The School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) at the University of Sheffield offers one fully funded STFC PhD studentship in solar physics tenable from 1st October 2025. The successful applicant will work with world leading experts in advanced analytical/numerical modelling, and analysis of high-resolution observations obtained by cutting-edge ground and space based instruments. To be eligible for this studentship you must be either UK citizen or must demonstrate a relevant connection with the UK, usually through being ordinarily resident (not for the purposes of education) for a period of 3 years immediately prior to the date of application for the award.
The studentship provides UKRI tuition and maintenance fees for up to 3.5 years (subject to satisfactory progress).
Successful applicant will work in one of the following topics:
– General MHD wave theory with solar and astrophysical applications
– Numerical modelling (HPC and GPU computing) of wave processes in the solar atmosphere
– MHD wave observations and solar magneto-seismology
– Heating of the solar atmosphere: waves, reconnection, etc.
– Space weather forecasting
– Novel joint ground-based and satellite observations of the Sun and Sun-Earth system
– Coherent structures in solar plasmas
– Energy transfer mechanisms in the Sun-Earth system
– Deep Learning / Machine Learning in application to solar and space plasma data analysis
The minimum academic entry requirement is a UK upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in Applied Mathematics, Theoretical Physics or a closely related subject. Apart from excellent academic qualifications, we expect applicants to have the motivation and enthusiasm to enable them to successfully work on an extended research project in solar physics.
Application deadline: 31 January 2025, but applications will be considered until the position is filled.
For details about the application process see: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mps/postgraduate/phd-opportunities/mathematical-and-physical-science-scholarships#stfc-studentships-for-physics-and-mathematics-students and for informal enquiries email maths-phd@sheffield.ac.uk