PhD Studentships : Research Studentships in Experimental and Numerical Hypersonic Aerodynamics and Heating

3.5-year D.Phil. studentship 

Project: Non-equilibrium thermochemistry in expanding flows

Supervisors: Prof Matthew McGilvray

Vehicles travelling at hypersonic speeds of over 4,000 miles/hour induce complex flow physics, which ultimately affects their aerodynamic controllability and requires advanced thermal management. The research of hypersonic aerodynamics and heating has applications for planetary entry spacecraft, satellite demise and defence applications. Students are sought for the following specific projects:

1.  Non-equilibrium thermochemistry in expanding flows (Lead: McGilvray)

Shock heated gas in front of a hypersonic vehicle can reach enormous temperatures. Rapid expansion of this gas can lead to non-equilibrium processes due to the rapid drop in pressure at short time scales. This can lead to back shell radiative heating, communications blackouts and observability. This project will undertake fundamental experimental and numerical investigations of high-speed expanding flows.

The students will be based at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. These will be with the hypersonic research group, which currently has 50 members including 20 DPhil students.

Eligibility

This studentship is funded through the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, and is open to Home and Overseas students.

Award Value

Course fees will be covered for home and overseas students. The stipend (tax-free maintenance grant) is a minimum of c.£ 19,237 p.a. for the first year, and at least this amount for a further three years.

Candidate Requirements

Prospective candidates will be judged according to how well they meet the following criteria:

• A first class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in Engineering, Physics or Materials Science
• Excellent English written and spoken communication skills

The following skills are desirable but not essential:

• Demonstration of undertaking research projects
• Ability to programme
• Previous experimental experience in fluid dynamics

Application Procedure

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be addressed to Prof Matthew McGilvray (matthew.mcgilvray@eng.ox.ac.uk).

Candidates must submit a graduate application form and are expected to meet the graduate admissions criteria.  Details are available on the course page of the University website.

Please quote 25ENGTH_MM in all correspondence and in your graduate application.

Application deadline: 4 March 2025

Start date: October 2025

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