How to apply

Entry requirements

Students seeking admission into the Department’s PhD programme must hold as a minimum a UK First Class or UK Upper Second class bachelor’s degree or meet the country specific requirements from an accredited university. It is not necessary that the undergraduate degree be in environmental sciences or environmental studies; indeed, the academic backgrounds of PhD students at the Centre range from philosophy and politics to engineering and zoology. Candidates should note, however, that many funding agencies now require applicants for PhD research studentships to have a Masters degree in a relevant subject.

Country specific entry requirements

Funding

It is essential that prospective students are able to fund their studies. Some PhD students at the Department are self-funding; others benefit from awards offered by the College. Some UK or EU-based students receive scholarships or awards from UK Research Councils (eg NERC, UKERC, ESRC), whilst overseas students may receive awards or support from organisations in their home country, or awards from UK-based and international organisations (eg The British Council, UKCISA). See also: ACF.

Applying

Prospective students should contact potential supervisors directly, outlining their research interests in a two-page research proposal and including a CV. You can view a list of prospective PhD supervisors here. Applicants must also read the application guidance notes and complete a postgraduate application form. For further information, please contact Shane Murphy at the Centre’s Postgraduate Studies office.

Fully Funded PhD Studentship - Deadline 30^th June 2026

Energy Security, Geopolitics, and National Resilience

Imperial College London

Supervisors:

1. Professor Rob Gross, Professor of Energy Policy, Imperial College London
2. Dr Alex O’Cinneide, Honorary Fellow, Imperial College London; CEO, Gore Street Capital

Host Department: Centre for Environmental Policy / Energy Policy Group
Start Date: September 28^th 2026
Funding: Fully funded PhD (tuition fees, UKRI‑equivalent stipend, research expenses) 

Project Overview

Imperial College London invites applications for a fully funded PhD focused on energy security as a question of geopolitics, national security, and state resilience.

Energy systems are no longer solely economic or environmental assets. They are now critical national infrastructure, shaping state power, alliance structures, industrial strategy, and vulnerability to coercion. Decarbonisation has intensified — rather than resolved — security challenges, exposing new dependencies in minerals, technology, digital systems, and cross‑border infrastructure.

This PhD will examine how energy security is defined, governed, and contested within modern states, and how governments manage security, resilience, and strategic autonomy in liberalised, decarbonising energy systems. The project is explicitly policy‑ and governance‑led, engaging with energy security as a core component of national security strategy, not merely a subset of climate or market policy.

Core Research Questions (illustrative)

Applicants are encouraged to engage with questions such as:

1. How do states conceptualise energy security in an era of geopolitical rivalry and climate transition?
2. What trade‑offs exist between market liberalisation, state intervention, and national security?
3. How is responsibility for system security distributed between governments, regulators, markets, and private capital?
4. How do geopolitical shocks (war, sanctions, supply chain disruption) reshape energy policy frameworks?
5. What institutional capacities are required to govern secure net‑zero energy systems?
6. How does energy infrastructure exposure create strategic vulnerability or leverage?

The research may focus on the UK, allied states, or comparative international cases.

Indicative Research Themes

Strong proposals may address one or more of the following:

1. Energy security as national security policy
2. Political economy of energy dependence and strategic autonomy
3. Security implications of clean energy supply chains (batteries, critical minerals, grids)
4. Infrastructure resilience: cyber, climate, and physical threat exposure
5. Energy security governance under crisis conditions
6. The evolving role of the state in energy system coordination
7. Energy systems as instruments of geopolitical influence
8. Alliance‑level and multilateral approaches to energy security

Technology, markets, and finance should be treated as policy tools rather than ends in themselves. 

Supervision and Research Environment

Academic supervision will be provided by Professor Rob Gross, a leading authority on energy policy, governance, and system transformation. Co‑supervision will be provided by Dr Alex O’Cinneide, an Honorary Fellow of Imperial College London with extensive experience at the interface of energy policy, infrastructure investment, and system security in multiple jurisdictions.

The student will be embedded within Imperial’s Energy Policy Group, while benefiting from exposure to:

1. Live policy debates in energy security and system resilience
2. Engagement with regulators, system operators, and policymakers
3. Practitioner insight into infrastructure risk, capital allocation, and security constraints

The PhD will remain academically rigorous and policy‑focused, with real‑world relevance informing — not diluting — scholarly depth.

Candidate Profile

We welcome applicants with backgrounds in:

1. Public policy
2. Political economy
3. International relations / security studies
4. Economics
5. Geography or related social sciences

Applicants should demonstrate:

1. Strong interest in geopolitics, state capacity, and infrastructure governance
2. Excellent analytical and writing skills
3. Motivation to engage with high‑impact policy research
4. Ability to work across academic and policy domains

Prior experience in government, regulation, defence, international organisations, or policy research is advantageous but not required.

Funding and Duration

1. Fully funded for 3.5 years
2. Tuition fees (UK Home rate), stipend, and research costs covered
3. International applicants may be considered subject to funding conditions

Application Process

Applicants should submit:

1. CV
2. Academic transcripts
3. A policy‑ and security‑focused research proposal (2–3 pages)
4. Cover letter outlining motivation and fit
5. Two academic references

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.

Please follow the application instructions How to apply | Faculty of Natural Sciences | Imperial College London

Informal Enquiries

Informal enquiries are welcome and may be directed to:

1. Professor Rob Gross, Imperial College London
2. Dr Alex O’Cinneide, Honorary Fellow, Imperial College London

Further information

Please see the Postgraduate prospectus for further information.