Transform Your Career
with an Interdisciplinary PhD in Sustainable Chemical Technologies

Join an interdisciplinary programme addressing global challenges like CO₂ utilization, plastics pollution, and sustainable materials, while benefiting from cutting-edge research and industry partnerships.

Insights from Our Supervisors

Discover how our supervisors guide and collaborate with students to tackle global sustainability challenges.

Alumni Case Studies

3D-Printed Ceramic Ink Removing ‘Forever Chemicals’ From Water

Case Study

Sustainable Seaweed Packaging StartUp: Kelpi

Case Study

Revolutionising the Recycling of Laboratory Plastic Waste: LabCycle

Case Study

Advance Global Sustainability with a PhD in Chemical Technologies

Join an innovative programme that empowers scientists and engineers to address the world's most pressing environmental challenges through interdisciplinary research and cutting-edge industry collaboration.

Gain expertise in tackling issues like CO₂ utilization, plastics pollution, and circular resource management.

Access a 4-year fully funded programme, including a foundational MRes year.

Collaborate with industry leaders through partnerships with iCAST and over 100 clean tech companies.

Be part of a dynamic research environment at the Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC).

Build a career driving innovation in sustainable chemical technologies for a greener future.

Join a thriving alumni network making an impact and driving innovation in industry, policy, and research.

Hughes Scholarships

For the Integrated PhD programme starting in 2026/27, we are also offering three Hughes Scholarships to support doctoral research in Sustainability.

Each scholarship includes:

Tuition fees at the Home rate

A generous annual Training Support Fund

A maintenance stipend at the UKRI minimum rate

For details of the current UKRI stipend level, please see:

UKRI-funded students

Application deadline: 22 February 2026

Scholarships will be awarded to the top three applicants, following interview.

For More Info Click Here

*These Hughes Scholarships are offered in addition to other funding routes available within the Integrated PhD programme.

Apply Now

Our Research Themes

Research

The PhD Journey

The CDT offers an interdisciplinary PhD programme that trains scientists and engineers in adopting a whole-systems approach to sustainable chemical technologies. Focused on addressing critical global challenges such as the replacement of fossil fuels, CO2 utilization, plastics pollution, and the development of sustainable materials and processes, the CDT equips students with the skills to drive advancements in resource-efficient, circular technologies. The CDT is based within the interdisciplinary Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC). The CDT will also operate in close partnership with our Swindon-based Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST) which supports a cluster of over 100 sustainable technology companies, providing a dynamic innovation-focused context for PhD training.

Students benefit from a comprehensive 4-year programme, starting with a foundational MRes year that includes projects in two different departments to broaden their expertise and foster interdisciplinary collaboration, followed by PhD research projects aimed at developing practical, impactful solutions for a sustainable future.

Research Technical Training Transferable Skills

Year 1 Units

Semester 1

Core Training

Compulsory Unit : Systems Thinking

Cross Disciplinary Training

Optional Units - students must choose one.

Academic supervision

Compulsory Unit

Semester 2

Sustainable Chemical Technologies

Optional units - students must choose three

Director of Studies approved option allowed: students may be permitted to take a Director of Studies approved option as an alternative to one of the units from this list.

Read here for more information

Academic supervision

Compulsory Unit