Examples of projects are shown in the panels below; this list is not exhaustive and you are welcome to contact an academic to discuss other potential ideas. Lab-based projects are focused on optical imaging system development (particularly optical coherence tomography, microscopy and photoacoustics), including work on new laser sources and detection schemes. We can also off more applications-focused projects, including medical, biomedical and non-destructive testing, or computational and modelling projects. Some projects can be co-supervised with clinicians from London and local National Health Service Trusts.

As an MSc student you will be a full member of the research group, collaborating with academics, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and other visiting researchers. We provide office and laboratory space for each student – the Photonics Centre includes a suite of optics labs as well as a workshop and a clean air room. You will also attend regular group and school meetings, including our seminars and our journal club, and have access to wide range of postgraduate training opportunities. Read more about studying in the AOG.

There is no deadline, applicants are assessed on a rolling basis, but all students must begin by September. Applications should be made via the online system at: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/212/physics

Please contact potential supervisor(s) in advance to discuss your application.

These projects do not have funding attached, students either self-fund or seek funding sources elsewhere. Information on student fees is at: https://www.kent.ac.uk/finance-student/fees/tuition/index.html#!pg

Information on Kent scholarships is here:

https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate

For current/previous Kent students, additional scholarships are available:

https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/fees-and-funding/alumni-awards

Other possible projects

Projects can also be designed in the following areas, please contact the relevant academics to discuss in more detail.

• Swept laser using a dispersive cavity and RF modulation, (Adrian Podoleanu, Radu Stancu)
• Ultra fast sweeping using time stretching, (Adrian Podoleanu)
• Ultrafast scanning of cells using time stretch microscopy, (Adrian Podoleanu)
• Optical coherence tomography for IVF, (Adrian Podoleanu, Adrian Bradu, Manuel Marques, Darren Griffin, Gary Robinson)
• Optical coherence tomography for tattoos, (Adrian Podoleanu, Manuel Marques, Chris Dieter, Robert Green)
• Fluorescence endoscopic microscopy for real time optical biopsy  (Michael Hughes)
• Optical imaging on a smartphone for low resource settings (Adrian Podoleanu, Michael Hughes)
• Modern optics for unconventional photography (Adrian Podoleanu, Michael Hughes)