Biosciences, Geography and Physics. : Fully Funded PhD in the Theoretical Explorations on the Lattice with Orthogonal and Symplectic Group (TELOS): toward the Energy Frontier (RS725)
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): Maurizio Piai (Physics, Swansea University)
B (Secondary): Biagio Lucini (Maths, 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 students will spend half of the time in each.
Mode of study: Full-time
Project Description:
Theories with orthogonal and symplectic groups offer a new theoretical environment to address open problems in fundamental physics. Applications encompass electroweak symmetry breaking, mass generation, dark matter, and the relic density of stochastic gravitational waves, STFC challenges in Frontier Physics.
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 such theories.
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, and high-precision measurements of new observables have become possible. The candidate will be allocated a research project in lattice field theory, tailored around their scientific skills and ambitions, addressing one or more of the aforementioned challenges in frontier physics.
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 an established record of delivering excellence in research, training, and student supervision, and with an 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 Exascale Frontier.
We encourage interested candidates to submit a formal application to both studentships.
Eligibility
Candidates must hold a UK bachelor’s degree with a minimum of Upper Second Class honours or an 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.
Funding
This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.
International students:
Fully if the applicant is successful in being offered a SUIPRES Scholarship as outlined below. Swansea University is pleased to offer the Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES). This is a competitively awarded Scholarship open to overseas PhD and Professional Doctorate applicants eligible for the international rate of tuition fees who can demonstrate excellence in academic achievement. The SUIPRES Scholarship covers the difference between the International and the Home tuition fee for the duration of the PhD/Professional Doctorate programme. Successful candidates will be charged fees aligned to the UK rate per year. The scholarship will be offset against your tuition fee liability 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 'RS725 - Energy 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
*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.
One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.
*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.