PhD Studentship: Fatigue Failure of Target Graphite

Overview

The Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford offers a three-and-a-half-year DPhil studentship focusing on the fatigue failure and degradation mechanisms of graphite materials. This fully funded project investigates proton-beam targets for next-generation neutrino facilities, supporting international programs such as DUNE. The research is a collaborative effort involving Oxford, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Students will engage in developing fatigue-testing methodologies, examining crack initiation and propagation under cyclic loading, and characterising connections between microstructure, mechanical performance, thermal properties, and irradiation damage. Experimental tasks utilize advanced techniques including X-ray tomography, FIB-SEM tomography, Raman spectroscopy, thermal conductivity measurements, high-temperature mechanical testing, ion irradiation, and synchrotron experiments at Diamond Light Source.

Who can apply

The studentship is open to all students and is funded jointly by the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

What you get

The award covers course fees at the Home rate alongside a tax-free maintenance grant stipend of approximately £21,805 for the first year, with funding continuing at at least this amount for a further two and a half years.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a first-class or strong upper second-class degree, or an equivalent qualification, in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a closely related discipline. Candidates need a strong interest in experimental research and materials behavior under extreme environments, excellent written and spoken English communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within an international multidisciplinary collaboration. Desirable but non-essential skills include experience in fracture mechanics, mechanical testing, or fatigue analysis, familiarity with materials characterisation techniques, scientific programming and data analysis capabilities using tools such as Python or MATLAB, and an interest in nuclear, energy, or particle accelerator applications.

How to apply

Prospective candidates are encouraged to send informal enquiries to Prof Dong (Lilly) Liu. Applicants must submit a graduate application and satisfy the admission requirements of the University of Oxford for the DPhil in Engineering Science, ensuring they quote reference 27ENGMM_DL in all correspondence and on their graduate application.

Key dates

The application deadline is noon on 2 December 2026, though this is subject to University admissions deadlines. The selected candidate is scheduled to start the program in October 2027.