We are delighted to announce the studentships awarded to academic partners as part of the first cohort of the NQCC Doctoral Studentship Scheme.
Through this scheme, we’ll be supporting 5 cohorts, totalling 30 PhD students over the next 8 years, to advance cutting-edge research in quantum computing. The funding is being provided through the EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA), with the NQCC as the industrial partner.
We received over 40 project ideas through our expressions of interest call, from over 20 universities across the UK. The final six were selected through our two-stage application process and assessed based on technical merit, strategic alignment and project planning.
The first cohort of six studentships are awarded to:
- Dr Gabriel Araneda and Professor David Lucas at the University of Oxford
- Dr Oliver Thomson Brown and Dr Joschka Roffe at the University of Edinburgh
- Professor Animesh Datta and Professor Tom Goffrey at the University of Warwick
- Dr Mario Gely and Professor David Lucas at the University of Oxford
- Dr Dominik Leichtle and Professor Elham Kashefi at the University of Edinburgh
- Professor Martin Weides at the University of Glasgow
The awarded projects cover some of the most exciting and important areas in quantum computing, including trapped ions, superconducting circuits, neutral atoms and quantum applications development. These collaborations will push the boundaries of what’s possible and play a vital role in the ongoing development of quantum technologies.
Congratulating the winners, Dr Simon Plant, Deputy Director for Innovation at the NQCC said, “We received a fantastic response from the academic community to our call for PhD projects. We are very excited to work with the successful academics over the coming years, addressing key technology challenges to help accelerate the development and use of quantum computing.”
Why does this matter?
Building a skilled quantum workforce is crucial to unlocking the full potential of quantum computing and ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of this transformative technology. The NQCC is proud to support the next generation of quantum researchers who will help tackle some of the biggest research challenges.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the call for PhD projects. We’re excited to work with our academic partners in the years ahead to advance the UK’s quantum capabilities and create real-world impact. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this first cohort!