UKMMN Summer Studentships 2026

The UK Metamaterials Network will be funding Summer Student Projects in the field of metamaterials in UK Universities in 2026.

Project list

1. Space-time metamaterials with programmable synthetic motion

Imperial College London

Supervisor names:

• PGR/ECR: T V Raziman
• ECR/Academic: Riccardo Sapienza

Point of contact:  Sorina Damsa, Email address: s.damsa@imperial.ac.uk

2. Mechanically Modulated Reflect-Arrays for Vibration Monitoring of Aircraft Engines

University of Sheffield

Supervisor names:

• PGR: Rachel Ball (rfball1@sheffield.ac.uk)
• Academic: Dr Stephen Henthorn

 Point of contact:  Rachel Ball, Email address: rfball1@sheffield.ac.uk

3. Origami-Inspired Metamaterials in Fluid Mechanics

Edinburgh Napier University

Supervisor names:

• ECR: Dr Ehsan Adeeb
• Academic: Dr Chennakesava Kadapa

Point of contact: Dr Ehsan Adeeb, Dr Chennakesava Kadapa, Email address: e.adeeb@napier.ac.uk,  c.kadapa@napier.ac.uk

4. From Pop-Up Books to Smart Materials and Structures: Designing Programmable Origami and Kirigami Metamaterials

Supervisor names:

• ECR: Dr Chenying Liu, Junior Research Fellow, Christ Church, Oxford
• Academic: Dr Chenying Liu & Prof Zhong You

 Point of contact: Dr Chenying Liu

Email address: chenying.liu@chch.ox.ac.uk

Details

Length of the project: 8 weeks (between July & September – flexible start date to be agreed with lead academic)

Payment:

The student will be paid £15.07 per hour (including holiday pay) and are expected to work up to 36.5 per week. There will be a consumables budget of up to £300 to support each project as required. No further funds are provided to support relocation.

Reporting requirements:

1. Each project will conclude with a 1 page report written by the undergraduate student (with support from the ECR/PhD student if required and signed off by the academic lead).

2. The lead academic will be asked to summarise the key project information, data and findings in a short article (which may include a short PowerPoint presentation) which will then be uploaded to the UKMMN’s website.

Apply: Metamaterials Summer Studentships 2026

If you are interested in multiple projects, please submit a response for each of them to explain your interests, what you would bring to the table, and what you hope to learn.

Eligibility: all applicants must be based in the UK, and have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the summer studentship.

Application deadline: 2nd May 2026

Interviews/outcomes: Interviews with the project leads will take place in May/June, and places will be confirmed shortly after the interview.

Points of Contact

• Project-specifics: You may wish to discuss the project informally with the respective project leads before applying, using the contact details listed above.
• Application process: contact info@metamaterials.network