The Centre will provide at least 90 graduate students with the skills and knowledge they need to address the aero-propulsion and power generation challenges of the next decade.

Dr Graham Pullan

The University, together with the University of Oxford and Loughborough University, has received funding from the EPSRC and industry partners to create a CDT in Future Propulsion and Power. It will be led by Dr Graham Pullan, Reader in Aerothermal Engineering, and will train at least 90 PhD students over the next eight years, with the first cohort due to arrive in October 2019.  

Dr Pullan said: “We’re excited about the launch of the new EPSRC CDT in Future Propulsion and Power. The Centre will provide at least 90 graduate students with the skills and knowledge they need to address the aero-propulsion and power generation challenges of the next decade.

“Our research will cover topics such as low emission engines, hybrid-electric propulsion, urban air mobility, high performance computing for high performance engines, and AI-driven design.”

The Centre has been developed with the support of four industry partners: Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Siemens and Dyson. It builds on the success of the EPSRC CDT in Gas Turbine Aerodynamics. The two new themes are:

1. Data, learning and design

The Centre will provide training to enable engineers to derive learning from the ever-increasing supply of data (from experimental tests, from computations and from real engines in the field) and hence develop improved concepts and technologies.

2. Systems integration

As well as delivering training in advanced aero-thermal science, the Centre will expose students to the requirements of Future Propulsion and Power systems, such as: integrated propulsor-airframe concepts, hybrid-electric propulsion, and compact and flexible operation power generation.

For information on how to apply, click here.