Overview

This version of the Future Infrastructure and Built Environment (part time) programme comprises an initial part-time MRes degree at University of Cambridge, followed by a part-time PhD phase. Continuation on to the PhD is conditional on satisfactory performance in the MRes.

The course aims to:

• provide the core theoretical, experimental and computational research training necessary to lead innovation and change in the area of net zero infrastructure;
• equip its graduates with a deep insight into system complexities, resources constraints, barriers to change, and the identification of user needs and stakeholder priorities, enabling them to translate their PhD research into real-world impact, and to work collaboratively with others in order to create and implement viable net zero infrastructure solutions throughout their subsequent professional careers;
• provide extensive opportunities for students to collaborate with industry and with the wider academic community, including experiencing industrial input into training, and producing ‘year 1’ outcomes of collaborative implementable actions to address specific short-term user needs;
• deliver high relevant inspirational training on RRI, Trusted Research, Environmental Sustainability and EDI;
• promote advanced transferable skills through a dedicated programme of training including innovation, entrepreneurship, idea generation, industry engagement and impact, as well as giving students opportunities to engage in outreach to inspire the next generation of net zero champions.

By the end of the MRes course, the students will have a strong foundation of broad research skills and have developed a proposal for a PhD project. PhD topics will be centred around four thematic enablers: (1) existing and disruptive/new technologies, (2) radical circularity and whole life approach, (3) AI-driven digitalisation and data, and (4) risk-based systems thinking and connectivity.

Full funding is available for eligible applicants.

Learning outcomes

The first two years of this programme, the MRes in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment, have training and research elements. Graduates of the MRes course will have developed skills and understanding in the following broad areas:

• the fundamentals of net-zero infrastructure research methods, experimental methods and theory within the context of future infrastructure and built environment;
• challenges and trends in net-zero infrastructure, as well as the critical evaluation of technical problems and competing solutions in this area;
• cross-disciplinary aspects of infrastructure engineering problems, including knowledge of research and methods in inter-related disciplines (eg civil, chemical, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing and information engineering; architecture; computer science; land economy; management and business; the physical sciences; the social sciences);
• developing a personalised development plan that will maximise the benefit of the MRes year towards the PhD study;
• producing a detailed PhD proposal, following a topic selection at the application stage;
• teamwork, through cohort-based projects;
• academic research and presentation skills including planning, executing and critically evaluating original pieces of research work, and preparing formal reports;
• external exposure via strong links with industry;
• business practice and tools, technology transfer and commercial exploitation in the areas of civil engineering design and construction;
• transferable skills including critical reasoning, information-gathering, time-management, independent and group-working, and assessing the relevance and importance of ideas to others.

By the end of the PhD, successful students will have produced original work making a significant contribution to knowledge in the area of net-zero infrastructure.