The University of Bath is advertising a competitive PhD on nature-inspired vascular cooling for power electronics and energy storage. UK and international applicants may compete for funding. The deadline is 29 November 2026. The expected start is 4 October 2027. Applicants should consider the research fit and financial conditions together before deciding whether to apply.
Research Focus
The project develops coupled models and optimised cooling structures. Additively manufactured designs are tested against conventional cold plates. The research considers temperature, pressure loss and fabrication constraints together. Read the project description as a starting point for identifying a question that interests you, rather than assuming that every possible method will appear in the eventual thesis.
Location and Academic Team
The university base is Bath, United Kingdom. The project concerns electrical-system thermal management. Electronic and Electrical Engineering hosts the opportunity. It belongs to the faculty’s studentship competition. Dr Fang Duan is the named supervisor. The work includes Sheffield and Aalborg collaboration.
Who Can Apply
Applicants need a first or 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent, with a master’s advantageous. The listing requests advanced-materials understanding, ideally composite experience, with modelling and characterisation experience advantageous. Non-UK applicants not currently studying in the UK must meet the English requirement before the deadline. Check the current programme requirements for the precise qualifications and supporting documents needed. A relevant subject or an eligible nationality does not by itself guarantee admission or an award.
Funding and International Conditions
Competitive funding covers tuition, £1,000 annual training support and a stipend listed at £21,805 for 2026/27. Overseas awards are capped, and visa and Immigration Health Surcharge expenses must be met personally. The stated stipend does not confirm the 2027/28 rate. Review the written award terms before making financial commitments.
Exploring the Research Problem
For optional preparation, imagine two cooling designs that perform differently according to the measure used to compare them. Ask what the intended system requires before deciding which design is preferable. Consider whether an improvement in one outcome comes with a cost that a single summary score might conceal. This is a hypothetical research-thinking exercise, not a prescribed project benchmark, a practical design instruction or a statement about the experimental results the successful applicant will obtain.
You could extend the example by considering a simulated design that is difficult to fabricate or test consistently. Explain which comparison would help establish whether the apparent advantage survives that practical constraint. Identify assumptions that would need checking before treating the calculation as evidence of real-system performance. A clear account of these distinctions can show interest in interdisciplinary engineering without implying that a visually appealing design or one favourable simulation establishes suitability for every operating condition.
Presenting Evidence of Preparation
If you have completed a modelling, materials or experimental project, describe the original question, your individual contribution and how you assessed the output. Explain a trade-off that affected your decision and how you made its consequences visible to the reader. If you used existing code or shared equipment, state your actual role instead of implying responsibility for the entire workflow. Review the advertised advanced-materials preparation carefully and identify a realistic learning goal alongside the experience you can already support with concrete examples.
If supporting materials are requested, make your individual contribution clear when discussing work completed with other people. Distinguish a class exercise, an unpublished report and a peer-reviewed research output instead of presenting them as equivalent achievements. Explain what your evidence can establish and what remained unresolved, including any limitation that would matter to the conclusion. Adapt these preparation suggestions to the actual application questions, since optional advice does not add requirements to the programme’s document checklist or guarantee a particular assessment outcome.
How to Apply
Use the current programme instructions to establish the submission route and complete supporting-document checklist. Review the exact project title and academic contacts wherever the form asks you to identify your research preference. An informal academic conversation can clarify fit, but it does not replace a formal application or constitute an admission or funding offer.
- View scholarship details and follow the linked institutional application instructions.
- Select the Electronic and Electrical Engineering PhD and University of Bath URSA funding.
- Identify the exact project and supervisor, observing the maximum of two project choices, and submit by 29 November 2026.
Before Submitting
Information was checked on 23 October 2026. Reconfirm the deadline and current terms before submission, particularly where your ability to enrol depends on receiving an international award. Keep a copy of the final form and any written clarification that materially affects your eligibility, financial expectations or decision to accept an offer.