NEXUSS Centre for Doctoral Training

2016 saw the first intake of PhD students in a new Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) funded by the Natural and Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The Next-Generation Unmanned System Science (NEXUSS) CDT is led by the University of Southampton and comprises a consortium of six partners (UEA, the National Oceanography Centre, the British Antarctic Survey, the Scottish Association for Marine Science, Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh), and University of Southampton). NEXUSS will train doctoral students in the development and application of Smart and Autonomous Observation Systems (SAOS) for Environmental Sciences. The University of East Anglia has invested strongly in 6 ocean gliders, a testing facility and integration of novel sensors and is the only UK University to own and operate a glider fleet. UEA has also made extensive joint investments with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

A PhD studentship with NEXUSS will entail novel integration of environmental, engineering and Big Data technology and you will guided by a multidisciplinary supervisory team of at least three expert researchers from two of more NEXUSS partner institutes. Your PhD with NEXUSS will provide not only an exciting research project but membership of a cohort trained at the cutting-edge of autonomous observations, delivered via 16 weeks of training in the use of SAOS technologies and professional skills development. The centrepiece of a NEXUSS PhD will be an annual two-week Grand Challenge in which teams of students will design and deploy SAOS technologies and apply rigorous data analysis techniques to address a simulated, real-world environmental problem.  A PhD with NEXUSS represents an exceptional opportunity for you to experience training at world-leading institutes which are at the forefront of innovation.

Students of NEXUSS will become research leaders of the future with expertise to contribute both to scientific breakthroughs and to economic growth. NEXUSS seeks outstanding prospective research students regardless of their specific scientific background. Our aim is to recruit excellent environmental and life scientists, physical scientists, mathematicians, engineers and computer scientists.

Applications to NEXUSS are currently closed. For further information about the NEXUSS CDT, please visit the main CDT website.