PhD Programmes

PhD programmes at Técnico are provided in association with national and international universities and, in some cases, a dual degree is granted. Students actively participate in national and international research projects, they are encouraged to patent their ideas and to develop an entrepreneurial attitude. For further information please contact the Postgraduate and Continuing Education Unit.

University of Padova Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
Consorzio RFX
University of Padova
Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear
Instituto Superior Técnico
Università degli Studi
di Napoli Federico II

Joint Research Doctorate in Fusion Science and Engineering

Objectives

The new organization of the European fusion program gives strong emphasis to education and training, since to enter successfully the "ITER era", the European fusion community needs to boost the number of its scientists, both in engineering and in physics.

As far as the education program is concerned, key players will be fusion oriented PhD doctoral schools. For this reason, a doctoral programme (Joint Doctorate and Doctoral Network) on "Fusion Science and Engineering" is set up among a group of European Universities which have a solid scientific and research background in the field of magnetic confinement fusion and are already actively and officially linked with their respective national fusion laboratories.

This Joint Research Doctorate aims at providing the European community with new young scientists, capable to cope with the activities on physics and engineering necessary to realize the next generation experimental devices (e.g. ITER, JT-60 SA) and, eventually, the commercial thermonuclear reactors.

Students will also have a background to be able to interact with companies and energy utility sector. In fact, the interest of industries on the development of ITER, of satellite experiments and of technological facilities in support to the design of future fusion is rapidly increasing and the need for an increasing n umber of research experts is expected.

This doctorate aims at giving a little, but important, contribution to the satisfaction of this qualified researcher demand. Therefore, we expect that our students will find jobs in:

  • National and international fusion laboratories, universities and other qualified research institutions
  • ITER Organization and European Fusion organizations
  • Private companies, in particular in the high-tech and energy utility sectors

Contents and Structure

This programme addresses the subject of controlled thermonuclear fusion in magnetically confined plasmas. Both fusion science and technology topics are taught.

The goal of controlled thermonuclear fusion is to bring on Earth the energy which powers the Sun: an inexhaustible and environm entally sustainable source, to contribute to the solution of the world energy issue. To reach this goal a number of problems need to be solved, both theoretically and experimentally. This programme aims at giving its students the scientific and technological basis to became key players in th is important research task.

The programme covers 3 main areas:

  1. Physics of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion,
  2. Engineering of a Magnetically Confined Fusion Reactor,
  3. Experimental tools for diagnosing and controlling in real-time fusion relevant plasmas.

Students will be guided from the basics to state-of-the-art problems and solutions. Strong links with the European Fusion program and the ITER project are in place.

Calls and Admissions

Admission to the PhD Courses 2016/17

Deadline: January 20, 2017

How to Apply

Candidates should fill this Application Form and mail to carmo@ipfn.ist.utl.pt

Candidates not yet registred at Instituto Superior Técnico (Fénix) should also fill the two forms listed in this link, together with the following documents:

  • Copy of National Id. card/Passport
  • Copy of Portuguese Fiscal Identification Number (NIF)
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Evidence of previous qualifications
  • Motivation letter
  • One Reference letter
  • A fee of 100€ will be charged upon the candidature procedure.
    • Funding

      Up to 3 fellowships per year will awarded via specific applications to the APPLAuSE PhD program