NOWNano The University of Manchester and Lancaster

What is NOWNano?

NOWNANO builds on the world-leading expertise in all nanoscience within Manchester and Lancaster universities to offer a broad interdisciplinary doctoral training centre. PhD students will receive initial training that will show them the breadth and potential of nanoscience before they focus on mastering one specific area of the subject. Throughout the research training, the cohort will meet and discuss their research, building a group of outstanding scientists that will help to lead world research in nanoscience in the future.


PhD in NanoScience

Applications are invited for up to 20 PhD places in a Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) in NanoScience. NOWNano involves top-rated research groups from the Schools of Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Materials, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Pharmacy and Medicine at Manchester, and the Department of Physics in Lancaster University. Students will receive state of the art research training in key techniques before embarking on a 3.5 years research project in one of the large spectrum of projects.

Our Research

The research remit of NOWNANO DTC is very broad, reflecting the fact that Nanoscience is inherently interdisciplinary. Our doctoral training centre involves nine different Schools or more than 20 research groups. Recent research highlights include:

• The development of graphene – the only strictly two-dimensional material, promising a myriad of applications (graphene was discovered in 2003 by The Manchester Condensed Matter group, which remains the world-leader in this fast developing field)
• New man-made metamaterials for nanophotonics
• Nano-structures for data storage
• Liquid crystals applications in nanophotonics and as biosensors
• Nanostructured materials for the next generation photovoltaics
• Making and studying quantum dots for applications such as display technology, lighting, solar cells and biological imaging.
• Synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles and fabrication of nanostructured ceramic coatings
• THz nanoelectronics, quantum switches and rectifiers
• Using nanoparticles for tissue engineering
• Molecular magnets for quantum information processing