Fully Funded Doctoral Landscape Award: NetZero Futures

Review: NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape Award (2026/2027) - An Opportunity for Impactful Research

The NetZero Futures (NZF) Doctoral Landscape Award, a fully funded studentship co-provided by the EPSRC and the Royal College of Art (RCA), presents a compelling opportunity for aspiring doctoral candidates passionate about addressing critical global challenges. This award is specifically designed to foster interdisciplinary research at the intersection of art, design, and STEM, with a strong emphasis on contributing to a more sustainable future.

Key Advantages for Candidates:

• Full Funding: This award provides comprehensive financial support, covering full tuition fees for UK, EU, and International students. This allows you to focus entirely on your research without the burden of tuition costs.
• Generous Stipend: A substantial annual stipend of £23,121.70 (full-time equivalent) is provided, ensuring a comfortable living while you pursue your doctoral studies.
• Strategic Research Focus: The NZF award aligns with cutting-edge research priorities, including Circular Economy, Ecological Digital Citizenship, and Robotics & AI. This means your work will be at the forefront of innovation and directly contribute to solutions for the climate crisis and the digital future.
• Renowned Institution: Joining the Royal College of Art places you within a globally recognized institution with a strong track record in STEAM education and research. You'll benefit from their interdisciplinary environment and established expertise.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The RCA fosters a unique environment where art, design, and STEM disciplines, particularly engineering, converge. This award actively encourages collaboration, offering a rich platform for cross-pollination of ideas and the development of innovative, human-centered solutions.
• Impactful Research: The overarching goal of the NZF award is to strengthen doctoral research that directly addresses significant 21st-century challenges. If you are driven by a desire to make a tangible difference, this opportunity is ideal.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• Specialization within Broad Themes: While the award has broad strategic vision, candidates will be based within specific host Research Areas: The Materials Science Research Centre (MSRC), The RCA Robotics Laboratory, or Ecological Digital Citizenship / School of Design. It is crucial to identify which of these areas best aligns with your specific research interests and career aspirations.
• Demonstrate Alignment: When applying, clearly articulate how your proposed research directly contributes to the NetZero Futures agenda and the specific research areas of the RCA. Highlighting your understanding of these priorities will be essential for a successful application.
• Interdisciplinary Mindset: Success in this program will likely require a willingness and ability to engage with diverse perspectives and methodologies from different academic fields. Candidates who thrive in collaborative and interdisciplinary settings will find this particularly rewarding.
• Long-Term Career Development: A PhD from the RCA, especially within such a strategically important and well-funded program, can open doors to a wide range of career paths in academia, industry research and development, policy-making, and innovation leadership.
• Application Timing: The application deadline is Monday 19 January 2026, with a start date in September 2026. It is advisable to begin preparing your application well in advance to ensure all components are thoroughly addressed.

The NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape Award is more than just a funded PhD; it is an invitation to be part of a forward-thinking community dedicated to shaping a more sustainable and technologically advanced future. If you possess a passion for innovation, a strong academic background, and a desire to contribute to solutions for some of the world's most pressing issues, this award warrants your serious consideration.