About Us
Bridging the skills gap in the UK and ROI's high-value metal manufacturing sector.
The Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Metallic Systems was established in 2009 with a £6.3 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and a further £3.2 million awarded in 2014.
In this period [2009-2018] the Centre was hosted jointly by the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester, building on their international reputation in metallic materials science and engineering research.
In 2019, a further £5.4 million was awarded by the EPSRC in combination with a €4 million award from Science Foundation Ireland [SFI] to support I-Form, the SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, joining the partnership, with involvement of Dublin City University and University College Dublin.
In recent years, a thriving high-value metal manufacturing sector has emerged in the UK and ROI. There are some 11,100 companies in the UK metals industry, employing around 230,000 people and directly contributing nearly £10.7bn to UK GDP. The Metals Industry also supports another 750,000 employees indirectly, including contractors, suppliers, and people working in the communities around metals sites, and underpins some £200bn of the UK’s GDP.
Novel metallic materials and engineering solutions are essential to the success of a wide range of sectors including: aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, defence, and renewable energy. However, the growing shortage of high-quality graduates with expertise in metallic materials is a real problem for industry in the UK and Ireland, with supply falling far lower than demand.
The AMS CDT aims to address this shortfall by providing an exciting new approach to postgraduate research and training in this area.
High-calibre students from a range of physical science and engineering backgrounds undertake a four-year course comprising a first year of taught courses in core materials topics leading into a full PhD or EngD research project. All doctoral projects will be supported by industrial sponsorship and supervision.
14 full (fees and stipend) UK scholarships are available for 2023 entry. Our scholarships provide a stipend at the UKRI rate (£17,668 in 2022-23) plus a top-up and tuition fees, for 4-years. The stipend top-up for both the PhD and EngD projects is £5,000 per year. The ROI Partnership in the AMS CDT is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) which covers full fees and stipend costs for four years. SFI also funds materials and project-related costs. 5 full (fees and stipend) scholarships are available for 2023 entry.
The Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Metallic Systems [AMS CDT] aims to:
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Provide a stimulating multidisciplinary training experience,
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Teach topical courses that balance cutting edge technologies with fundamental principles and core concepts,
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Develop professional transferable skills in leadership, business, and research management,
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Foster innovative, internationally leading research,
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Work in partnership with industry to provide industrial experience and maintain relevance.