Researcher PHD Student

About the Project Applications are invited for a Postgraduate Research studentship, supported by Aston University to be undertaken within the Department of Engineering Management and Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing Research Group at Aston University. The successful applicant will join an established research group working on Photonic Neuromorphic Computing. 
Location This position will be based on the Aston Campus in Birmingham, UK. The successful candidate will need to be located within a reasonable distance of the campus, and will be expected to visit in person regularly.
Overseas Applicants Overseas students are welcome to apply for this position.
Details of the Project The exponential rise in data traffic and sensing demands is creating an urgent need for faster and more energy-efficient signal processing in optical networks. This PhD project investigates computing with nonlinear photonics as a new paradigm for ultrafast, low-power optical information processing. You will explore architectures such as photonic reservoir computing and Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs), using their intrinsic dynamics to perform tasks like signal classification, equalisation, and real-time event detection. Emphasis will be placed on developing theoretical models and numerical simulations to analyse performance limits, memory capacity, and computational efficiency. Advanced modelling techniques, including sparse system identification and low-dimensional dynamical analysis, will be used to guide the design of reconfigurable photonic systems for next-generation edge computing. This project offers an opportunity to contribute to the emerging field of nonlinear photonic computing, with applications across communications, sensing, and AI.
Desirable qualifications and experience: ·        A strong background in physics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related discipline ·        Familiarity with photonics, optical communications, or nonlinear systems ·        Experience with numerical simulation and data analysis (e.g. Python, MATLAB, or similar) ·        Interest in dynamical systems, machine learning, or neuromorphic computing ·        Ability to work independently and think creatively across disciplinary boundaries
Contact information For formal enquiries about this project contact Egor Manuylovich at e.manuylovich@aston.ac.uk.