PhD Chemistry
Join a School that is finding solutions to global problems through cutting-edge research. We are working in a wide range of areas including cleaner energy, sustainable synthesis, new materials health care and drug discovery. We are looking for passionate research students to help us make a difference to people and the environment.
Join a thriving research environment with 160 postgraduate students and 60 post-doctoral fellows from all corners of the globe.
Our research themes are:
For more in-depth information about our research themes, view our individual webpages where you will find about more about supervisors and alumni as well as current and previous research.
Centre for Doctoral Training
These are the current CDTs and DTPs at Nottingham that have projects related to chemistry. There are a number of PhD studentships available each year in a wide range of research areas.
You will complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in-depth to an examination panel.
A PhD is an independent in-depth research project. You will be able to develop additional skills through training programmes to help you complete your PhD. See the support section for more details.
In each year you will have regular meetings with your supervisor and an annual review.
Past PhD projects have included:
An MSc is a one-year full time degree that consists of a research project that is worth up to 180 credits with the option to study masters-level taught modules. We run MSc projects in all of our research themes - please visit the themes you are interested in for further information.
Modules are usually taught by Assistant Professors to Full Professors.
An MSc is assessed by the research project and the taught modules. The pass rate for taught modules is 50%.
In this module, invited lectures from industrial speakers will teach real examples of greener processes in the chemical industry.
This module will increase your knowledge and understanding of the importance of materials in energy generation, storage and transport, and the challenges of identifying feedstock material. This will include a review of:
This module outlines how sustainable synthesis can be achieved by enzymes and whole cells, both on their own and in combination with other synthetic methods.
You will be given a detailed appreciation of the major challenges facing the chemical-using community. The module will cover sustainable methods for the construction of C-C bonds and C-Heteroatom bonds, in order to access high-value materials, and the best available methods for changes in oxidation level (both oxidation and reduction), as well as routine functional group interconversions.
Emphasis will be placed upon catalytic methods (where appropriate). The need to adopt alternative ‘green’ solvents will be covered, and a range of new and emerging reaction media will be discussed. The use of metrics (eg process mass intensity, E-factor, atom efficiency) will be discussed, and these will be applied to a variety of chemical processes to assess the strengths and merits of each.
Examples from the chemical industry will be used to show how the use of metrics can lead to the development of ‘greener’ pharmaceutical manufacturing routes.
Modern approaches to chemistry in-silico will be introduced including quantum chemistry and molecules mechanics.
Key concepts in quantum chemistry including the wavefunction, electron density, electron correlation, basis sets, potential energy surfaces and molecular properties, will be introduced.
These will be discussed qualitatively and in the context of the application of quantum chemistry to problems in molecular modelling. The discussion of molecular mechanics will include empirical force fields and molecular dynamics simulations.
Some emphasis will be placed on appreciating the merits and limitations of the different approaches. A hands-on approach to molecular modelling will be provided.
An MRes is a one-year full time degree that consists of a research project that is worth up to 180 credits with the option to study masters-level taught modules. We run MRes projects in all of our research themes - please visit the themes you are interested in for further information.
Modules are usually taught by Assistant Professors to Full Professors.
An MRes is assessed by the research project and the taught modules. The pass rate for taught modules is 50%.
In this module, invited lectures from industrial speakers will teach real examples of greener processes in the chemical industry.
This module will increase your knowledge and understanding of the importance of materials in energy generation, storage and transport, and the challenges of identifying feedstock material. This will include a review of:
You will be given a detailed appreciation of the major challenges facing the chemical-using community. The module will cover sustainable methods for the construction of C-C bonds and C-Heteroatom bonds, in order to access high-value materials, and the best available methods for changes in oxidation level (both oxidation and reduction), as well as routine functional group interconversions.
Emphasis will be placed upon catalytic methods (where appropriate). The need to adopt alternative ‘green’ solvents will be covered, and a range of new and emerging reaction media will be discussed. The use of metrics (eg process mass intensity, E-factor, atom efficiency) will be discussed, and these will be applied to a variety of chemical processes to assess the strengths and merits of each.
Examples from the chemical industry will be used to show how the use of metrics can lead to the development of ‘greener’ pharmaceutical manufacturing routes.
This module outlines how sustainable synthesis can be achieved by enzymes and whole cells, both on their own and in combination with other synthetic methods.
Modern approaches to chemistry in-silico will be introduced including quantum chemistry and molecules mechanics.
Key concepts in quantum chemistry including the wavefunction, electron density, electron correlation, basis sets, potential energy surfaces and molecular properties, will be introduced.
These will be discussed qualitatively and in the context of the application of quantum chemistry to problems in molecular modelling. The discussion of molecular mechanics will include empirical force fields and molecular dynamics simulations.
Some emphasis will be placed on appreciating the merits and limitations of the different approaches. A hands-on approach to molecular modelling will be provided.
You will have at least 10 documented meetings with your supervisor a year but you can typically expect to see them daily or weekly.
Other school staff are available to support you:
The school has a postgraduate forum run by students to discuss anything related to their studies.
We have a student-run society called ChemSoc. They organise academic and social activities.
Join a School that is finding solutions to global problems through cutting-edge research. We are working in a wide range of areas including cleaner energy, sustainable synthesis, new materials health care and drug discovery. We are looking for passionate research students to help us make a difference to people and the environment.
Join a thriving research environment with 160 postgraduate students and 60 post-doctoral fellows from all corners of the globe.
Our research themes are:
For more in-depth information about our research themes, view our individual webpages where you will find about more about supervisors and alumni as well as current and previous research.
Centre for Doctoral Training
These are the current CDTs and DTPs at Nottingham that have projects related to chemistry. There are a number of PhD studentships available each year in a wide range of research areas.
You will complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in-depth to an examination panel.
A PhD is an independent in-depth research project. You will be able to develop additional skills through training programmes to help you complete your PhD. See the support section for more details.
In each year you will have regular meetings with your supervisor and an annual review.
Past PhD projects have included:
An MSc is a one-year full time degree that consists of a research project that is worth up to 180 credits with the option to study masters-level taught modules. We run MSc projects in all of our research themes - please visit the themes you are interested in for further information.
Modules are usually taught by Assistant Professors to Full Professors.
An MSc is assessed by the research project and the taught modules. The pass rate for taught modules is 50%.
In this module, invited lectures from industrial speakers will teach real examples of greener processes in the chemical industry.
This module will increase your knowledge and understanding of the importance of materials in energy generation, storage and transport, and the challenges of identifying feedstock material. This will include a review of:
This module outlines how sustainable synthesis can be achieved by enzymes and whole cells, both on their own and in combination with other synthetic methods.
You will be given a detailed appreciation of the major challenges facing the chemical-using community. The module will cover sustainable methods for the construction of C-C bonds and C-Heteroatom bonds, in order to access high-value materials, and the best available methods for changes in oxidation level (both oxidation and reduction), as well as routine functional group interconversions.
Emphasis will be placed upon catalytic methods (where appropriate). The need to adopt alternative ‘green’ solvents will be covered, and a range of new and emerging reaction media will be discussed. The use of metrics (eg process mass intensity, E-factor, atom efficiency) will be discussed, and these will be applied to a variety of chemical processes to assess the strengths and merits of each.
Examples from the chemical industry will be used to show how the use of metrics can lead to the development of ‘greener’ pharmaceutical manufacturing routes.
Modern approaches to chemistry in-silico will be introduced including quantum chemistry and molecules mechanics.
Key concepts in quantum chemistry including the wavefunction, electron density, electron correlation, basis sets, potential energy surfaces and molecular properties, will be introduced.
These will be discussed qualitatively and in the context of the application of quantum chemistry to problems in molecular modelling. The discussion of molecular mechanics will include empirical force fields and molecular dynamics simulations.
Some emphasis will be placed on appreciating the merits and limitations of the different approaches. A hands-on approach to molecular modelling will be provided.
An MRes is a one-year full time degree that consists of a research project that is worth up to 180 credits with the option to study masters-level taught modules. We run MRes projects in all of our research themes - please visit the themes you are interested in for further information.
Modules are usually taught by Assistant Professors to Full Professors.
An MRes is assessed by the research project and the taught modules. The pass rate for taught modules is 50%.
In this module, invited lectures from industrial speakers will teach real examples of greener processes in the chemical industry.
This module will increase your knowledge and understanding of the importance of materials in energy generation, storage and transport, and the challenges of identifying feedstock material. This will include a review of:
You will be given a detailed appreciation of the major challenges facing the chemical-using community. The module will cover sustainable methods for the construction of C-C bonds and C-Heteroatom bonds, in order to access high-value materials, and the best available methods for changes in oxidation level (both oxidation and reduction), as well as routine functional group interconversions.
Emphasis will be placed upon catalytic methods (where appropriate). The need to adopt alternative ‘green’ solvents will be covered, and a range of new and emerging reaction media will be discussed. The use of metrics (eg process mass intensity, E-factor, atom efficiency) will be discussed, and these will be applied to a variety of chemical processes to assess the strengths and merits of each.
Examples from the chemical industry will be used to show how the use of metrics can lead to the development of ‘greener’ pharmaceutical manufacturing routes.
This module outlines how sustainable synthesis can be achieved by enzymes and whole cells, both on their own and in combination with other synthetic methods.
Modern approaches to chemistry in-silico will be introduced including quantum chemistry and molecules mechanics.
Key concepts in quantum chemistry including the wavefunction, electron density, electron correlation, basis sets, potential energy surfaces and molecular properties, will be introduced.
These will be discussed qualitatively and in the context of the application of quantum chemistry to problems in molecular modelling. The discussion of molecular mechanics will include empirical force fields and molecular dynamics simulations.
Some emphasis will be placed on appreciating the merits and limitations of the different approaches. A hands-on approach to molecular modelling will be provided.
You will have at least 10 documented meetings with your supervisor a year but you can typically expect to see them daily or weekly.
Other school staff are available to support you:
The school has a postgraduate forum run by students to discuss anything related to their studies.
We have a student-run society called ChemSoc. They organise academic and social activities.
