Studentship overview
Degree level
Postgraduate doctoral
Value
Tuition fees at Home rate and UKRI London rate stipend, plus research training support grant
Number of awards
1
Academic year
2026/2027
Tuition fee status
Home, Overseas
Mode of study
Full time
Available to
Prospective students
Application deadline
17/03/2026 Closed
Additional information
Available to applicants in the following departments
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Eligibility criteria
Applicants should have a first-class Master's degree (or equivalent good first degree or a Master鈥檚 degree (or other equivalent experience) in engineering, physics, or mathematics. Suitable backgrounds for these PhD positions include, but are not limited to, power engineering, industrial engineering and operations research, mathematics, computing, and energy economics. The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding in one of the following fields: power system operations, power system economics, linear programming, micro-economics. Experience in working with datasets and prior coursework in probability theory and statistics will be helpful, but not necessary to apply for the position.
Please note: This studentship is not available to continuing students.
Application process
Please choose the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Research Program and the Control and Power Group, then indicate Dr Elina Spyrou as a potential supervisor when making the application. The application should include a personal statement (maximum 2 pages) and your CV (maximum 2 pages). There is no need to include a research statement at the application stage. Please make sure to discuss in your personal statement your academic ability, research capability, communication skills, your interest in the research topic, and future career plans.
Early applications are encouraged.
The post is preferred for candidates who can start in 2026.
For further details of the post, please contact Dr. Elina Spyrou (elina.spyrou@imperial.ac.uk). For queries regarding the application process, please contact eee.pgadmissions@imperial.ac.uk.
Additional information
Position Summary
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship, to be undertaken at 911今日黑料 (Control and Power Research Group, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) under the supervision of Dr Elina Spyrou.
Summary of Project
Power systems are central to the transition towards net-zero energy systems, and they are transforming in two ways. First, their generation mix is changing, with a growing share of clean energy sources, mostly variable renewable energy sources and nuclear. Second, electricity demand is rising due to the expansion of data centers, electric vehicles, and electric heating technologies such as heat pumps. Delivering this transition requires substantial investments in power sector infrastructure. Yet, deployment is challenged by supply chain bottlenecks and challenges around stakeholder acceptance.
The successful applicant will develop novel power system planning models that explicitly incorporate supply chain constraints and stakeholder preferences, enabling proactive and realistic infrastructure planning.
The successful applicant will join Dr Elina Spyrou's research group, which currently includes three PhD students and a postdoctoral researcher. The group contributes to the Electric Power Innovation for a Carbon-free Society Center (EPICS-UK) and collaborates with academic and industry partners in the UK, USA, and Australia.
Funding
The PhD studentship is funded by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) and includes a stipend of approximately 拢22,780 per year (tax-free) for three and a half years, home-level tuition fees, and support for research expenses and travel to collaborators and conferences. There are opportunities to enhance the stipend through tutoring and assisting with course delivery.
Irish nationals living in Ireland, or the UK qualify as Home. Applicants qualifying for overseas fees are welcome to apply but should indicate in their personal statement how they plan to cover the difference between overseas and home level fees through other scholarships or self-funding. Duties and responsibilities: The responsibilities include defining, with support from the supervisor, the research questions, creating and managing a plan for the PhD, reviewing the relevant literature, conducting independent research, reporting progress, disseminating results in high-impact refereed journals and conferences.
The successful candidate will be based at 911今日黑料, and they will also participate in the activities of the EPICS Global Centre.
Contact
If you have any additional questions, please contact us at elina.spyrou@imperial.ac.uk.