"The industry supported nature of the EngD has helped me develop lasting connections with my sponsor company, a top ten global steel producer"

Every year the M2A hold an annual conference where all the researcher engineers have the opportunity to present their work to a mixed audience of academics and industrialists in the setting of the Great Hall at Bay Campus. The event is very well attended and is rounded with a conference dinner providing an excellent prospect for networking and expanding your contacts.

Coatings Challenge

The aim of the EngD is to produce graduates who are ready to make an impact at all TRL levels through the application of their fundamental knowledge to their research problems. To encourage innovation, share best practice and develop cohort team working the CDT has developed an annual cross cohort coatings challenge. The challenge will bring together cohorts in years 2 and 3 for two weeks to design and manufacture a m² functional coated product complete with a business plan and marketing strategy that they will pitch to an assembled panel of industry experts. The aim of the challenge is for a team of Research Engineers to work together applying their knowledge in developing a coating to solve a real life problem. The challenge not only draws on the researcher’s academic excellence but also brings experience of applying that knowledge to solve a problem within a short timeframe and giving consideration to the business requirements – something that they will also face in their careers.

Employability

EMPLOYABILITY

Our graduate employment is currently at 97%

Ultimately your postgraduate qualification is a stepping stone to getting employed. As well as your qualification you will have gained numerous research and professional skills that are instantly transferrable to your professional career and will make you stand out at interview. Such skills include – analytical, subject expertise, presentation, public speaking, ability to present to senior managers and shop floor staff alike, report writing and many more.

Many graduates choose to take employment with their sponsor. Your project effectively forms a prolonged interview for both you and your sponsor, it provides the opportunity for you to sell yourself to your sponsor and for your sponsor to sell themselves to you – after all you are now highly employable.

Our alumni take on many different roles in industry, academia as well as exploring opportunities in other sectors. Initial positions include process engineers, post-doctoral researchers through to starting their own companies. As time progresses we see our alumni taking on more senior roles such as technical managers, directors, lecturers and professors and even some move on into other disciplines such as medicine.

Check out some of our alumni profiles:

Student Life

COHORT APPROACh

Whilst the M2A is an excellent avenue to fulfil continued academic training whilst working alongside an industrial sponsor, there’s also a great social aspect to the M2A program. Once you’ve been accepted onto the scheme, you’ll join as part of a cohort so that you’re not never on your own. You’ll be part of a welcoming community and have plenty of chances to make new friends, whether that’s going through the postgraduate modules together, or working alongside one another in the laboratories during your research. You will join a cohort of 120 likeminded individuals, providing support to one another and sharing best practice through your research journey. As part of the bigger cohort you will have numerous opportunities to engage in social and academic activities as well as opportunities to join outreach events to help encourage more individuals into the discipline.

industrial site tour

Each year the first-year researchers go on an industrial site tour of some of the UK’s leading manufacturing sites. The tour provides an opportunity to gain an understanding of how large-scale manufacturing is completed and gain an understanding of how your research can be applied into the sector.

In previous years we have visited sites such as Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, Airbus, Mini, Fusion Energy, Lotus, Morgan and Tata Steel.

social events

There’s a Social Committee that meet regularly to plan fun activities, giving you plenty of chance to let off some steam outside of the office. There’s even an annual Sports Day event to take advantage of our beachside location for a day of fun in the sunshine! Other activities have included quiz nights, go-karting and stand up paddle boarding.

outreach

There’s plenty of opportunity throughout the year to take part in Outreach activities, getting involved with the public to spread the word about STEM subjects. This ranges from local visits to schools through to hosting science-themed tents at festivals. There’s even an Outreach Committee to come up with bright new ideas on how to engage others about the interesting work being done, and how to capture the interest of the public to inspire the next generation of future engineers and scientists!

Academic Supervisors

Meet some of our academic supervisors

Swansea is recognised as one of the UK’s leading universities for engineering.

The recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.

The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4) or Internationally Excellent (3) quality.

The EngD is equivalent to a PhD in its intellectual challenge, but as a Research Engineer (EngD student), your research will be industry-led and your project will involve working with a company. The programme includes a taught component, covering both technical, interpersonal and management training. These enhanced skills map to the Engineering Council’s UK specification and will aid your journey to chartership and professional recognition.

Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A) provides industry led postgraduate research training based at Swansea University's new Bay Campus. M2A is part funded by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.