PhD Studentship - Computational Methods for Uncertainty Quantification in Nuclear Fusion

Award summary

This studentship provides an annual living allowance (stipend) of £21,470, and full tuition fees (Home fee level only).

Overview

This project will develop uncertainty quantification methods for nuclear fusion, motivated by yield prediction in tritium fuel cycles. The lack of scalable tools necessitates large engineering tolerances, increasing reactor cost. Empirical tests are expensive, while simulations are subject to error due to uncertainty in nuclear data and unresolved physical processes e.g. thermal expansion and fine-scale inhomogeneities. Generating independent simulation replicates accounting for all relevant uncertainties is currently infeasible.

This project will deliver a rigorous understanding of industry-standard simulation and variance reduction methods, typically variants of importance sampling. We will connect these methods to modern formulations of Monte Carlo algorithms to improve their accuracy, scalability, and overall computational cost. The methodology so delivered is fundamental for the sustainable delivery of fusion power to the electricity grid.

This project is based at Newcastle University, but will be co-supervised by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The successful applicant will also be part of the MathRad research network on mathematics of radiation transport, which has groups at the Universities of Warwick, Bath, and Cambridge.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: October 2025

Award duration: 3.5 years

Sponsor: UKAEA and the Pemberton Endowment

Supervisors: Jere Koskela

Eligibility criteria

A minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (such as mathematics or statistics) 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.

International students (inc. EU) are welcome to apply, but would have to secure additional funding to cover the difference in tuition fees. 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

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: 8080F
• Research area: Statistics
• Select ‘PhD Mathematics (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 MSP104 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 ad-vert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.

Contact details: jere.koskela@newcastle.ac.uk

Advert information