Years 2 – 4
During Years 2 – 4, your main focus will be your PhD research project and you’ll be based at either The University of Manchester (UoM) or the University of Cambridge (UCAM). There are additional opportunities to develop your skills alongside this with organised events, courses and outreach activity.
Years 2 and 3
Additional opportunities include:
- Opportunities to present at student-led CDT conferences at UoM and UCAM as well as attending international conferences
- Innovation and entrepreneurship course run by Manchester Enterprise Centre or Cambridge Enterprise
- Opportunities to compete industrial placements and internships with partners
- Taking part in outreach events such as: Bluedot Science Festival, British Science Week events, Manchester and Cambridge Science Festivals.
- Providing outreach activities in local schools as a Science Ambassador
- Competitions for business start-up and enterprise funding organised with industrial partners.
You’ll also be able to take advantage of advanced skills training where relevant to your area of research. These are yet to be confirmed but could include:
- Sustainability and life cycle assessment
- Artificial Intelligence strategies for property characterisation and robotic assembly of devices
- Machine Learning methods
- Cryogenic techniques
- Photo- and e-beam lithography for fabrication of opto-electronic devices
- Lithography techniques for nanofluidic systems
- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
- Electrochemistry for energy storage devices.
Year 4
In your final year, you will complete your PhD research and further your skills through peer-to-peer learning with new CDT cohorts.
You’ll continue to participate in international conferences, outreach events and industrial placements.
In your final months, you will focus on your thesis write-up and preparing for your viva.
To help you prepare for your next steps, you’ll have access to careers advice, including interview and CV-writing training.