Biosciences, Geography and Physics : Fully Funded PhD in the Theoretical Explorations on the Lattice with Orthogonal and Symplectic group (TELOS): toward the Exascale (RS723)
Closing date: 13th January 2025
Key Information
Funding provider(s): 50% Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, 50% School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh
Subject area(s):
School: Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science (interdisciplinary)
Department of Physics
Department of Mathematics
Project start date(s)
- 1 October 2025 (Enrolment open from mid-September)
Supervisors:
A (Primary): Biagio Lucini (Maths, Swansea University)
B (Secondary): Maurizio Piai (Physics, Swansea University)
C (Secondary): Ed Bennett (Maths, Swansea University)
D (External): Luigi Del Debbio (School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh)
Aligned programme of study: PhD in Physics
Joint Programme Swansea University-The University of Edinburgh, indicatively student will spend half of the time in each
Mode of study: Full time
Project Description :
High-Performance Computing is entering a revolutionary phase characterised by Exascale capabilities, with step-changes in technology enabling numerically intensive processes to answer outstanding foundational questions. To benefit from this revolution in full, it is of utmost importance to influence the related development with a highly ambitious scientific programme underpinned by robust Exascale-ready software.
The TELOS collaboration, co-led by researchers at Swansea University and The University of Edinburgh, and with links in other Institutions in the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Korea, Austria and Japan, plays a central role in the study of new gauge theories that have the potential to address many of the STFC challenges in Frontier Physics, such as the origin of dark matter in the universe, and the nature of electroweak symmetry breaking and mass generation in the standard model. We developed state of the art (open source) software working on GPU- and CPU-based supercomputing architectures, and secured computing resources from the UK-based as well as International supercomuting facilities. The research programme is now entering its mature development phase, high precision measurements of new observables have become possible, that require a step change in performance of the parallel software used in lattice field theory calculations. The candidate will be allocated a research project sitting at the interface between lattice field theory and particle physics, taylored around their scientific skills and ambitions, and will be leading the development, testing, and benchmarking of new pre-exascale ready software that the candidate will use to study new physics scenarios.
The student will join this world leading research programme, performing numerical studies of new strongly coupled field theories taking advantage of supercomputing resources at facilities based in Swansea, in the United Kingdom, and overseas. The student will perform the first extended, high precision numerical study of such models, computing their spectroscopy and phase structure, and benchmarking phenomenological applications at the crossover between particle physics and astrophysics.
This joint PhD programme is co-hosted, co-financed and co-supervised between Swansea University and The University of Edinburgh. A mobility programme will allow the student to take advantage of scientific and training opportunities available at both Institutions. They will join a vibrant, diverse, international community, with established record of delivering excellence in research, training, and student supervision, and with extended international network of research collaborations, based at the Particle Physics and Cosmology Theory group at Swansea University, as well as at the School of Physics and Astronomy and the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics at The University of Edinburgh.
The candidate interested in this opportunity might also be interested in the project Theoretical Explorations on the Lattice with Orthogonal and Symplectic group (TELOS): toward the Energy Frontier.
We encourage interested candidates to submit a formal application to both studentships.
Eligibility
This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.
Candidates must hold a UK bachelor’s degree with a minimum of Upper Second Class honours or overseas bachelor’s degree deemed equivalent to UK Bachelor (by UK ECCTIS) and achieved a grade equivalent to UK Upper Second Class honours - see country specific qualifications
OR a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University).
IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.0) or Swansea University recognised equivalent.
ATAS
Please note that the programme requires some applicants to hold ATAS clearance, further details on ATAS scheme eligibility are available on the UK Government website.
ATAS clearance IS NOT required to be held as part of the scholarship application process, successful award winners (as appropriate) are provided with details as to how to apply for ATAS clearance in tandem with scholarship course offer.
Funding
This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.
Swansea University is pleased to offer the Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES) which covers the difference between the International and the Home/UK tuition fee for the duration of the PhD/Professional Doctorate programme. All International applications will be considered for a SUIPRES scholarship. You will be informed whether a SUIPRES scholarship will be offered within your offer letter."
How to Apply
To apply, please complete your application online with the following information:
1. Course choice – please select:
Physics/ PhD / Full-time / 3 Years / October
In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.
2. Start year – please select 2025
3. Funding (page 8) –
• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter 'RS723 - Exascale Frontier'.
- CV
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- A cover letter
- Two references
- Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable)
- Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
- Confirmation of submission of EDI Form
*For ALL scholarship applications from February 2023 an EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Monitoring Form is required.
NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form. Please click the following link to complete your EDI Monitoring Form:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form (online form)
Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted.
Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact:
Biagio Lucini
E-mail: b.lucini@swansea.ac.uk
Maurizio Piai
E-mail: m.piai@swansea.ac.uk
Luigi Del Debbio
E-mail: luigi.del.debbio@ed.ac.uk
Ed Bennett
E-mail: E.J.Bennett@Swansea.ac.uk
External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.