PhD Studentship: Accelerating Sustainable Electric Machine Design for Net-Zero Emissions with Life Cycle Assessment

Award Summary

100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate). Additional project costs will also be provided. 

Overview

Advancing the sustainability of electric machines, even incrementally, can significantly reduce carbon emissions and bolster global efforts to achieve net-zero targets. Despite considerable advancement in their operational performance, their life cycle impacts, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, and recycling, are underexplored. This project aims to enhance sustainable machine design through life cycle assessment (LCA), focusing on environmentally friendly materials and machine structures, together with AI-driven optimization frameworks for diverse applications while considering LCA metrics. The success of this project could serve as a model for other energy-related devices, promoting sustainability across sectors through a holistic LCA-based design philosophy. These could empower industry, academia, and policymakers to make informed decisions, accelerating progress toward net-zero emissions. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

1st October 2025

Award Duration

4 years

Application Closing Date

7th March 2025

Sponsor

EPSRC  

Supervisors

Dr. Libing Cao 

Prof. Barrie Mecrow 

Eligibility Criteria

A minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (such as mathematics or theoretical physics) is our standard entry, however we place value on prior experience, enthusiasm for research, and the ability to think and work independently. Excellent Analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements. A Masters qualification is not required if you have a minimum 2:1 degree or can evidence alternative experience in a work or research-based project. If you have alternative qualifications or experience, please contact us to discuss.   

For EPSRC DLA applications we are following the EDEPI competency-based framework. Please read and complete this document as your Personal statement, and upload this with your application. Applications which do not include this document will not be considered. Further details can be found here.  

Home and international applicants (inc. EU) are welcome to apply and if successful will receive a full studentship. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.   

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme.  

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal  via the 'Apply' button above.

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.   

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:   

• search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8060F. 
• select 'PhD Electrical and Electronic Engineering (full time)' as the programme of study  

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:   

• a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) – Use this template. 
• the studentship code DLA2511 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field.   
• when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.   

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application. 

Contact Details

For enquiries, please contact Dr. Libing at libing.cao@ncl.ac.uk You can also contact: doctoral.awards@ncl.ac.uk for independent advice on your application. 

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