PhD Studentship: Regularized dynamical parametric approximations for gradient flows
University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Institution
- University of Birmingham
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Position type
- PhD
- Location
- Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
- Funding
- Fully funded position
Want to be the strongest applicant for this position?
Book a free 15-minute call with our team. We will look at your profile against what University of Birmingham is actually looking for, and tell you honestly where you stand and what to strengthen before you apply.
Book a free call about this position →No cost, no obligation. Mentors who have secured funded PhD positions themselves.
We mentor STEM applicants only. If your research aspirations are outside STEM subjects, you're very welcome to use this board and apply directly; we just aren't the right people to mentor you.
About this position
Parametric integrators approximate solutions of (high-dimensional) partial differential equations by restricting the numerical approximation to a closed form that nonlinearly depends on, and is identified by, a set of parameters. Such methods are a popular choice in quantum dynamics, where the wavefunctions of many-body systems are approximated by multiple Gaussians. The methodology of interest further appears in the approximation of various dynamical problems by tensor networks and neural networks. In all these cases, the parametrization is typically irregular, meaning that the occurring linear systems are generally ill-conditioned.
The project sits at the intersection of classical numerical analysis, scientific machine learning and computational chemistry. Based on regularization techniques and time-stepping schemes applied to gradient systems, the project aims to contribute towards the treatment of high-dimensional optimisation problems, such as the electronic structure problem.
We are looking for a highly enthusiastic and motivated student with
- a strong 1st class degree in Mathematics at the MMath/MSci/MSc level, or equivalent;
- a solid background in numerical analysis of differential equations;
- excellent programming skills;
- excellent communication skills (oral and written).
Informal inquiries should be directed to Dr Jörg Nick, e-mail: j.a.nick@bham.ac.uk
Funding notes:
Funding may be available through a college or EPSRC scholarship in competition with all other PhD applications.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees, training support, and a stipend at standard rates for 3.5 years.
Early application is strongly recommended; there is an annual deadline (typically at the end of January) for scholarship applications; however, later applications may also be considered. Applications of overseas candidates can only be considered until the beginning of September. Strong self-funded applicants worldwide will also be considered.
Strong candidates are encouraged to make an informal inquiry at j.a.nick@bham.ac.uk.
References:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00211-026-01551-5
Apply directly to University of Birmingham
Emerging Scholars Council is not the employer and does not recruit for this position. It is advertised by University of Birmingham, and your application goes to them. We help students prepare and strengthen their applications.
Go to the official application page →Contact listed in the advert
Some positions — especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — are filled by writing directly to the supervisor rather than through an online form. These addresses were taken from the advert text, so check them against the official listing before you write.
A cold email to a supervisor is the highest-leverage thing you can send — and the easiest to get wrong. Ask us to look at yours before you hit send.