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About the Project

Northumbria University, Faculty of Engineering and Environment

Application Deadline: 26 February 2025

Start date: 1st October 2025

Project Reference: ReNU+24/EE/MPEE/RAJASEKARAN

Project Title: DT-CREED: Digital Twin for Cyber-physical Resilient and Equitable Electricity Distribution 

In order to improve resilience and equity of power distribution systems, innovative approaches are needed as we move towards a low-carbon energy future. The complexity of distribution networks has increased due to growing integration of renewable energy sources, making it more difficult to guarantee the safe, equitable, and dependable transmission of electricity. By creating cutting-edge digital twin framework using sophisticated computational and data imputation techniques to modernise electricity distribution systems, this PhD project, DT-CREED: Digital Twin for Cyber-physical Resilient and Equitable Electricity Distribution, seeks to address these issues.

Research Objectives:

This project will focus on the following objectives:

• Data Imputation and Analytics: Novel algorithms for dealing with incomplete or sparse smart meter data are being developed using matrix completion and compressed sensing approaches.
• Hybrid Modelling Framework: Combining physics-based models (e.g., radial EMTP algorithms) with data-driven methodologies such as physics-informed neural networks to account for external factors such as demand response, climate change, and consumer fluctuation.
• Enhancements to cybersecurity: It involves in development of lightweight encryption techniques to ensure real-time communication between the digital twin and physical distribution systems while maintaining efficiency.
• Validation and Testing: Real-world testing of the digital twin using Opal-RT simulations to simulate operational scenarios, including cyber-attacks.
• Equity in Energy Distribution: Investigating techniques for incorporating equity issues into network design, guaranteeing inclusive and equitable access to energy resources.

Collaboration and Research Environment

This research is a collaboration between Electrical Power and Control Systems Research Group in the Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Electrical Engineering and the Networks and Cyber Security Research Group in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Northumbria University. The successful candidate will benefit from multidisciplinary expertise of supervisors, including Dr. James Rajasekaran, a specialist in power-systems, and Dr. Biju Issac, expert in cybersecurity. Access to the university’s cutting-edge facilities, such as Opal-RT real-time simulation lab, will provide an unparalleled environment for groundbreaking research.

Training and Skill Development

The candidate will become trained in sophisticated power system modeling, modern data science techniques, and cybersecurity. Training will include real-time simulation tools, data analytics approaches, and cutting-edge digital twin development methodologies. The candidate will have the opportunity to participate in teaching and mentoring activities, gaining a full skill set for future academic or industrial jobs.

This project provides a unique chance to contribute to the transformation of energy systems while tackling major global concerns such as energy resilience, fairness, sustainability. If you have a passion in creating a real-world difference through innovative research, we encourage you to apply.

Academic Enquiries

This project is supervised by Dr. James Ranjith Kumar Rajasekaran. For informal queries, contact james.rajasekaran@northumbria.ac.uk. All other enquiries relating to eligibility or application process email pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Academic excellence i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities with preference for 1st class honours); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement. However, a 3 or 2:2 may be considered with relevant work experience, skills and/or expertise, please contact the Institution Director, vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk for info. 
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required. 
• Applicants cannot apply if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere. Home applicants can apply for a second PhD if they wish under a different research area. International students are advised to email pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk
• Must be able to commit to campus-based full-time or part-time study.

To be classed as a Home-student, candidates must: 

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or 
• have settled status, or 
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or 
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter. 

If a candidate doesn't meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student.   

Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence. Note the following are not covered by studentship. 

• Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application  
• Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/student-visa.
• Costs associated with English Language requirements.  

International applicants (including EU) must have valid immigration permissions to live and study in UK if they wish to study on a part-time basis. Northumbria University doesn't sponsor part-time student visas.

How to Apply

Please follow the step by step guidance below:

1. Use the following link for Full time PhD application OR use the following link for Part time PhD application
2. Click Apply Now at the top of the page
3. Choose October 25 and click Apply Now
4. Create a new account
5. Please complete the PhD application form in full
6. Include the advert reference (e.g. ReNU+24/…)
7. Upload degree certificates, transcripts and English qualifications (if applicable).
8. Upload your CV under the ‘Experience section’. This is MANDATORY.
9. In the personal statement section, select ‘no’ and type ‘no personal statement required’ in the box.
10. Research proposal is NOT required. Upload a blank document to progress your application. Choose 'Yes' to the question ‘Are you applying for a UKRI studentship?’ and then choose ‘EPSRC ReNU Plus’.
11. Choose ‘Scholarship’ under source of funding.
12. Post submission, you need to login to the applicant portal to complete a competency assessment form.

Deadline for applications:

26 February 2025 

Start date of course:

1 October 2025 

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our postgraduate research students. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. 

Funding Notes

Home and International students (inc. EU) are welcome to apply. The studentship is available to Home and International (including EU) students and 100% fees covered for four years and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £20,780 (2025/26 UKRI rate). An additional allowance will be provided to contribute towards consumables, equipment, and travel related to the project. 

Studentships are also available for applicants who wish to study on a part-time basis (0.6 FTE, stipend £12,468 per year and full tuition fees).

Please see additional costs that may apply to international applicants. We have limited number of International awards available.

References

J. R. K. Rajasekaran, et. al., "Modified Matrix Completion-Based Detection of Stealthy Data Manipulation Attacks in Low Observable Distribution Systems," in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 2023
Munikoti, S., et. al., “Robustness assessment of Hetero-functional graph theory based model of interdependent urban utility networks.” Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2021
Tirulo, A. , et. al., Ensemble LOF-based detection of false data injection in smart grid demand response system, Computers and Electrical Engineering, 2024
R. J. R. Kumar, et. al., "Electromagnetic Transients-Based Detection of Data Manipulation Attacks in Three Phase Radial Distribution Networks," in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 2022

About the Project

Northumbria University, Faculty of Engineering and Environment

Application Deadline: 26 February 2025

Start date: 1st October 2025.  

Project Reference: ReNU+24/EE/MCE/XING

Project Title: Innovative Biopolymer Electrolytes with Enhanced Sodium-Ion Conductivity for Sustainable Battery Solutions 

Join the Charge Towards a Greener Future!

By 2050, the UK aims to achieve a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to 1990 levels. This goal underscores the urgent need for sustainable energy storage technologies to facilitate transition to net-zero emissions. Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries are emerging as a promising, cost-effective alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, particularly large-scale energy storage solutions. While lithium-ion batteries have transformed energy storage, their reliance on scarce materials like lithium and cobalt raises significant environmental and safety concerns. In contrast, sodium is abundant and inexpensive, making it an attractive alternative. This project focuses on developing sodium-ion quasi-solid-state batteries using biopolymeric electrolytes derived from biomass waste, paving the way for a more sustainable, safer, and efficient approach to energy storage.

Project Highlights:

• Cutting-Edge Materials Discovery: This research will innovate a materials discovery process that integrates computational chemistry, materials science, and artificial intelligence. By accelerating identification of high-performance materials, we aim to reduce the material discovery timeline from years to just months, facilitating commercialization of sustainable sodium-ion batteries.
• Hands-On Research: The successful candidate will engage in various aspects of the project, starting with identification of promising biopolymer candidates through AI atomistic modelling and molecular dynamics simulations. You will assess sodium-ion transport properties, structural flexibility, and ion conductivity.
• Advanced Validation Techniques: Following initial modelling, you'll employ density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to validate the most promising materials, calculating energy barriers for Na-ion migration, simulating ion transport under diverse operational conditions. While primarily computational, there'll be opportunities to validate models with experimental results, ensuring the development of optimized biopolymeric electrolytes.

What We Offer:

• Dynamic Multidisciplinary Environment: Work with top experts in computational chemistry, materials science, and artificial intelligence, gaining invaluable insights and experience.
• Strong Supervision Team: Benefit from guidance of top experts, including Dr. Lu Xing (Sustainable Energy Scientist), Dr. Ulugbek Azimov (Battery Expert), Dr. James Dawson (Scientist in Energy Material, Solid State Batteries), and Dr. Ioan-Bogdan Magdău (Scientist in Theory and Computation, Machine Learning).
• State-of-the-Art Facilities: Access cutting-edge research facilities and engage with industry partners for potential commercialisation of your work.

Candidate Profile:

We seek a motivated candidate with a background in computational chemistry, materials science, or chemical engineering, who have strong interests in sustainable energy storage technologies and passion for interdisciplinary research.

If you're excited about advancing battery technology and contributing to a sustainable future, we encourage you to apply!

Academic Enquiries

This project is supervised by Dr. Lu Xing. For informal queries, contact lu.xing@northumbria.ac.uk. All other enquiries relating to eligibility or application process email pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Academic excellence i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities with preference for 1st class honours); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement. However, a 3 or 2:2 may be considered with relevant work experience, skills and/or expertise, please contact the Institution Director, vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk for info. 
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required. 
• Applicants cannot apply if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere. Home applicants can apply for a second PhD if they wish under a different research area. International students are advised to email pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk
• Must be able to commit to campus-based full-time or part-time study.

To be classed as a Home-student, candidates must: 

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or 
• have settled status, or 
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or 
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter. 

If a candidate doesn't meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student.   

Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence. Note the following are not covered by studentship. 

• Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application  
• Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/student-visa.
• Costs associated with English Language requirements.  

International applicants (including EU) must have valid immigration permissions to live and study in UK if they wish to study on a part-time basis. Northumbria University doesn't sponsor part-time student visas.

How to Apply

Please follow the step by step guidance below:

1. Use the following link for Full time PhD application OR use the following link for Part time PhD application
2. Click Apply Now at the top of the page
3. Choose October 25 and click Apply Now
4. Create a new account
5. Please complete the PhD application form in full
6. Include the advert reference (e.g. ReNU+24/…)
7. Upload degree certificates, transcripts and English qualifications (if applicable).
8. Upload your CV under the ‘Experience section’. This is MANDATORY.
9. In the personal statement section, select ‘no’ and type ‘no personal statement required’ in the box.
10. Research proposal is NOT required. Upload a blank document to progress your application. Choose 'Yes' to the question ‘Are you applying for a UKRI studentship?’ and then choose ‘EPSRC ReNU Plus’.
11. Choose ‘Scholarship’ under source of funding.
12. Post submission, you need to login to the applicant portal to complete a competency assessment form.

Deadline for applications:

26 February 2025 

Start date of course:

1 October 2025 

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our postgraduate research students. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. 

Funding Notes

Home and International students (inc. EU) are welcome to apply. The studentship is available to Home and International (including EU) students and 100% fees covered for four years and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £20,780 (2025/26 UKRI rate). An additional allowance will be provided to contribute towards consumables, equipment, and travel related to the project. 

Studentships are also available for applicants who wish to study on a part-time basis (0.6 FTE, stipend £12,468 per year and full tuition fees).

Please see additional costs that may apply to international applicants. We have limited number of International awards available.

A key objective for ReNU⁺ CDT is to recruit more diverse and inclusive cohorts of Doctoral Carbon Champions (DCCs).

ReNU⁺ welcomes and encourages applications from candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences such as: 

• candidates from ethnic minorities  
• those from a disadvantaged socio-economic and alternative backgrounds, first generation in their family to go to university  
• those with caring responsibilities 
• those with disabilities (physical, neurodivergent etc…) 

Find out further information at the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.

Programme Duration: 4 years (Full Time). Studentships are also available for applicants who wish to study on a part-time basis (please see individual adverts on findaphd for further details).   

Funding: Each studentship supports a full stipend, paid for four years at UKRI rates (for 2025/26 full-time study this is £20,780 per year) and full tuition fees and a Research Training Support Grant (for travel, consumables, and further training). UK and international (including EU) candidates may apply. 

Please access the FindaPhD landing page for ReNU⁺ here.

Please see individual adverts for details on entry requirements as these vary between university and project. 

If you do not hold the entry requirements but you feel you have evidence of relevant skills and expertise that is equivalent, please get in touch with both the project contact and relevant institution director.    

Please note: to be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• have settled status, or
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student. Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence, and be aware of the following additional costs that may be incurred, as these are not covered by the studentship.

Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application

If you need to apply for a Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to the information on https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. It is important that you read this information very carefully as it is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct funds required for your visa application otherwise your visa may be refused.

Costs associated with English Language requirements which may be required for students not having completed a first degree in English, will not be borne by the university. Please see individual adverts for further details of the English Language requirements for the university you are applying to.

Please access the FindaPhD landing page for ReNU⁺ here.

Application Process

Deadline for PhD projects still open for applications: 26th February 2025

PhD Start Date : 1st October 2025

Please see individual ReNU⁺ CDT project advertisements on the APPLY NOW page, and follow the instructions on how to apply detailed within the project advertisement.

If you wish to discuss your application informally and/or if you do not hold the entry requirements but you feel you have evidence of relevant skills and expertise that is equivalent, then please contact the relevant ReNU⁺ Institution Director for the project you are interested in which at Northumbria is Prof Vincent Barrioz (vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk), at Newcastle, Prof Elizabeth Gibson (elizabeth.gibson@newcastle.ac.uk) and at Durham, Prof Chris Groves (chris.groves@durham.ac.uk).

You will need to prepare the following as part of your application:

1. Prepare your answers to the ReNU Plus Competency Assessment Questions.  For Northumbria University projects, answers are to be submitted via the Northumbria University Applicant Portal after you have submitted your PhD application form. Please see detailed step by step instructions in the project advert on the APPLY NOW page. (Note that we will not be assessing any project proposal/research statement).
2. Your Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. Any other documents requested by the institution you are applying for. Please see respective University Application Portal for further info.
4. Complete the PhD application form on the university application portal.

By submitting your application to ReNU⁺ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU⁺ privacy notice.

What our ReNU⁺ CDT Director, Professor Neil Beattie says:

We need a supply of talented next-generation leaders who will drive getting towards Net Zero. Programs like ReNU and ReNU Plus really focus on making sure those people understand the wider context for energy, not just their individual research project, but also things like the energy system, energy policy, and also finance and economics associated with getting towards Net Zero.

What our current ReNU CDT students say:

Why did you choose to pursue a PhD?

"I'm a PhD scholar in Northumbria University funded by ReNU. I chose to pursue my PhD because of my passion in material science and engineering and to contribute towards the digital sustainable technologies. "

"I decided to pursue a PhD was because I really enjoyed my master's project and I realized that doing more research would probably be very interesting to me. The long answer is that I've always thought of research as one of the things I wanted to do so it made sense in terms of my future path."

Why did you choose to apply for the ReNU program specifically? 

"I chose to apply in the ReNU program specifically because it focuses on the interdisciplinary research and the renewable energy. ReNU is actually part of three universities that is Northumbria, Newcastle and Durham University. So this gives us more support from various experts in the field and the state of art that we are working on."

"The ReNU training program brings in a lot of support so there's to begin with very wide lectures on what kind of problems we're facing in terms of reaching net zero or just the energy problem. There's also a lot of help with careers advice and stuff like progression."

What would you say are the benefits of being part of a cohort of students?

"The benefits for being part of the cohort of students is that it creates a collaborative environment for everyone and we all can interact with each other and this creates a good support network and exchange of ideas and research which actually helps us in our research. And secondly, with the help of this, we can have access to various labs, be it Northumbria University, be it Durham University or Newcastle University, for example, in my research I need TEM for morphological studies of the films. And it's not in Northumbria University and I'm planning to use the one that is in Durham. So it actually helps to overcome the barriers."

"Being part of a cohort is really motivating for me because I can talk about what I'm facing and find someone with similar problems or find solace in the fact that we're all stuck in the same problems but also it's more than that it's sharing experiences and ways to deal with certain problems that a normal PhD student might not be able to have."

In terms of the ReNU Plus program specifically, what would your advice be to future students who might be interested in that?

"I would highly recommend that they join the ReNU Plus program. They're going to find access to a lot of different resources within the program spanning from biology, physics, electrical engineering and chemistry and they're going to have crossovers with industry partners to find job opportunities as they go further afield."

Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.