PhD Studentship in Aeronautics: Real-time data assimilation for multi-physics flows (AE0095)

Start Date:

Between 1 August 2027 and 1 July 2028

Application Deadline:

23.59 on 4 January 2027 (UK time)

Introduction: 

Every model is wrong, and in engineering the errors matter. From aircraft wings to wind turbines and combustors, engineering systems are governed by fluid flows that interact with other physical processes, such as structural vibrations, acoustics and chemical reactions. On the one hand, physics-based models of these multi-physics systems are extrapolative – they provide predictions on phenomena that have not been observed. However, their parameters are uncertain, and their equations neglect part of the physics. On the other hand, measurements provide information on the true state of the system, but they are sparse and noisy. When operating conditions change rapidly, model errors grow, and forecasts lose accuracy precisely when they are needed most. Real-time data assimilation, which combines models with measurements, offers a way forward. However, most existing methods assume that the model is unbiased and they cannot cope with rapid changes in operating conditions, such as a gust hitting an aircraft wing or a sudden change in the load of a combustor.

A fully-funded PhD studentship is available at the Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London, to develop bias-aware data assimilation methods that estimate and correct model error as the dynamics evolve. The output of the project will be a model that learns from data any time that measurements are assimilated, without violating the physics. We will prototype the methods on low-order dynamical systems, and we will scale them up to higher-dimensional multi-physics problems.

You will gain experience in data assimilation and Bayesian inference, physics-constrained machine learning, and computational methods for multi-physics systems. You will employ high-performance computing facilities, present your work at international conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and benefit from Imperial’s doctoral training programme and career support. These skills will prepare you for careers in academia, industry and research laboratories.

Supervisors: 

Dr. Andrea Nóvoa

Duration:

3.5 years

Funding:

Full coverage of tuition fees and an annual tax-free stipend of £23,805 for Home, EU and International students. Find out more about fee status on our Fees and Funding webpages.

Eligibility: 

Due to the competitive nature of our studentships, candidates will be expected to achieve/have achieved a First class honours MEng/MSci or higher degree (or international equivalent) in: mathematical or engineering disciplines such as Aeronautics, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics or Physics.

A background in computational physics or mathematics, data assimilation, or dynamical systems for fluid mechanics is an advantage. We look for curious and motivated candidates who enjoy working at the interface between physics, mathematics and computation. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

How to apply

Submit your application via our Apply webpages - you will need to upload the following:

• CV
• personal statement
• transcripts
• contact details for two references

When applying, you will need to complete the following fields:

• Search course/Programme: Aeronautics Research (PhD)
• Research Group: Aero
• Research Topic: Please use reference number AE0095
• Research Supervisor:  Dr. Andrea Nóvoa
• Entry term: Autumn 2027/8 or Spring 2027/8 

You can find out more general guidance on how to apply on our Admissions webpages.

Applying to two projects

You can apply for a maximum of two PhD projects in any academic year – this includes PhD projects in other departments at Imperial and the Doctoral Programme in Sustainable Aviation (DPSA) within our Brahmal Vasudevan Institute for Sustainable Aviation.

If you are submitting two applications for different PhD Studentships in the same academic year, you will need to select different entry terms – one application must be for the entry term Autumn 2027/8 and one application must be for the entry term Spring 2027/8. If you are successful in receiving an offer, we can amend the entry term of the relevant PhD Studentship.

References

You will need to provide the contact details of two referees – we will then contact them directly to request the references after you have submitted your application. Find out more about the importance of references and how to check the status of your references on our application references webpage.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your referees respond to any reference requests. To ensure we do not delay the admissions process for our applicants, any incomplete applications without references by 23.59 on 5 February 2027 (UK time) will be rejected. 

Contact

For more information about this specific PhD project, please contact: Dr. Andrea Nóvoa

For questions about the application process, please first read our Frequently Asked Questions. If your question has not been answered, please email the PhD Administrator (Admissions)

Frequently Asked Questions

 You can find answers to common application questions on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Imperial is committed to equality and valuing diversity. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident Employer and are working in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people.