Research in Nuclear Physics

• Octupole correlations in nuclei
• The nuclear dipole response
• Study of neutrin-rich nuclei using binary grazing reactions
• High resolution beta-decay studies
• The measurement of lifetimes of nuclear states
• Neutron-proton interactions
• Exoic proton-rich nuclei above Sn100
• Nuclear astrophysics
• AGATA - the Advanced Gamma Tracking Spectrometer
• Research with SCAPA
• Detector development

Each year, the School has a number of definied research projects for the coming session in the domain of Physical Sciences which are available to self-funded students.

When the become available, details of these projects will be posted here and on FindaPhD.com.

We can confidently state that our research activities in environmental sciences directly map to 3 UN SDGs:

SDG 13 - Climate Action; SDG 14 - Life below water; SDG 15 - Life on land.
UWS aims to be among the global leaders of excellent, relevant and purposeful research aligned with the United Nations SDGs by placing them at the heart of our Strategy 2025.

In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024, UWS was officially recognised in the top 400 universities worldwide as assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UWS was recognised as the 2nd most impactful university in Scotland, and 16th globally, for 'reducing inequalities' (UN SDG 10).

Find out more about UWS and UN SDGs

The UWS Nuclear Physics Research Group has been established for almost 30 years.

Led by Professor John F. Smith, our research has traditionally been focussed on the study of the structure and properties of exotic atomic nuclei using gamma-ray and charged-particle spectroscopy. Our research is typically conducted at overseas nuclear-physics laboratories such as JYFL in Finland, Argonne National Laboratory in the USA, ISOLDE at CERN, and TRIUMF in Vancouver. We are leading programmes in a number of different areas of nuclear physics at these laboratories.

We are members of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), within which we are leading nuclear physics experiments at the new Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma-based accelerators (SCAPA) facility.

Our research has been continuously funded by research councils (EPSRC and STFC) for almost 30 years. We are presently funded by an STFC Consolidated Grant and an STFC Project Grant (AGATA).

Nuclear Physics Research Group

The minimum requirements for an applicant for registration for the degree of MRes or MPhil or for the degree of MRes/MPhil with the intention of transfer to PhD shall be a first or second class honours degree of a university in the United Kingdom, or of an equivalent qualification.

Applicants holding qualifications other than those specified in (above) shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the programme of work proposed.

Direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University if the applicant holds an MRes/MPhil degree of a United Kingdom University, or an MRes/MPhil degree of equivalent standard of a non-UK University, provided that the MRes/MPhil degree is in a subject area which is appropriate to the proposed programme of work.

Exceptionally, direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University, even if the applicant is not the holder of an MRes/MPhil degree, but does hold an exceptionally high-quality honours degree or taught master’s degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline, AND has appropriate research experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in significant peer-reviewed publications, and where verifiable evidence of accomplishment is supplied.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• Overall score of 6.5
• No sub-test less than 6.0

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS