Physics: Fully Funded Swansea University and the University of Edinburgh PhD Scholarship: Lattice field theory going beyond the Standard Model (RS610)

Funding providers: Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering and the University of Edinburgh's School of Physics and Astronomy

Subject areas: Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science

Project start date:  

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Project supervisors: 

• A (Primary): Professor Maurizio Piai (Physics, Swansea University - m.piai@swansea.ac.uk)
• B (Secondary): Dr Ed Bennett (Software Engineering, Maths, Swansea University - E.J.Bennett@Swansea.ac.uk)
• C (Secondary): Professor Biagio Lucini (Maths, Swansea University - b.lucini@swansea.ac.uk)
• D (External): Professor Luigi Del Debbio (School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh - luigi.del.debbio@ed.ac.uk)  

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Physics

Mode of study: Full-time

Project description: 

The STFC list of science challenges for the particle physics and astrophysics community highlights the need to find viable extensions of the Standard Model, to explain dark matter, dark energy, matter/antimatter asymmetry, origin of the electroweak scale. Strongly coupled Sp(2N) gauge theories provide a compelling environment to address these challenges.

The Swansea University and the University of Edinburgh Lattice Field Theory groups are uniquely positioned to perform precision calculations characterising Sp(2N) theories, having led pioneering numerical studies. As part of an established collaboration including researchers in Korea, Taiwan and other partner Institutions, we developed new cutting-edge (open source) software working on GPU- and CPU-based supercomputing architectures, opening unprecedented opportunities for worldwide leadership in this computationally intensive research subfield.

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.

Candidates must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements (see country specific qualifications). Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.0) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here. 

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

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. 

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

International Fee Eligible Students:
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.

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 2024
3. Funding (page 8) –

• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS610 - Lattice Field'

*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.

We encourage you to complete the following to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University:

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form (online form)

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via e-mail). We strongly advise you to provide the listed supporting documents by the advertised application closing date. Please note that your application may not be considered without the documents listed:

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
• Two references (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission (optional)

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Professor Maurizio Piai (m.piai@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.