PhD Beyond Voxel Size: Measuring What Images of Porous Rock Can Really Resolve

Project Description

How do we know whether a feature in a 3D image is real? X-ray CT and electron microscopy now shape research in carbon storage, geothermal energy, subsurface hydrogen and critical minerals. Yet the number most often quoted for an image, its voxel size, does not tell us what the instrument and reconstruction actually resolved. That uncertainty can change the pore networks, mineral surfaces and flow predictions derived from the image.

This fully funded PhD will tackle that problem with Heriot-Watt University and Carl Zeiss X-ray Microscopy. Working directly with ZEISS scientists and instrument developers, you will help turn a new 3D resolution measurement into a robust method that can be used across laboratories, instruments and materials. You will test how reliably it measures resolution, carry it from controlled phantoms into real porous rocks, and establish how image uncertainty affects scientific conclusions. You will also investigate whether AI super-resolution recovers physically supported structure or creates convincing features that the original measurement cannot justify.

The research combines advanced X-ray microscopy, electron microscopy, quantitative image analysis, uncertainty measurement, scientific programming and responsible machine learning. You will join the DigiPorFlow research group at Heriot-Watt’s Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, a leading centre for subsurface energy research, and work within an international network of academic facilities and industry experts. Find out more about the group at https://digiporflow.site.hw.ac.uk/.

The project is designed to give you experience beyond a single laboratory. Subject to facility access and project needs, you will travel within the UK and Europe, and potentially to the United States, for instrument campaigns, training and collaboration. You will present your work at international conferences, publish research papers and build professional links across academia, national facilities and the imaging industry.

You will receive training in experimental design, X-ray acquisition and reconstruction, image analysis, uncertainty quantification, research software and machine learning. The combination of measurement science, imaging, data and industrial experience will prepare you for careers in advanced instrumentation, scientific computing, imaging facilities, energy and environmental research, or academia.

Eligibility:

This project is open to candidates who are eligible for home (UK) fee status only.

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first-class or strong 2:1 Honours degree in physics, engineering, geoscience, materials science, computer science, applied mathematics, or a related quantitative subject. A Master’s degree is welcome but is not essential. Applicants should be curious, able to work across experiments and computation, and motivated to collaborate with academic and industrial researchers. Experience with X-ray imaging, image analysis, Python, or machine learning would be useful, but training will be provided.

Funding

This project is funded by an EPSRC scholarship which will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and provide a stipend (£21,805 in 2026-27) for 42 months. Thereafter, candidates will be expected to pay a continuing affiliation fee (currently £130) whilst they complete writing up their thesis.

How to Apply

1. To apply you must complete our online application form.
2. Please select PhD Petroleum Engineering as the programme and include the full project title, reference number (EGIS2026DLA-HM) and supervisor name on your application form. Ensure that all fields marked as ‘required’ are complete.
3. Once have entered your personal details, click submit. You will be asked to upload your supporting documents. You must complete the section marked project proposal; provide a supporting statement (1-2 A4 pages) documenting your reasons for applying to this particular project, outlining your suitability and how you would approach the project. You must also upload your CV, a copy of your degree certificate and relevant transcripts and an academic reference in the relevant section of the application form.
4. If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability. The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 6.0.If you do not have IELTS 6.5, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies. For more information about your application and our English Language requirements, please see Section 10 of our page on English Language Requirements as part of your application.

Enquiries:

Please contact Dr Hannah Menke (H.Menke@hw.ac.uk) for further information or an informal discussion.

Please contact egis-pgr-apps@hw.ac.uk for technical support with your application.

Timeline:

Applications will remain open until the position is filled and will be reviewed every two weeks, beginning Friday 16 October 2026. Interviews will be arranged promptly after each review point, so early application is strongly encouraged. The successful candidate must be identified by 31 January 2027. The start date will be agreed with the successful candidate and may be between January and October 2027.