PhD Studentship: Modelling coevolution in aquatic environments shaped by flow
Overview
This studentship focuses on modelling coevolution in aquatic environments shaped by flow. The research addresses questions surrounding how fluid flow drives microbes and viruses apart and how past coevolution affects interactions with new partners, how long these signatures persist, and what happens when descendants re-encounter after isolated evolution. The work involves physical modelling, simulations, machine learning, and analytical calculations focusing on oceanic ecosystems.
Candidates will develop agent-based simulations in a prototypical flow field and translate these findings to larger systems with complex flow fields mimicking the ocean. A hybrid modelling approach will be created to incorporate concentration-based efficiency and agent-based stochasticity. The supervisory team includes Wolfram Moebius, Daniel Kattnig, Adam Monier, and Kit Yates, with research taking place in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Living Systems Institute.
What you get
The studentship provides funding for tuition fees and an annual stipend of £21,805 per annum for the 2026/7 period.
Key dates
The closing date for applications is 2026-12-08.
About University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public research university in the West Country of England, based mainly in Exeter, Devon, with further campuses in Cornwall. Its origins lie in St Luke's College (1838), the Exeter schools of Art and Science, and the Camborne School of Mines. A royal charter in 1955 created the university. It is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive UK universities.
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