Feed the world: sustainable manufacturing of crop protection products

Global context: By 2050 the global population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion, requiring an estimated 56% increase in food production compared to 2010, on less land, with fewer resources, and under mounting climate pressure. Crop protection products are essential to this challenge, safeguarding harvests from pests, weeds and disease. But manufacturing these agrochemicals sustainably is one of the industry's hardest unsolved problems. 

Scientific challenge: At the core of agrochemical manufacture lies filtration: separating solid crystalline product from the surrounding liquid. Many of these crystals grow as tiny rods, and their elongated shapes make them notoriously difficult to separate efficiently. Poor filtration means wasted product, wasted energy, and wasted water. Getting it right, can unlock cleaner, cheaper, more sustainable production at scale. 

This project: You will build particle-based physics simulations of rod-shaped crystals as they pack, flow and form filter cakes. Using fundamental physics, contact mechanics and hydrodynamics, you'll reveal exactly how rod geometry, orientation and packing govern filtration performance. From these insights, you'll help optimise the process itself, turning trial-and-error into predictive design. 

Why it matters: Your work will directly target UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, while cutting the energy and water footprint of manufacturing. You'll contribute to making a vital global industry genuinely sustainable. 

What you'll gain: 

• Expertise in computational modelling, soft-matter physics and particle simulation. 

• Expertise in written and verbal communication. 

• Real-world industrial relevance and collaboration. 

• Skills spanning coding, physics and chemical engineering, which are highly sought after in academia and industry.

We're looking for: A curious, motivated graduate in physics, chemical engineering, applied maths or a related field, with an appetite for problem solving.

Dixon, A., Hone, J., Melaugh, G. and Ness, C., 2026. Rheology of dense suspensions of granular spherocylinders by particle-based simulation. arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.28206. Ness, C., Seto, R. and Mari, R., 2022. The physics of dense suspensions. Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics, 13(1), pp.97-117.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in an appropriate subject, or relevant qualifications and experience.

There may be industry funding available for this project for Home applicants (UK & EU with settled/pre-settled status), please enquire.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships form the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.