Details of an Industrial CASE studentship on the effect of shear strength on the analysis of isotropic compression/release experiments, available with the University of Oxford in conjunction with with AWE.

Applications are invited for a postgraduate studentship, to work on "The Effect of Shear Strength on the Analysis of Isotropic Compression/Release Experiments" with Dr Peter Howell and Prof John Ockendon (from the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, part of the Mathematical Institute), and the Design Physics Department at AWE.

The aim of this project is to develop a nonlinear elastic/plastic model for the behavior of solid materials subject to very high stresses. The model needs to allow for the compressibility and shear strength of the material and will also need to deal with shocks. Experimental results are available which will be used to validate a one-dimensional model. The project will require expertise in solid mechanics, hyperbolic PDEs, asymptotic analysis and scientific computation.

The incumbent of this post will work closely with the technical community at AWE under the Corporate Technical Outreach programme. Due to the nature of work associated with this post, it is subject to special nationality rules and open only to British citizens. The selected candidate will be required to undergo security clearance.

The studentship is available from 1 October 2010, and is subject to standard Doctoral Training Account rules for eligibility. The financial support for the studentship comprises: EPSRC STANDARD STUDENTSHIP + £2000 per annum enhancement + College and University fees.

Applications can be made online: please see the instructions in the Application Guide, and should include a CV, a covering letter, three references, and a transcript of your undergraduate degree. Alternatively, applications can be sent to Margaret Sloper at the Mathematical Institute, 24-29 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LB using the University's application form for graduate study, which can be downloaded from the above link. Please visit the Mathematical Institute website to check the application submission deadline, and to download further particulars.

Applicants must arrange for their referees to send references either through the online system or directly to the Graduate Studies Assistant (fax or e-mail is sufficient) by the closing date. For further details about the project, including the application process, please contact Graduate Studies, email graduate.studies@maths.ox.ac.uk. Please quote reference BK/010/0XX.

Oxford University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.