Brunel Design School research and PhD programmes

Research activities within the Brunel Design School cover a wide ranging and diverse field of topics. Academic staff combine human centred design for autonomous vehicles, ageing demographics and healthcare systems through incorporating sustainability in design. From developing cleaner electronics, design for 3D and 4D printing, and incorporating social responsibility, to using innovative design for creative industries and information architecture, our research paves the way for innovative solutions.

Brunel Research Festival 2022: 9-31 May

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Research opportunities for students

Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. Browse PhD opportunities below and find out about the funding available for students.

Doctoral research information

How to apply for a PhD

View list of PhDs in this area

Research in Brunel Design School

Find people, projects, groups and publications in the Brunel Design School and read more about related research to this area.

Meet our experts

Brunel Design School Research Publications

Browse our collection of research outputs including PhD theses

Inclusive Design

Inclusive Design Research Group at Brunel University London brings together multidisciplinary expertise to understand different factors causing exclusion, to develop methods and interventions for improvement, and to advance the knowledge of design for inclusion.

Additive Manufacturing and 4D Printing

The Additive Manufacturing and 4D Printing Research Group seeks to conduct activities associated with Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) processes and programmable materials with the goal of developing 4D Printed applications.

Human Centred Research

Covering inclusive design, design for aging demographics, and perception enhancement

Brunel Digital Design Lab

User-centred Systems, Products, Services and Experiences

Creative Computing

Multidisciplinary research at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (machine learning), serious and fun gaming, and cognitive modelling to simulate a physical world either as a virtual, augmented or mixed reality environment.

Design for Sustainability

Design solutions that foster environmental, socio-ethical and economic sustainability in areas ranging from materials and manufacturing to products, services, business models, bottom-up initiatives and socio-technical systems.

Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021)

View REF 2021 details for Engineering (UoA 12)

Wrexham firm decked out with Brunel research

REF 2021

Research and innovation

Creative Brunel

Creative Brunel performs the role of creative studio and digital design agency to deliver creative solutions for clients and collaborators.

Design student talking to industry representative during final year showcase

Co-innovate

Two initiatives to provide innovation support to London SMEs jointly funded by Brunel University London and the European Regional Development Fund.

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Courses

Design Integrated PhD

Design PhD

Digital Media PhD

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Fully-funded studentships

Building a Digital Circular Economy for the Packaging of Fast Moving Consumer Goods

Codesign for inclusive mobility - digital interfaces for disability

Building an Inclusive Metaverse

Shapeshift - Virtual Simulation of Parametric Models for 4D Printing

Our funded studentships become available at different times of the year. Please keep checking our page regularly to see the latest funded opportunities. We also advertise all our funded studentships as soon as they become available on the @BrunelResearch twitter account.

View all studentships

Brunel Design School research and PhD programmes

Brunel Research Festival 2022: 9-31 May

Research opportunities for students

Research in Brunel Design School

Meet our experts

Brunel Design School Research Publications

Inclusive Design

Additive Manufacturing and 4D Printing

Human Centred Research

Brunel Digital Design Lab

Creative Computing

Design for Sustainability

Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021)

View REF 2021 details for Engineering (UoA 12)

Research and innovation

Creative Brunel

Co-innovate

On-line tool to intelligently interpret design information contained in patents

Low cost solar powered food cold storage and distribution

Pedagogic best practice for technology-driven design futures

System for monitoring infants in low-resource environments

Using creative engagement to support healthcare workers

Sustainable manufacturing for repair and reduction of waste

Multigenerational living in London.

Increasing excellence in advanced additive manufacturing

End-to-end digital manufacturing solution

Sustainable bioplastic for Personal Protection Equipment

Sustainable livelihoods in refugee resettlements

3D printing of cementitious materials for complex shapes

Dental drill noise reduction device

Sustaining inclusive design collaboration through co-design platforms

Using co-design to unearth community hidden assets

Covid immunity passport service design

Improving higher education on Design for Sustainability

Developing sustainable bioplastic films for agricultural use

Mainstreaming gender for energy security

Prototyping open innovation models in food and packaging

Real-time cloud-based clean water monitoring system

Creating bio-inspired soft robotics

Learning Network on Sustainable Energy Systems

Sustainable Energy for All Design Toolkit

Design and entrepreneurship skills in Brazilian slums

Distributed manufacturing applied to product-service systems

Mitigating plastic waste in Indonesia

Design for resource and energy efficiency in ceramic kilns

Hygienic, usable, engaging public mid-air interactions

Lightweight electric vehicle architecture

Design and innovation capacity building in India

Courses

Fully-funded studentships