PhD in Product Design

This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) applicants and EU students with settled status. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26; subject to annual uplift), and tuition fees will be paid. The research adopts a mixed methods approach incorporating an experimental product engineering approach and user-centred qualitative inquiry. The expected outcome of this research is a validated design engineering framework or digital toolbox for the design and manufacture of adaptive, inclusive clothing for a specific target demographic. It bridges the gap between fashion, technology, and accessibility, providing novel insights for academics and industry. The project aims to create a scalable, data-driven framework for adaptive apparel innovation through the integration of emerging digital technologies and engineering methodologies.