Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing (EPSRC CDT)

The IMAT CDT aims to train the next generation of doctoral scientists in the design, synthesis and characterisation of inorganic materials relevant to the future prosperity of the manufacturing sector. The course covers all aspects of the utilisation of raw materials, process chemistry and product delivery, and substantive projects spanning the breadth of inorganic chemistry and materials science.

The course has been designed in collaboration with 19 industrial partners representing a range of business sizes and technological expertise, in order to provide a holistic understanding of all aspects of the advanced materials manufacturing process.

The IMAT CDT uses a cohort-based training model, allied to training incorporating faculty, industry and peer-led components, to deliver scientists with:

• a broad spectrum training across the interface between inorganic materials and manufacturing; and
• in-depth expertise in one specific stream (raw materials, process or product).

Students are trained in a single cohort initially (in the first six months) through a series of taught courses covering a wide range of topics in inorganic materials, and a short industrial internship. From the second half of year one, you will focus primarily on your substantive research project, which you will have chosen before the start of your course.

Departmental supervisors are drawn from some of the country's leading research chemists and materials scientists, many of whom have world-class reputations. 

During all four years of the course you will receive a tailored programme designed to broaden your research and professional skills.

The course expects to have strong engagement with industry, with regular visits and interactions with industrial partners.

A tailored introductory programme will cover fundamentals in chemistry and materials. Details of the modules are listed below.

Core Technical Modules

1. Raw Materials:
   • Raw Materials distribution, ethics, circularity
   • Bottom up/top down synthesis
2. Process
   • Characterisation tools in chemistry and materials
   • Processing to manipulate materials properties
   • Computational methods, AI, Digitisation, Data analytics
   • Interface and Surface Chemistry
3. Product
   • Product design for circularity and end use
   • Teamwork design module

Industrial Immersion Modules

This part of the training programme focuses on awareness of:

• RRI + Ethical, regulatory and compliance issues
• Communicating science to different audiences
• IP, Research Translation & Entrepreneurship
• Advanced industrial workshops

You will also conduct an eight-week industrial internship during the second term of year one. Accommodation and travel expenses will be funded by the CDT. Industrial internships will provide you with the opportunity to work closely at the sites of one of our IMAT industrial partners, gaining experience relevant to one or more of the core themes: raw materials, process, or product. You will work within industry teams at sites across the UK and experience the demands and expectations of diverse end-users and customers. 

Attendance

Resources to support your study

 The Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing CDT is based in the Departments of Chemistry and Materials. The majority of the taught courses during the first year will be held in the newly repurposed Doctoral Training Suite in the Rodney Porter Building. There is a dedicated student office, with individual desk areas and allocated computers.

Workspace after the initial taught course will be related to individual circumstances. If undertaking experimental work, you will be provided with space in a laboratory with access to all the required equipment. If undertaking theoretical research, you will have shared office space.

You will have access to the departmental IT support staff, to the Radcliffe Science Library and other university libraries, and centrally provided electronic resources and technical workshops.
Experimental facilities are available as appropriate to the research topic. The provision of other resources specific to your project should be agreed upon with your supervisor as a part of the planning stages of the agreed project.

In the event of the need for pastoral care, support is available in your college, from the project supervisor, the course management team and the Associate Director for Student Experience.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Materials and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may also be found outside the Department of Chemistry and Department of Materials.

Most students can typically expect to meet with their supervisor, or a senior member of the research team, every week.

Assessment

All modules during the taught course component involve some aspect of formal assessment, including written reports, problem-solving, and group and individual presentations.

Throughout the project component of the course, a termly report on your progress is usually submitted by both you and your supervisor.

You will be admitted as a Probationary Research Student and, at an appropriate stage (normally after six terms), you must pass the Transfer of Status assessment, to ensure you have the potential to gain a doctorate, in line with the University's graduate student progression guidelines. This assessment is made by independent assessors based on overall performance in the taught course component, together with a project report, a short presentation and an oral examination. Assuming that you satisfactorily transfer to DPhil status, your research proceeds with quarterly reporting throughout the rest of your course.

You must apply for Confirmation of Status by the end of your ninth term, to ensure that you are on track to complete the thesis within a reasonable time. You will be expected to submit a DPhil thesis within, at most, four years from the date of admission. The thesis will usually be read by two examiners, one of whom is normally from Oxford and one from elsewhere, and assessment will be via the thesis and an oral (viva voce) examination. The examiners will judge, along with other requirements, whether you have made a significant and substantial contribution to a particular field of learning.

Graduate destinations

This is a new programme and there are no alumni yet. Graduates of the DPhil programmes in chemistry and materials have gone on to work for a wide range of employers, including universities, high-tech start-up companies, and industry. There is a wide variety of potential destinations that may include scientific writing, patent attorneys, government and civil service, or financial and business services. The Departments of Chemistry and Materials run an annual careers event for graduate students, and the University's Careers Service offers specialist support.

It is expected the departments will host a number of visits from prospective employers, where students can find more information. 

College preference

The following colleges accept students on the Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing CDT: