Supervisors: Professor Marc Stettler, Dr Sebastian Eastham
Start date: October 2027
Application deadline: 4 January 2027
Introduction: The Brahmal Institute invites applications for its October 2027 Doctoral Programme in Sustainable Aviation (DPSA). Under the 2027 strategic theme sustainability across stakeholders, the cohort will undertake interdisciplinary research addressing aviation sustainability from a systems perspective, recognising the interconnected roles of airports, airlines, air traffic management, aircraft and passengers. Alongside their individual projects, students will benefit from shared learning, specialist training, networking and outreach, fostering collaboration to drive system-wide change towards more sustainable aviation.
Project overview: Contrail avoidance is one of aviation’s most promising near-term climate interventions, but wider adoption depends on flight crew engagement and reliable feedback on contrail formation. While some airlines collect pilot observations, reporting remains fragmented and unstandardised. This project will design and evaluate a collaborative system for sharing contrail observations across airlines and air navigation service providers, combining pilot input, aircraft and camera data, and governance frameworks to improve forecasting, verification and operational decision-making.
General Information:
- Duration: 3.5 years
- Funding: Full coverage of tuition fees. a generous travel budget, and an annual tax-free stipend of £23,805.
Eligibility:
- Having obtained or expect to obtain a 1st class honours Master’s (or higher) degree in Aerospace Engineering or allied disciplines such as Computational Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics.
- Ability to develop and apply new concepts while prioritising work in response to deadlines.
- Creative approach to problem-solving.
- Ability to organise own work with minimal supervision.
- Excellent background in numerical methods, and scientific computing.
- Excellent verbal and written technical communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication
- Demonstrated understanding of and passion for sustainability.
- We are accepting applications from both Home and International students
Imperial is committed to equality and valuing diversity. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident Employer and are working in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people.
Further Information: To learn more about Imperial College, please go to http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg
For further inquiries, contact us at brahmal-institute@imperial.ac.uk
Full coverage of tuition fees. a generous travel budget, and an annual tax-free stipend of £23,805
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PhD Studentship: Reporting what pilots can see: a collaborative system for sharing contrail observations across airlines and air traffic management employer: Imperial College London
Imperial College London is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within the International Relations Office. Employees benefit from professional growth opportunities, a commitment to diversity, and the chance to engage in meaningful projects that have a global impact, all set in the heart of one of the world's leading academic institutions.
