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Mechanical Engineering
Advanced electronic/optoelectronic technologies designed to allow stable, intimate integration with living organisms will accelerate progress in biomedical research; they will also serve as the foundations for new approaches in monitoring and treating diseases.
Morphing is a ubiquitous feature in nature: from the growth of plants to embryos evolution to wing adaptation in birds, shape-change is a fundamental aspect of the biological matter itself. What makes this phenomenon compelling is not only its beauty in nature, but its potential to reshape the way we design novel artificial systems, like materials that can adapt to their environment or systems that respond dynamically to external forces. Such possibilities challenge conventional thinking in engineering and design. By studying how stresses, geometry, and material properties interact, we can develop systems that morph with intention rather than by chance. We are inspired by nature, that offers countless inspirations, but the challenge is to translate these elegant mechanisms into technical solutions.
Of particular interest are slender system where the mechanical response and the emerging shape is especially sensitive to the coupling between the mean of actuation and geometry.
The aim of the project is to develop new theoretical frameworks to understand the root causes of active morphing in two-dimensional membrane-like structures and to explore strategies for achieving desired shapes. A key aspect of the work is linking microscopic (discrete) mechanics to macroscopic (continuum) models of active slender systems.
The project involves three main components:
- Theoretical continuum modelling. Extend classical mechanics of two-dimensional bodies by incorporating active effects to study the competition between elasticity and controlled actuation in shaping slender objects.
- Theoretical discrete modelling. Establish quantitative connections between the continuum parameters and the underlying microscopic mechanics.
- Numerical study. Implement the models in computational codes to design and optimize morphing strategies.
During this project, you will be part of the Institute for Infrastructure and Environment. You will join a vibrant community of PhD students, postdoctoral research associates and academics.
Please note that the advert might close sooner, if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, early applications are advised.
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Matteo Taffetani (matteo.taffetani@ed.ac.uk) and visit https://mtaffetani.github.io/
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
This project would potentially suit candidates from backgrounds in Structural and Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Physics.
We are interested to hear from applicants with experience in mathematical modelling and who are keen to develop numerical codes (or improve numerical codes already available) to support the modelling conducted. The applicant should have an interest in applying their studies to experimental evidence gathered from literature or tabletop experiments. Although preferable, knowledge of mechanical concepts (like elasticity or equilibrium equations) is not essential. Familiarity with biological and active systems is not essential.
Tuition fees + stipend are available for Home/EU and International students.
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Are you eager to push the frontiers of fluid dynamics and AI to tackle real-world challenges in crowd safety, urban planning, and event management? Join our EPSRC-funded project FLOCKS (Fluid dynamics-Like Open-source Crowd Knowledge-driven Simulator) as a PhD student and help shape the future of crowd modelling.
FLOCKS aims to develop the world's first real-time, open-source simulator of large, dense crowd dynamics for both academic and industrial applications.
Your research will focus on creating a continuum-based fluid dynamics model of human crowds, treating them as "thinking fluids" and using coarse-grained observables, such as density, mean velocity, and stress-like quantities, as descriptors. Drawing on active matter modelling, you will explore ways of incorporating the non-local perception and decision-making of pedestrians into constitutive relationships and boundary conditions with the aim of capturing realistic crowd behaviour. Where possible, you will also explore coupling the crowd model with hazards such as the spread of smoke and fire during incidents, contagion in pandemics, or violence in demonstrations, which will enable a multi-risk approach to assessment and decision support in high-stakes scenarios.
You will work closely with a postdoctoral researcher to develop complementary data-driven approaches that use machine learning to inform, parameterise and validate crowd dynamics models. This collaboration will establish a continuous feedback loop to refine your model and provide valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange.
You will implement the final model in an open-source simulation environment, and your final demonstrator will simulate iconic Edinburgh events (e.g. Hogmanay on Princes Street, an Edinburgh derby football match, or a Murrayfield Stadium concert) using pre-captured datasets to showcase the predictive capabilities of the simulator.
Thanks to our partnerships with world-leading experts in crowd safety engineering and open-source software development, your work will directly impact public safety, urban planning and event management in the real world.
It is intended that the PhD start date will be 1 March 2026, and applicants should select that entry point when applying to the PhD programme.
Minimum entry qualification
- First or Upper Second-Class (2:1) honours degree or equivalent in Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics or a clearly related area, with a focus on continuum mechanics, differential equations, and numerical methods or a closely related area.
- Evidence of research in computational engineering, with a specific focus on hydrodynamic modelling of complex systems or a closely related area.
- Proficiency in scientific programming (e.g., Python, Fortran, C++).
Further information on University’s English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria
- Training in machine learning, ideally applied to model discovery and physics-informed approaches.
- Experience of computational fluid dynamics or agent-based simulation software.
Further information and other funding options.
School of Engineering stipend for 3.5 years, home or overseas fees, £5k research costs (over the duration of the project). The stipend rate for academic year 2025/26 is £21,935.
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The design of all chemical process starts from mathematical modelling and computational thermodynamics. The reliability of a thermodynamic model in predicting or correlating phase equilibria depends strongly on the value its parameters. Carefully evaluated parameters enable a precise calculation of the phase equilibria and of the process units, affecting as a consequence the costs of a chemical process.
In several cases, the thermodynamic parameters commonly used in process simulators are wrong. They do not return a comprehensively right equilibrium.
The project focuses on the development of an open tool for the correct regression and correlation of thermodynamic data in robust mathematical models. The project involves the development and use of optimization techniques. Special modelling, including Bayesian regression or similar techniques, will be also used.
In this project, you will design digital open and user-friendly tools that can easily integrate with existing process simulators (e.g. AspenPlus, Unisim) and exploit recent advanced algorithms [1, 2]. The ambition of this project is to earn the sector’s support and enable the widespread use of the tool in place of the current unreliable counterparts.
You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [3], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of the first robust tool for thermodynamic model identification and calibration, have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities and brainstorm new digital tools across all thermodynamic problems.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and could include occasional experiments to validate models. You will attain skills in modelling, design and testing of innovative digital tools.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037838121400226X
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378381220300297
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:
- Proficiency with Computational Thermodynamics of Fluid Phase Equilibria
- Proficiency with at least one coding tool and related graphical user interface
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria:
- knowledge of optimization methods;
- knowledge of Bayesian regression.
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
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The design of the forthcoming future is negative in emissions. Among the negative emission technologies options, those capturing CO2 directly from the air are called Direct Air Capture technologies. Direct Air Capture technologies are regarded as the solution having the biggest carbon removal potential but is also the least known. If Direct Air Capture had to be an essential measure, future society would deal with severe restrictions in energy availability [1].
However, using the captured atmospheric CO2 for conversion into chemicals and fuels has the right scale not to impinge in the energy system and attractive economic outlook.
In your studies you will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [2], be part of a world leading research group in carbon capture towards the development of technological avenues for Direct Air Capture and Conversion into chemicals and fuels.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and will include modelling activities. You will attain skills in modelling and design of new negative emission technologies and production paths.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
[1] Santori et. al. Adsorption artificial tree for atmospheric carbon dioxide capture, purification and compression, Energy 162 (2018) 1158-1168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.08.090
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:
- Proficiency with Computational Thermodynamics of Fluid Phase Equilibria
- Proficiency with at least one coding tool and related graphical user interface
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria: knowledge of optimization methods.
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
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Digital tools are omnipresent and their rise exponential. Cloud and digital services have improved our lives and, overall, reduced carbon emissions, although at the expense of a growing electricity demand from data centres. Remarkably, nearly half the data centre electricity input is for self-cooling, which provides an opportunity for a technology able to harness low-grade heat and turn it into cooling power. The co-location of energy in form of heat and water is an opportunity.
The project focuses on the mathematical modelling and optimization of a proof-of-principle heat-powered cooling process that reduces waste heat and greenhouse gas emissions and boosts return on investment, while meeting all the sustainability criteria.
Special modelling, including machine learning, and cost of manufacturing tools guide the development of an optimised heat-to-cold concept designed to break through current barriers to commercialisation.
In this project, you will design digital tools for an innovative technology that uses low temperature heat for the production of cold by exploiting recent discoveries in material science and engineering [1, 2]. The ambition of this project is to earn the sector’s support and enable the widespread use of heat-powered cooling in place of the current electricity-driven counterpart.
You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [3], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of a proof-of-concept super-efficient processes for heat-powered cooling, have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities and brainstorm new technological avenues for cooling.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and could include occasional experiments to validate models. You will attain skills in modelling, design and testing of innovative technologies for cooling.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ente.202300548
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:
- Proficiency with Labview or similar data acquisition and control
- Proficiency with dynamic identification methods
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria:
- knowledge of thermodynamics of fluid phase equilibria or physical chemistry;
- knowledge of computational tool such as Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica etc… with emphasis on graphical user interface design.
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
Off
Digital tools are omnipresent and their rise exponential. Cloud and digital services have improved our lives and, overall, reduced carbon emissions, although at the expense of a growing electricity demand from data centres. Remarkably, nearly half the data centre electricity input is for self-cooling, which provides an opportunity for a technology able to harness low-grade heat and turn it into cooling power. The co-location of energy in form of heat and water is an opportunity.
The project focuses on the design and demonstration of a proof-of-principle 3D printed heat-powered cooling device that reduces waste heat and greenhouse gas emissions and boosts return on investment, while meeting all the sustainability criteria.Special characterisation techniques and additive manufacturing tools guide the development of a geometrically-optimised heat-to-cold concept which is designed to break through current barriers to commercialisation.
In this project, you will research and develop an innovative technology that uses low temperature heat for the production of cold by exploiting recent discoveries in material science and engineering [1, 2]. The ambition of this project is to earn the sector’s support and enable the widespread use of heat-powered cooling in place of the current electricity-driven counterpart.
You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [3], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of a proof-of-concept super-efficient processes for heat-powered cooling, have access to state-of-the-art equipment including rapid prototyping tools and brainstorm new technological avenues for cooling.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and will include modelling activities supported by experiments. You will attain skills in modelling, design and testing of innovative technologies for cooling.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ente.202300548
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:
- Proficiency with plastic 3D printing, both FDM and Stereolithographic methods
- Familiarity with Labview or similar data acquisition and control
- Familiarity with dynamic identification methods
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria:
- knowledge of thermodynamics of fluid phase equilibria or physical chemistry;
- proficiency in computational tool such as Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica etc… with emphasis on graphical user interface design.
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
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Climate change is already exacerbating water scarcity bringing uncertainty in the future of the water availability vs. abstraction (water stress), especially in delicate eco-systems. At the same time, industry highly relies on water. In most of the water-demanding industrial sectors high water demand is co-located with high energy demand (water-energy nexus), similarly to countries that benefit from high solar thermal energy (high energy availability) and at the same need water. The co-location of energy in form of heat and water is an opportunity.
In this project, you will research and develop advanced dynamic mathematical models of an innovative technology that uses low temperature heat for the production of water with different quality (from drinkable to industry and agriculture). The technology will be powered by ultralow energy and exploit the temperature differences available in nature: air, soil and natural water (e.g. lakes, seas, rivers).
You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [1], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of user-friendly (Graphical User Interface) advanced model for the characterization and prediction of the dynamic performance of heat-powered clean water production (e.g. desalination), have access to state-of-the-art computing facility and brainstorm new technological avenues for clean water production.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and will include short experimental activities to validate your models. You will attain skills in modelling, design of innovative technologies for clean water.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:
- Proficiency with identification of process dynamic techniques;
- proficiency in computational tool such as Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica etc… with emphasis on graphical user interface design.
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria: knowledge of computational thermodynamics of fluid phase equilibria or physical chemistry.
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
Off
Climate change is already exacerbating water scarcity bringing uncertainty in the future of the water availability vs. abstraction (water stress), especially in delicate eco-systems. At the same time, industry highly relies on water. In most of the water-demanding industrial sectors high water demand is co-located with high energy demand (water-energy nexus), similarly to countries that benefit from high solar thermal energy (high energy availability) and at the same need water. The co-location of energy in form of heat and water is an opportunity.
In this project, you will research and develop an innovative technology that uses low temperature heat for the production of water with different quality (from drinkable to industry and agriculture) by exploiting recent discoveries in material science and engineering [1, 2]. The technology will be powered by ultralow energy and exploit the temperature differences available in nature: air, soil and natural water (e.g. lakes, seas, rivers).
You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [3], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of a proof-of-concept super-efficient processes for heat-powered clean water production (e.g. desalination), have access to state-of-the-art equipment including rapid prototyping tools and brainstorm new technological avenues for clean water production.
Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and will include modelling activities supported by experiments. You will attain skills in modelling, design and testing of innovative technologies for clean water production.
Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.
[1] https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2025003650&_cid=P20-MAL3RA-15255-1
Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree.
- Proficiency with Labview or similar data acquisition and control
- Familiarity with dynamic identification methods
Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
Desirable criteria:
- knowledge of thermodynamics of fluid phase equilibria or physical chemistry;
- proficiency in computational tool such as Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica etc… with emphasis on graphical user interface design;
A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.
Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.
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