition to the tuition fees. Assessment is made on a case by case basis. Applicants are informed at the point of offer that their project may incur bench fees (max £5,000 per year) and are sent a letter if a bench fee applies. This only applies to projects which will use particularly expensive equipment in one particular research lab. Students are provided with lab coats, gloves etc. International studentsInternational students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information.
|
| Funding | Take a look at our funding your postgraduate research web page for funding information. You can also view our scholarships search for further funding opportunities. |
| Postgraduate research opportunities | Search for all funded and non-funded postgraduate research opportunities. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year.
