EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Topological Design

拓扑学是对物体空间结构的一门特殊研究，基于对离散属性的计数，例如海绵中孔和桥的数量。无论海绵以何种方式拉伸或挤压，这些数字都保持不变。事实上，海绵的弹性特性取决于这种结构。事实证明，像这样的拓扑特性在某些材料的物理特性中起着重要作用，比如它们导电的方式或光如何通过它们传播。这导致了对新型材料的研究和开发的爆炸式增长，这些材料具有前所未有的性能，设计使用基本的物理和数学原理，可以制造，并且在未来可以大规模生产。我们将培养第一批博士拓扑科学家，他们将在拓扑科学和设计方面拥有广泛的专业知识，专注于开发满足工业需求的新型拓扑材料。从数学知识的背景，包括物理，工程和材料科学，他们将发展在所有这些学科的拓扑设计的广泛的技术鉴赏，并在理论和实验小组的小型项目中获得研究经验。他们的主要博士研究项目可以与来自伯明翰大学工程与物理科学学院所有学术学院的导师合作，与我们广泛的行业合作伙伴合作。这种技术教育将与可转移技能方案相结合，发展创新、创业和负责任创新的关键技能。CDT的学术领导与一系列工业合作伙伴共同创建了培训计划，这些合作伙伴将为研究项目的方向做出贡献，提供实习机会，并帮助学生和学术导师在研究中关注最终用户的需求。这些合作伙伴不仅来自通信、制造业和国防等相关行业，而且更广泛地来自知识行业，包括软件开发商和商业化律师。由此产生的CDT将成为物理科学跨学科研究的灯塔，并在未来几十年引领学术-工业合作伙伴关系，因为拓扑设计将成为未来技术发展的关键原则，支撑英国未来的繁荣。

Topology is a particular study of the spatial structure of objects, based on counting discrete properties, such as the number of holes and bridges in a sponge. Whichever way the sponge is stretched or squeezed, these numbers stay the same. In fact, the elastic properties of the sponge depend on this structure. It turns out that topological properties like this play a role in the physical properties of certain materials, such as the way they conduct electricity or how light propagates through them. This has led to an explosion of research and development into new kinds of materials with unprecedented properties, designed using fundamental physical and mathematical principles which can be fabricated and, in the future, manufactured on a large scale.We will train the first cohort of doctoral topological scientists, who will have a broad expertise in topological science and design, focused towards the development of new topological materials that address the needs of industry. Drawn from mathematically-informed backgrounds including physics, engineering and materials science, they will develop a broad technical appreciation of topological design within all of these disciplines, and gain research experience in mini-projects in theoretical and experimental groups. Their main PhD research project can be with supervisors drawn from all academic Schools in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Birmingham, in partnership with our wide range of partners from industry. This technical education will be entwined with a programme of transferable skills developing the critical skills of innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible innovation.The academic leadership of this CDT has co-created the training programme in collaboration with a range of industrial partners who will contribute to the directions of the research projects, provide internships and help the students and academic supervisors focus on the needs of end users in their research. These partners will not only be drawn from relevant industries, such as communications, manufacturing and defence sectors, but more widely from knowledge industries including software developers and commercialisation lawyers.The resulting CDT will be a beacon for cross-disciplinary research across the physical sciences and spearheading academic-industrial partnership over the coming decades as topological design becomes a crucial principle for the development of future technologies, underpinning the future prosperity of the UK.