physics lancaster phd

Our cookies

We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.

Privacy overview

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

Functional cookies

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

Marketing cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

Physics PhD

Lancaster university, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Physics (General)

Course type

We welcome applications from those seeking to perform research for a PhD in Physics. Research opportunities are available within each of our research areas, which cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, and are grouped into the four broad research divisions of Astrophysics, Accelerator and Particle Physics, Experimental Condensed Matter, and Theory.

There is vigorous cross-divisional activity, which includes studies of new materials such as graphene and molecular nanowires, cosmological experiments in liquid helium, nonlinear dynamics of biological rhythm and IR spectroscopy, and nanoscale probe microscopy of biological objects.

Our degree schemes emphasise the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, team working, and computing and computational skills, which are in much demand amongst employers. Students will also have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses as well as the Faculty of Science and Technology Research Training Programme.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Students need to have 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Physics, ideally supplemented by a relevant Master's-level qualification. We may also consider non-standard applicants.

PGCE Physics

Ucl (university college london), physics and engineering in medicine msc, physics msc, physics and engineering in medicine by distance learning msc, pgce physics with mathematics.

We have over 12,000 students across one of the safest campuses in the UK

92% of Lancaster University graduates go into work or further study

• Research at Lancaster
• Researchers
• Departments & Centres

Publications & Outputs

Affiliations.

Quantum Technology Centre

Energy Lancaster

North West Nanoscience Doctoral Training Centre

Theory of Molecular-Scale Transport

Current Postgraduate Research Students

Colin Lambert supervises 20 postgraduate research students. If these students have produced research profiles, these are listed below:

Student research profiles

Bashayr Alanazi

Hajar alghamdi, fatimah rafi alhawiti, abdulrahman aljasim, ohud alshammari, mohammed alzanbaqi, rowan thwaites, professor colin lambert.

Research Professor

• Publications
• PhD Students

Lancaster University

Physics Building

E-mail: Show email

Tel: +44 1524 593059

PhD supervision

Projects are available in all topics listed under 'Research Interests'.

http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=55vf-xgAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Career Details

Within Lancaster, Lambert became a Full Professor in 1990, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Science and Technology, (2005 – 2010) and in 2010 was awarded a Research Professorship.

He was awarded a QinetiQ Fellowship (2009) was elected as a member of Academia Europaea (2006) and  elected Fellow of the Institute of Physics (2000).

He conceptualised, initiated and created the Lancaster Quantum Technology Centre and was the Founding Director until 2013. He led the Physics Department to the highest possible scores in RAEs 2001 and 2008.

Over the past 20 years, Lambert has led five European research collaborations, each 2-3 MEuros and involving 10 EU partners. Recent industry partners include BP Exploration, QinetiQ and IBM Zurich.

During 2005-6 Lambert led a European-level Forward Look in Nanoelectronics and Nanotechnology.

He is a former President and a current Council member of the Lausanne-based computational science organisation CECAM, supported by a a wide range of European funding agencies.

He was Director of the £4.8million North West Science Grid and a Board Member of the N8 Molecular Engineering Translational Research Centre.

In 2004 he created and wrote the Call for the 10 Meuro European Science Foundation, Eurocores programme, "Fundamentals of Nanoelectronics."

In 1997, he was Founding Director of the EPSRC/IOP Theory of Condensed Matter Annual Summer School, ‘Physics By The Lake.’ In 1999, he co-founded the Windsor Summer School series.

Research Interests

Lambert's Theory of Molecular-Scale Transport Group  comprises 5 Research Associates and 16 PhD students, supported by research grants from EPSRC, the EU and Castrol PLC.

Lambert has published over 400 research papers on the following topics: Nanoelectronics, thermoelectricity, battery materials, single-molecule electronics, quantum transport, quantum sensors, low-dimensional systems, graphene, silicene, carbon nanotubes, surface science, materials, magnetism, spintronics, superconductivity, density functional theory, non-equilibrium Greens functions, molecular dynamics, enhanced oil recovery, chemical sensing, nanomotors, DNA sequencing, surfactant design, micelle formation, surface coatings, transition-edge sensors, Andreev scattering, Anderson localisation, percolation theory, fractons, granular materials, superfluidity, ultra-high energy cosmic rays.

Tuning quantum interference through molecular junctions formed from cross-linked OPE-3 dimers †

Research output : Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Signatures of Topological States in Conjugated Macrocycles

Quantum interference enhances the performance of single-molecule transistors.

View all (435) »

• Collaborate

Quick Links

• Undergraduate Degrees
• Postgraduate Study
• University Open Days
• Conference Facilities
• International Students
• University Academics
• Research Collaboration
• Current Students
• Job Vacancies
• Online Payments
• Students’ Union
• Student Portal

Connect With Us

• Like Us Facebook
• Follow Us Twitter
• Get Involved The Student Room
• Find us Instagram
• View our videos YouTube
• Find us Google+
• Find us Foursquare
• Find us LinkedIn
• Find us Weibo

Faculties & Depts

• Arts & Social Sciences
• Health & Medicine
• Science & Technology
• Departments, Institutes & Centres
• +44 (0)1524 65201
• Legal notice
• Freedom of Information
• Privacy and Cookies Notice
• ^ Back to top
• Copyright © 2006- 2016 Lancaster University

Quantum electronic sensors

The laird research group at lancaster, prof. edward laird, teaching and supervision, other professional activities, presentations, invited seminars and colloquia, invited conference and school presentations, contributed conference presentations, other invited talks.

Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional cookies to help us measure web traffic and report on campaigns.

We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them.

Cookie settings

• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 3 - 4 years, Part time 4 - 7 years

We welcome applications from those seeking to perform research for a PhD in Physics. Research opportunities are available within each of our research areas, which cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, and are grouped into the four broad research divisions of Astrophysics, Accelerator and Particle Physics, Experimental Condensed Matter, and Theory.

There is vigorous cross-divisional activity, which includes studies of new materials such as graphene and molecular nanowires, cosmological experiments in liquid helium, nonlinear dynamics of biological rhythm and IR spectroscopy, and nanoscale probe microscopy of biological objects.

Our degree schemes emphasise the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, team working, and computing and computational skills, which are in much demand amongst employers. Students will also have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses as well as the Faculty of Science and Technology Research Training Programme.

Your department

• Physics Faculty of Science and Technology
• Telephone +44 (0)1524 592032

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Physics, ideally supplemented by a relevant Master's-level qualification.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Fees and funding

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

• Materials Science MSc by Research
• Materials Science PhD
• Nanoscience PhD
• Natural Sciences MSc by Research
• Physics MSc by Research

Research Groups

Our postgraduate studies are closely aligned with our Research. Our research is divided into four main themes, and each of these contains sub-groups. In each group, you can find details of available research projects and academic supervisors.

Astrophysics

The Astrophysics group contains teams investigating Observational Astrophysics, Theoretical Particle Cosmology and Space and Planetary Physics.

Experimental Condensed Matter

The Experimental Condensed Matter group contains teams investigating Low Temperature Physics, Quantum Nanotechnology and Nonlinear and Biomedical Physics.

Particle and Accelerator Physics

The Particle and Accelerator Physics group contains teams investigating Experimental Particle Physics and Accelerator Physics.

Theoretical Physics

The Theoretical Physics group contains teams investigating Condensed Matter Theory, Mathematical Physics and the Theory of Molecular-Scale Transport.

Joshua Chawner's story

"Being a part of the physics research here at Lancaster University is an exciting experience. My experimental work in quantum electronics is both challenging and rewarding. The department has all the resources I need to allow the research to flow. I get many opportunities to share my work and learn more at various conferences around the world. I also enjoy helping undergraduate students learn to code, one of the many teaching opportunities available to postgrads. The physics community here is collaborative and helpful in the lab and a great laugh!"

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

Why Lancaster?

League tables and reputation

A highly-ranked university with a global reputation.

Colleges and community

Your college will be your home away from home.

Careers and employability

Career support for our students through university and beyond.

Student life

Lancaster has so much to offer. On our campus, in our city and in our community, you’ll find your place – whoever you are.

Where is Lancaster?

Lancaster is easy to get to and surrounded by natural beauty.

The campus and the city

Our campus and the surrounding area is a great place to call home.

Your global experience

Build your global community on campus and around the world.

Wellbeing and support

Services to help you fulfil your potential at Lancaster.

Lancaster Experimental Particle Physics

• Official webpage
• EPP seminars
• Lancaster particle physics package

Which means the sidebar is on the left

Lancaster physicists work in collaboration with others at CERN (Geneva), Fermilab (Chicago), and KEK (Japan) using high energy beams from large accelerators to determine the ultimate structure of matter and the forces of nature. Whereas others of us work deep underground at SNOLAB (Canada), using the planet and the sun itself to determine the nature of neutrinos.

Prof. Helen O'Keeffe is Head of the Particle Physics Research Division. Prof. Roger Jones is Principal Investigator of the current Consolidated Grant and he is also the current Head of the Physics Department.

Physics: Finding theses and dissertations

• Getting started
• Finding books and eBooks
• Finding conference proceedings and journal articles
• Viewing for your Subject
• Finding statistics
• Finding theses and dissertations
• Systematic literature searching This link opens in a new window
• Referencing & reference management tools
• Preprints, Eprints and other repositories
• Leisure Reading
• LinkedIn Learning
• Scientific Writing Centre
• Maths and Stats support

Top Tips: Finding theses and dissertations

Lancaster eprints.

Lancaster eprints  is the research repository for Lancaster University.  

You can search the site for Lancaster theses, or browse by department, year or subject.

Dissertations and Theses

• EThOS This link opens in a new window EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. more... less... There are approximately 440,000 records relating to theses awarded by over 120 institutions. Around 160,000 of these also provide access to the full text thesis, either via download from the EThOS database or via links to the institution’s own repository. Of the remaining 240,000 records dating back to at least 1800, three quarters are available to be ordered for scanning through the EThOS digitisation-on-demand facility.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (with full-text) PQDTGlobal is considered the world’s most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses. The collection comprises millions of searchable citations from 1861 through to the present day, together with over a million full-text, graduate dissertations and theses added since 1997. Annually, around 70,000 new, full-text documents are added to the collection from 700+ academic institutions worldwide.
• << Previous: Finding statistics
• Next: Systematic literature searching >>
• Last Updated: Apr 12, 2024 10:48 AM
• URL: https://lancaster.libguides.com/physics

Introduction

In the UK, thesis usually means an unpublished work submitted for a doctoral degree, while a dissertation is a work produced at undergraduate or masters' level.

Lancaster University doctoral theses must be deposited with the Library when a degree is awarded. They will be searchable in  OneSearch  as soon as possible.

• If you know the author or title of the thesis, search OneSearch and limit your search to Theses/Dissertations using the 'Limit to:' dropdown.
• If you wish to browse through recent theses from your department, go to  Advanced Search , and set the  Material type  to Theses/Dissertations. Use the  Publication date  box to set the date, and put the name of the Department into one of the search boxes.  Click on the Lancaster Collections tab.
• Theses and dissertations are for use only within the Library. Ask at the Information Point.
• Some theses have been digitised by the British Library and are available in their  Electronic Theses Online Service (EThOS) database

Finding Theses and Dissertations

Theses and dissertations play an important role in locating current research and scholarship. They are extremely valuable resources, providing information on specialised topics, including bibliographic citations to related resources, and additional material such as data sets. This guide will help you find theses from Lancaster University and other institutions both in the UK and world wide.

Finding theses at Lancaster University, in the UK and Worldwide

This short video will help you start searching for theses or dissertations on particular subjects. There is further guidance in the information tabs below.

Top Tips for finding theses and dissertations

Theses and Dissertations at Lancaster University

Doctoral theses.

The Library provides access to Lancaster University research theses, including doctoral level theses, MPhil theses and Masters by Research theses. 

Since April 2020, research theses are available in electronic format only. Up to that date, theses are available either in print format only, or in both print  and electronic formats. An increasing number of our older research theses are available digitally.

Print Theses

You can discover print theses via  OneSearch . Print theses can be retrieved for  consultation in the Library only  during Library service hours.

Electronic Theses

You can discover and access electronic theses in the Lancaster University open access repository  Lancaster EPrints  and also via  OneSearch

Taught Masters' and Undergraduate Dissertations

Lancaster University does not have a mandatory requirement for dissertations completed as part of a taught master's degree to be deposited with the Library. However there are a small number of masters' dissertations in print format only held in the Library and can be found via  OneSearch . Please note that these dissertations represent only a very small number of academic departments.

• MBA dissertations are not held in the Library and may be consulted in the Management School by members of Lancaster University only.
• Undergraduate dissertations are not held in the Library. Some departments hold selected recent copies for consultation by members of Lancaster University only.

Theses and Dissertations at Other Institutions in the UK and Worldwide

This guide can help you find theses and dissertations awarded by other institutions both in the UK and internationally. Use the resources listed in the tabs below to start your search.

The EThOS service is currently unavailable a result of a  cyber-attack . Updates on British Library services are available via their  blog .

Index to Theses

Index to Theses  lists most postgraduate theses and dissertations accepted by universities in the UK and Ireland since 1716. Abstracts are provided for many theses. There are also links to universities' electronic repositories, so you can check for the full text.

EThOS  is a service from the British Library. Its long-term aim is to provide electronic access to the full text of doctoral theses produced in the UK. You may search their records without registering, but if you wish to download a thesis you must first register. This ensures that a full record is kept of who has consulted each thesis, protecting the author's intellectual property. There is no charge for downloading a thesis that is already available in digital format. There are approximately 500,000 records relating to theses awarded by over 120 institutions. Around 260,000 of these also provide access to the full text thesis, either via download from the EThOS database or via links to the institution’s own repository. Of the remaining 220,000 records dating back to at least 1800, three quarters are available to be ordered for scanning through the EThOS digitisation-on-demand facility.  Every month around 3000 new records are added and an additional 2000 full text theses become accessible.

If the thesis you require has not been digitised yet, the British Library will obtain it and digitise it, and you'll be informed when it is ready to download. Users ordering a copy through digitisation on demand may experience a turnaround time of up to 6 weeks. There may also be a charge for the scanning process. Details are provided within each record. You can see details of the charges before you order it.

A few UK universities are not taking part in the EThOS service, including Oxford and Cambridge. If you need a doctoral thesis from one of these institutions, please contact  for advice.

Masters' and Undergraduate Theses

In the UK, doctoral theses are always kept in the institution's library, either in print or in electronic form. The rules for masters' theses vary. In some institutions they are in the library, but in others copies are kept only in individual departments. Undergraduate dissertations are seldom retained by university libraries; however the student's department may have a copy.

Most UK libraries will lend masters' dissertations to other libraries. Please apply through our  service.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global  (PQDT Global) – The world's most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses. As the official digital dissertations archive for the Library of Congress and as the database of record for graduate research, PQDT Global includes millions of searchable citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present day together with over a million full-text dissertations that are available for download in PDF format. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. Annually, around 70,000 new, full-text documents are added to the collection from 700+ academic institutions worldwide.

Electronic Theses Around the World

Many universities make some of their theses available electronically, free-of-charge The resources here will help you find them.

NDLTD  – An Open Access Initiative union catalogue of theses and dissertations from many countries, which are all immediately available electronically. There are links through to institutional repositories.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations  – This is an index of over 1.6 million electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) which are freely available over the web.

Theses and Dissertations by Country or Region

• Trove  – Access to lists of ALL Australian theses and dissertations, and to a database of Australian doctoral theses freely available electronically. 
• Dissertationsdatenbank  – covers Austria.
• Theses.fr  – Details of theses awarded in France, with access to the full text of around 5,000 of them. Also information on theses in preparation
• SUDOC  – is a French union catalogue which can be restricted to searches on theses and dissertations completed at universities in France. 

South Africa:

• South African National ETD portal  – Electronic theses submitted to universities in South Africa
• Dialnet  – Theses at Spanish universities, many with links to full text.

Subject Lists

Many subject databases include theses and dissertations alongside articles and books. These include:  EconLit ,  MLA Bibliography , and  PsycINFO .

You can find Lancaster theses in Lancaster EPrints and OneSearch. Many of our theses are now available in electronic format. However, if you are looking for an older thesis it may only be available as a print thesis for consultation in the Library only.

EPrints  includes the most recently added electronic Lancaster theses. Please note that some electronic theses are embargoed and will not be available for access.

Search Tips

Once you have accessed EPrints, the best way to search for theses is to use the  Advanced Search  - click on  Search  at the top right of the screen.

Searching by keyword or subject  

1. Enter your search terms in either the  Title  box,  Uncontrolled Keywords  box or select a subject term from the  Subjects  list

2. Check the  Thesis  box in the  Item Type  section to narrow your search to just include theses

Searching by department

1. Select a department from the list in the  Departments  section

2. Check the  Thesis  box in the  Item Type  section to narrow your search to just include theses

Searching by author

1. Enter the author's surname or family name in the  Creators  box

2. Check the  Thesis  box in the  Item Type  section to narrow your search to just include theses

OneSearch  includes both print and electronic theses.

To search for electronic theses

1. Enter your search term in the search box. This could be the name of a department, a subject keyword, an author's name, etc. Then select  Full Text Online . 

2. This will retrieve a list of records. To restrict your search to theses, click on the  Theses  filter on the right hand side of the screen under  Resource type

To search for print theses

1. Enter your search term in the search box. This could be the name of a department, a subject keyword, an author's name, etc. Then select  Books and more . 

2. This will retrieve a list of records. To restrict your search to theses, click on the  Theses  filter on the right hand side of the screen under  Resource type

Finding out about theses and dissertations in progress is not easy.  There are a number of listings, many concentrating on a particular subject or geographical area.  The links below cover some of them.  Many of the listings are not updated frequently.

Do remember though that people often change the topic of their thesis during the course of their research.  Many students do not complete on time and there is no guarantee that someone who registered to do a particular subject will in fact produce written work which you can read.

If you know of departments and institutions working in your field, do investigate their websites.

UK Research Councils  – all list the projects they are funding. A search of their  Gateway to Research  databases will help you to identify current and completed research awards, including publications and theses.

Theses.fr  – Theses in progress in France, from 2001 onwards.

Current Legal Research Topics Database  – is maintained by the Institute for Advanced Legal Studies. It aims to cover theses in preparation in the UK in the field of legal research and is updated annually.

Theses in Progress in Commonwealth Studies 2013  – covers UK universities and is updated annually.

History On-Line: Theses in Progress  – is a service from the Institute for Historical Research, which covers the UK and Ireland.

Lancaster Thesis Digitisation Trial

The University Library is pleased to announce that it has embarked on an exciting trial project to digitise 250 doctoral level theses from its print collection as a first step to investigating the feasibility of making the University’s collection of research theses available online.

There are approximately 1,500 doctoral level theses available in electronic format through Lancaster Eprints and the British Library EThOS service as a result of mandatory electronic deposit for research theses for students registered from October 2011 onwards. However, the Library holds approximately 6,500 doctoral theses in print format only, dating from the late 1960s. 

What are the benefits of doing this?

Print theses are difficult to find, and time consuming and often costly to access, creating barriers to the availability of the unique research they contain. A digital thesis collection maximises the visibility of an institution’s doctoral theses and helps promote its research profile on a global platform to a wide range of researchers. Authors and institutions benefit as there is huge potential to promote their research.

The trial thesis digitisation project

We selected 250 print theses from the collection using criteria based on the number of print consultations since 2012 and representing disciplines from each faculty, including theses from the 1970s onwards to allow us to evaluate digitisation quality for different reproduction techniques. We made the decision to work with an external company, ProQuest, to take full advantage of their proven expertise in working with digitisation projects of this nature.

How will we use the results of the trial to move forwards?

The trial will allow us to evaluate digitisation quality for text created both by typewriter and word processor, as well as supplementary material such as fold outs, original photographic images and accompanying software in a variety of formats.

We will monitor usage figures for the digitised theses very closely to determine the likely reach and impact of a digital thesis collection. In addition to quantitative measures, we will also invite feedback from authors, supervisors and users on the benefits of digital access.

Evidence provided from the trial project will inform the decision on whether investment into a full digitisation project will enhance both the research reputation of the institution and provide alumni with the opportunity to raise the profile of their research in the context of contemporary debate.

Are you an author of a PhD thesis?

Owing to the size of the collection, and because we do not have up-to-date contact details for all authors, we will not be contacting authors individually to inform them that their thesis will be digitised and made available online.

If you are an author of a PhD thesis, we would like to hear your thoughts about the online availability of your work. If you wish your thesis to not be publicly available, please  contact the Library  and we will be happy to discuss with you the most appropriate action to take. The Library operates a takedown policy to remove thesis content in the event of an author requesting that their thesis is removed from open access.

Has my thesis been digitised?

We digitised 250 theses for the trial project. Please click on this link to the Lancaster Repository  EPrints  and search for your name and/or thesis title keywords. If we have digitised your thesis you will see a record with the thesis details and a link to the full text document

How can I see my thesis online?

Click on the link to  Eprints  and search for your thesis. Click on the  Download  link to access the full text.

Why has the Library digitised these theses?

Digitising the entire thesis collection will require significant investment. To measure the return on investment in terms of scholarly impact, we have set up a trial project to allow us to measure usage and feedback. The theses we have selected represent departments from all faculties, ranging from the 1970s to the present.

Who can access the online theses?

The digital theses will be universally available to anyone on an open access basis. This means the theses will be distributed online, free of cost and other barriers to access.

Will the theses be available indefinitely?

Yes. The full text files will be preserved indefinitely. Copies of the full text files will also be held by the British Library.  The British Library will preserve all theses held in EThOS by uploading them to the Library’s digital store for long term preservation. This provides institutions with the reassurance the theses will be preserved in perpetuity and a back-up copy always available.

Will all theses be digitised?

Digitisation of the whole thesis collection is dependent on the outcome of the trial project. If the results of the project demonstrate a positive outcome in terms of usage and feedback, we will be in a position to recommend investment into the digitisation of the whole collection. All doctoral level theses would then be digitised with the exception of those theses which are unsuitable either because of format or content. Theses for which authors have refused permission for digitisation will not be included.

My thesis has been digitised and I want it taken down – how do I do this?

Lancaster University Library operates a strict takedown process facilitating the removal of any thesis. Details of the service’s take down policy can be found here  Thesis Takedown Policy . If you wish your thesis to be removed, please contact the library  with the details of your work, your own contact details and the reason for removal.

My thesis isn’t online yet – can it be digitised?

The best way to make your thesis available in digital format is to provide the Library with a .pdf copy of your thesis. We can upload the .pdf file to our research portal PURE and the thesis will be available via the EPrints repository immediately. Please contact the library  for further information.

A list of my publications can be found here . For those who prefer to search for me with an ORCiD, mine is 0000-0002-0041-4356 .

In the middle of April, 2021 I posted the first two major works of my thesis outlining a new theory for the expansion of stellar wind bubbles from clusters of massive stars in dense, turbulent molecular clouds (the sorts of places where these massive stars form). They are now published in the Astrophysical Journal. You can find an abridged explanation of these papers in a Twitter thread I wrote when I posted them.

In March of 2019 I was observing at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. I was there part of a research plan looking for exceptionally strange objects. When you go looking for strange things, you end up finding some, not necessarily the type you were looking for.

I went to undergrad at Carnegie Mellon University, intending to double major in physics and philosophy, I eventually got too hooked on math and switched to physics and mathematics, specializing in astrophysics. Inspired by my undergrad research in Galactic Dynamics with Dr. Matthew Walker and my summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) in Cosmology with Dr. Lloyd Knox , I applied to graduate school in astrophysics. Before I started the PhD program in the Princeton Astrophysics Department, I completed Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) at Cambridge University in England. While in Cambridge I did research with Dr. Vasily Belokurov and Dr. Wyn Evans on the structure of the Milky Way’s Stellar Halo. Since starting my PhD at Princeton in 2017 I have worked on a large variety of topics in Astrophysics. My work under Dr. David Spergel has caused me to travel often to the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) where I have also collaborated with many other researchers. I have also worked closely with Dr. Jenny Greene on observational projects related to Intermediate Mass Black Holes. In 2019 I started my thesis work with Dr. Eve Ostriker , though I also work closely with Dr. Chang-Goo Kim and Dr. Jeong-Gyu Kim . The main guiding goal of my thesis, and my planned future work, is to try to understand the magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD), stellar dynamic, and feedback processes involved in star formation in dense environments. I am particularly interested in the outstanding problem of Multiple Populations in Globular Star Clusters , and how feedback from forming stars can act to chemically enrich gas that subsequently forms more stars, creating chemically distinct but co-natal populations. In order to tackle this larger goal, I have found that we must first form a much better understanding of how winds from massive stars interact with the dense environments in which these stars form. The improved understanding of stellar wind feedback given by my thesis work has also allowed us to have a much better understanding of star-formation works in normal star forming environments (in our own Milky Way) as well as in forming Super Star Clusters (the closest we can get to an observable version of a forming Globular Cluster).

Jack R Lancaster, Jr. PhD

My journey as a scientist.

"It may well be that the single most important influence in my youth that shaped my future was growing up on a farm in West Tennessee. Everything in Life is revealed-large, happy and sad—and there I developed the obsession to understand, really understand, everything I could about the magical phenomenon we call Life. And I knew that in order to do that, I must prepare myself by seeking out the most rigorous training I could in the hard sciences (mathematics, chemistry, physics)."

Affiliation

University of Pittsburgh

School of Medicine

E13588 Thomas E Starzl Biomedical Science Tower

200 Lothrop Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15261

 www.doctorno.org

412-648-9319

Email: 

 [email protected]

MAJOR INSPIRATIONAL/INTELLECTUAL

Judith Lancaster

Jack and Shirley Lancaster

Margaret Gade

Peter Hinkle

Efraim Racker

Henry Kamin

John Salerno

Richard Simmons

Bruce Freeman

Lou Ignarro

"FAVORITE QUOTE

"If the day comes when the slime of the laboratory for the first time crawls under Man’s direction, we shall have great need of humbleness. It will be difficult for us to believe, in our pride of achievement, that the secret of Life has slipped through our fingers and eludes us still. We will list all the chemicals and the reactions. The men who have become gods will pose austerely before the popping flashbulbs of news photographers, and there will be few to consider —  so deep is the mind-set of an age —  whether the desire to link Life to Matter may not have blinded us to the more remarkable characteristics of both."

Loren Eisley  " The Immense Journey" (Preface for my Ph.D. Dissertation, 1974)

CURRENT SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS

Mentoring Young Investigators

Didactic Training Lectures on Chemical Foundations of Reactive Species for Biologists

NO and Cellular Iron

Skip to content

School of Physics

College of sciences, search form, college of sciences faculty and staff honored at spring sciences celebration.

Download photos from this year’s Sciences Celebration on the College of Sciences’ Flickr . 

Members of the College of Sciences community gathered at Harrison Square on May 8 to recognize outstanding faculty and staff as part of the 2023-2024 academic year Spring Sciences Celebration. 

“It is always a pleasure to honor faculty who excel in teaching and research,” says Susan Lozier , dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, and professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences , “and to celebrate staff members across our College who are exceptionally committed to service and excellence.”

During the annual event, Lozier also recognized faculty and staff members who recently retired. 

This year’s honorees include:

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

The Cullen-Peck Fellowship Awards were established by Frank Cullen (‘73 Math, MS ‘76 ISyE, PhD ‘84 ISyE) and Elizabeth Peck (‘75 Math, MS ‘76 ISyE) to encourage the development of especially promising mid-career faculty:

• Wenjing Liao , Mathematics 
• Jenny McGuire , Biological Sciences
• Elisabetta Matsumoto , Physics

The Gretzinger Moving Forward Award , endowed by Ralph Gretzinger (‘70 Math) and named to honor his late wife Jewel , recognizes the leadership of a school chair or senior faculty member who has played a pivotal role in diversifying the composition of tenure-track faculty, creating a family-friendly work environment, and providing a supportive environment for early-career faculty:

• Michael Lacey , Mathematics

The Eric R. Immel Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching , endowed by Charles Crawford (‘71 Math), honors exemplary instruction of lower division foundational courses. It honors the late School of Mathematics professor Eric R. Immel, who greatly influenced Crawford’s undergraduate experience at the Institute:

• Samantha Wilson , Earth and Atmospheric Sciences   

The Leddy Family Dean’s Faculty Excellence Award , established by Jeff Leddy (’78 Physics) and Pam Leddy , supports a faculty member at the associate professor level with proven accomplishments in research and teaching:

Simon Sponberg , Physics

The Faculty Mentor Award , established jointly by the College of Sciences and its ADVANCE Professor, awards the efforts and achievements of our faculty members who mentor fellow faculty:

Shana Kerr , Biological Sciences

RESEARCH FACULTY AWARDS

The Outstanding Junior Research Faculty Award and Outstanding Senior Research Faculty Award honor postdoctoral and non-tenure track research faculty who have made exceptional research contributions with significant impact on their field of study:

Outstanding Junior Research Faculty : Yinghao Wen , Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Outstanding Senior Research Faculty : Anna Österholm , Chemistry and Biochemistry

The Research Faculty Community Trailblazer Award recognizes postdoctoral and non-tenure track research faculty who have demonstrated and sustained leadership that strengthens the sense of community among research faculty within the College of Sciences:

• Jessica Bowman , Chemistry and Biochemistry  

STAFF AWARDS

The College of Sciences Staff Awards are made possible by funding from the Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Dean’s Chair endowment. They include:

The Exceptional Staff Member Award and Staff Excellence Awards honor College of Sciences staff who exemplify outstanding performance above and beyond the call of duty — positively impacting the strategic goals of their department and the College, consistently providing excellent service within their school or the overall College, and demonstrating exemplary teamwork.  

Exceptional Staff Member Award

• Verene Lancaster , Biological Sciences

Staff Excellence Awards

• Lea Marzo , Center for Promoting Inclusion and Equity in the Sciences

Faith Taylor , Dean’s Office

The Leadership in Action Staff Award and Excellence in Leadership Staff Awards recognize College of Sciences staff who have made exceptional contributions to the College through innovative and strategic leadership, change management, business process improvement, special project leadership, and similar accomplishments.

Leadership in Action Staff Award

Erin Nagle , Dean’s Office

Excellence in Leadership Staff Awards

Monica Branch , Chemistry and Biochemistry

Troy Hilley , Academic and Research Computing Services

Related Media

2024 Spring Sciences Celebration Honorees

For More Information Contact

Writer:  Lindsay C. Vidal Assistant Director of Communications College of Sciences

Related Links

• Celebrating Tenure: Spring 2024
• 2024 Faculty and Staff Honors Luncheon
• CTL Celebrates 2024 Teaching Assistant and Future Faculty Awardees
• Tech Faculty Receive Regents' Distinctions

Georgia Tech Resources

• Offices & Departments
• News Center
• Campus Calendar
• Special Events
• Institute Communications

Visitor Resources

• Campus Visits
• Directions to Campus
• Visitor Parking Information
• GTvisitor Wireless Network Information
• Georgia Tech Global Learning Center
• Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center
• Barnes & Noble at Georgia Tech
• Ferst Center for the Arts
• Robert C. Williams Paper Museum

Georgia Institute of Technology North Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30332 Phone: 404-894-2000

Georgia Institute of Technology North Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30332 404.894.2000

• Emergency Information
• Enable Accessibility
• Legal & Privacy Information
• Human Trafficking Notice
• Title IX/Sexual Misconduct
• Hazing Public Disclosures
• Accessibility
• Accountability
• Accreditation

© Georgia Institute of Technology