Fully Funded EPSRC PhD Scholarship in Antimatter Physics in UK 2020

Swansea University is offering this Fully Funded EPSRC PhD Scholarship in Antimatter Physics in UK. It is expected that equal amounts of matter and antimatter were created at the birth of the Universe. However, very little antimatter can be found today. In an endeavour to find whether hydrogen and antihydrogen have the same properties, the ALPHA collaboration, based at CERN, creates, holds and tests antihydrogen for precision comparisons of the two simplest antimatter and matter elements. Charge, parity and time invariance, which is central to the theory which leads us to conclude that once upon a time there was a matter/antimatter balance, demands that there is no difference between the two. Hydrogen has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally to a great precision. The collaboration has recently developed tools which makes it uniquely placed to attempt reaching an understanding with a similar precision in antihydrogen.

The successful PhD candidate will be fully integrated into the collaboration at CERN and will have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research on the properties of antihydrogen including precision measurements of the 1S-2S transition energy and antimatter gravitation. This scholarship will involve developing time and frequency metrology, including work with state-of-the art atomic clocks, frequency combs and laser systems.

The student will develop highly specialised skills related to antimatter production, its uses, charged particle storage and manipulation but also highly transferrable skills admired by industry related to quantum technologies, lasers and optics, computer programming, CAD & development, electronics, EM fields, vacuum technology, cryogenics, data and signal analysis to name a few and feature as an author on papers regularly published in high profile journals such as Nature.

Value of Fully Funded EPSRC PhD Scholarship in Antimatter Physics:

• The scholarship covers the full cost of UK/EU tuition fees and an enhanced annual stipend of £25,000 which is inclusive of a CERN living allowance.

To be eligible for Fully Funded EPSRC PhD Scholarship in Antimatter Physics, applicants must fulfil the following requirements.

• Candidates must have a first, upper second class honours or a Master's degree with Merit (or equivalent), in a relevant discipline.
• For candidates whose first language is not English, we require IELTS 6.5 (with 6.0 in each component) or equivalent. Please visit our website for a list of acceptable English language tests. We prefer candidates to have already met the English Language requirements at the point of application, although this is not a requirement.
• Studentships funded by EPSRC are subject to UK/EU residency eligibility.