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.

Quantum Simulation of Out-of-Equilibrium Dynamics of Gauge Theories

This PhD project focuses on harnessing quantum simulators to explore lattice gauge theories, which are discrete counterparts of the gauge field theories underpinning the Standard Model. The research will design and analyse protocols that realise these models on Rydberg arrays or trapped-ion chains, and develop advanced numerical tools including tensor networks and exact diagonalisation to predict their real-time behaviour. Building on previous work on false-vacuum decay, the project will investigate metastability and bubble nucleation dynamics, examining how Gauss-law constraints and confining strings reshape the decay of false vacua. The research will also search for new forms of ergodicity breaking, extending the concept of quantum scars to settings with local gauge symmetries and exploring their impact on vacuum decay. Key questions include whether gauge constraints can stabilise scarred subspaces or fragment the Hilbert space in higher dimensions, and how scar-induced revivals interact with bubble formation and string breaking. By combining analytics, state-of-the-art simulations, and close interaction with experimental groups, this project will chart new territory where confinement, metastability and non-thermal dynamics meet.

School of Mechanical Engineering Studentship 2026/27 (BSMS)

This is a highly competitive School of Mechanical Engineering Studentship, in collaboration with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, offering full tuition fees plus a tax-free maintenance grant for 3.5 years. The studentship provides an opportunity to join the thriving research community at the University of Leeds, working on sustainable healthcare systems and helping organisations like the NHS work towards carbon Net-Zero targets. The PhD will be based in the new SUSTAIN facility (Simulation Theatre for Academia and Industry), working with the UK Department of Health and Social Care and leading experts in sustainable healthcare at Brighton & Sussex Medical School. The research will involve assessment of emerging healthcare technologies and procedures to drive change in UK and international practice. Training and support will be provided throughout the studentship. The School of Mechanical Engineering's research is rated 96% world-leading in REF 2021, and students benefit from UK-leading facilities, close industry links, and comprehensive personal and professional development support through the Leeds Doctoral College.

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.