About the UROP
The Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics will host a Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) in 2025. We anticipate appointing 6 to 8 students. Students (from any University) currently in their second year and above are welcome to apply. Candidates who are set to start on a PhD programme in the autumn of 2026 will normally not be offered a place.
Due to UK visa regulations, all candidates must have existing right to work in the UK. See https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work for further details.
Students will work with a supervisor in the Department, usually a research fellow or a faculty member (a list of those who may offer summer projects in 2026 is below), on a self-contained research project. Students are encouraged to take part in the Department’s life, joining researchers for coffee breaks, discussions and seminars.
The projects will typically run for 8 weeks, beginning on, or around, 1st July. The duration may be adjusted to be shorter or longer, or to accommodate summer travel. We are offering a 30-hour working week paid at the living-wage rate.
Application Process
You should email a one-page-only application, in pdf format, to Jordan Summers (tpadmin@physics.ox.ac.uk) by noon on Monday 23 March 2026, with “UROP” in the subject line. It should tell us why you are interested in the programme and which supervisor/s interest/s you most (you will not be considered by supervisors in whom you state no interest; since the list below is tentative and some projects may disappear, it will be easier for us to accommodate you if you indicate multiple preferences). The application must also include your contact details, your year and course, and any undergraduate exam results so far. Please mention any computer programming experience and any previous research experience.
Each application must be accompanied by one academic reference: please include contact details (including email) of your referee. Applicants must ensure that their academic referee submits a short letter of support via email to Jordan Summers (tpadmin@physics.ox.ac.uk) by the closing date. We anticipate offers to be made by mid-April.
For any administrative queries, contact Jordan Summers (tpadmin@physics.ox.ac.uk).
Faculty members & researchers offering summer research projects in 2026:
- Prof Michael Barnes --- plasma theory/fusion
- Dr Pablo Bilbao --- high-energy-density physics and relativistic plasmas
- Prof James Binney FRS --- astrophysics (galactic dynamics)
- Dr Dumitru Calugaru --- quantum condensed matter theory
- Prof Fabrizio Caola --- particle theory
- Dr Natalia Chepiga --- quantum condensed matter theory
- Prof Fabian Eßler --- quantum condensed matter theory
- Dr Barry Ginat --- cosmology and gravitational dynamics
- Prof Ramin Golestanian --- soft matter theory
- Dr Dominik Hahn --- quantum chaos and quantum computing
- Dr Roi Holtzmann --- soft matter theory/statistical physics
- Dr Daniel Kennedy --- plasma theory/fusion
- Prof Ard Louis --- soft matter theory
- Prof John Magorrian --- astrophysics (galactic dynamics)
- Prof Alex Mietke --- soft matter theory
- Prof Sid Parameswaran --- quantum condensed matter theory
- Prof Gavin Salam FRS --- particle theory
- Prof Alex Schekochihin --- plasma theory and astrophysics
- Prof Steve Simon --- quantum condensed matter theory
- Prof Caroline Terquem --- astrophysical fluid dynamics
- Prof Dmitri Uzdensky --- plasma astrophysics
- Dr Rahil Valani --- soft matter theory
- Prof John Wheater --- particle theory
- Prof Julia Yeomans FRS --- soft matter theory