PhD Studentship: Responsible innovation in metamaterials for circular economy and sustainability: building the evidence base for inclusive and sustainable applications

Overview

This studentship focuses on responsible innovation in metamaterials to support a circular economy and sustainability, specifically building an evidence base for inclusive and sustainable applications. Metamaterials are advanced materials with engineered structures that provide properties beyond their constituent materials. Investment in this field is growing rapidly through public and private funding, including significant UKRI grants and the EPSRC and partners investment in the MetaHUB led by the University of Exeter. Potential applications include reducing critical minerals, improving solar panels, decreasing wind turbine radar interference, creating antimicrobial surfaces, and other uses. However, the evidence base for the benefits and impacts of these materials remains underdeveloped, and past innovation has been largely driven by academic, industry, and policy actors. This project addresses this gap by combining sustainability and circularity analysis, such as Life Cycle Assessment, with qualitative and mixed methods responsible innovation approaches. The work supports decisions being made now during the main manufacturing and end of life planning stages, engaging with industry members alongside the MetaHUB manufacturing theme.

What you get

The studentship provides funding for tuition fees and a stipend of £21,805 per annum for the 2026/7 academic year. The position is a full-time, fixed-term contract based on site at the University of Exeter within the Management department. The funding is provided by the EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Requirements

Applicants are required to undertake research resulting in findings, policy recommendations, and practice recommendations for sustainable, inclusive, and responsible metamaterials applications. The project involves scoping and analysing current applications and sociotechnical visions, conducting in-depth case studies of up to five metamaterials projects, devices, components, or products, and comparing these devices with equivalents through Life Cycle Assessment and related sustainability assessments. Additional responsibilities include developing frameworks and practices for responsible innovation involving stakeholder and public engagement, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to understand broader social, environmental, and economic contexts, and making recommendations for academic, industry, policy, and civil society actors regarding value capture, distribution, and sharing. The research draws on the networks of the Centre for Metamaterial Research and Innovation, the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy, and the Centre for Responsible Innovation.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 8 December 2026.