Discover Funding Opportunities

Simulation of Black Holes: Quantum Information, Scrambling, and Evaporation

This PhD project explores how table-top quantum simulators—such as spin chains, optical lattices, or superconducting qubit arrays—can reproduce key features of black holes, including Hawking radiation, information scrambling, and quantum information recovery during black hole evaporation. The goal is to develop and study effective condensed-matter models that mimic the spacetime geometry and chaotic dynamics of black holes under controlled laboratory conditions. By combining analytical and numerical methods, the project will investigate how quantum correlations evolve across an emergent event horizon and how information can be lost, scrambled, or recovered in such systems. The student will join an active research group working at the interface of quantum information, many-body physics, and quantum gravity analogues, and will have the opportunity to collaborate with both theoretical and experimental teams exploring quantum simulation platforms. This PhD offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most ambitious questions in modern physics—understanding how quantum information behaves in the presence of gravity—through models that can be realised and tested in the laboratory.

EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2026/27: Physics & Astronomy

The EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award offers 2 talented budding researchers the opportunity to join the thriving community of leading researchers within the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leeds. These are highly competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award Studentships offering the award of fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £20,780 for academic session 2025/26) for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided. This opportunity is open to UK applicants only and selection is based on academic merit. There are 2 funded places available and 4 projects in competition for this funding. Applicants can apply through specific projects in areas including quantum criticality, quantum simulation of gauge theories, black hole simulation, and topological quantum systems. The University of Leeds' research in physics is world-leading, with 99% of research rated as world-leading in REF 2021. Students will work in a professional research environment with UK-leading facilities and have access to extensive support through the Leeds Doctoral College.