Thank you for your interest in joining my research group at Imperial College London’s Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. I recruit only one or two PhD students each year, which means you will work with me directly, receive tailored supervision, and be treated as an independent researcher from early on.
I believe that the quality of the PhD student-supervisor relationship is the main driver of successful doctoral outcomes, and that smaller supervisory loads allow the best mentoring culture.
My postgraduate recruitment is for PhD study only. I do not recruit for Master’s programmes and cannot assist with Master’s applications. Please direct these enquiries to the relevant programme’s admissions team.
I consider research internships for students currently studying at Imperial. For students at other institutions, I only consider internships through a personal recommendation.
I receive a large volume of Master’s enquiries and internship requests outside these arrangements, so I’m afraid I cannot respond to them individually. Thank you for your understanding.
Why Join the Group
My supervision philosophy is centred on your development as an independent researcher doing exciting cutting-edge research, not just the delivery of a project. My aim is that you graduate with deep expertise, strong disciplinary knowledge in computer science, hardware, and mathematics, the ability to design and evaluate systems, and the confidence to publish and lead research.
We work at the intersection of rigorous mathematics, hardware-aware architecture, machine learning acceleration, and structural models of computation. Your project will combine algorithmic thinking, digital systems design, mathematics, and hardware implementation, enabling you to publish in top venues and build proof-of-concept artefacts such as open-source software or hardware.
More than anything, I want my research group to be a place where people are able to unashamedly enjoy technical pursuits and have fun discovering new tech – just like I do.
You May Be a Good Fit If
- You enjoy both mathematical reasoning and building working systems.
- You are excited by computation as something with structure, cost, physical embodiment, and meaning, not only as software.
- You are comfortable crossing boundaries between computer science, electronic engineering, mathematics, and machine learning.
- You want to publish in top venues while also building artefacts that make the ideas concrete.
- You like rigorous technical conversations and are willing to take ownership of a research direction.
- You are motivated by problems where a better representation, arithmetic, architecture, or abstraction can change what is possible.
This Is Less Likely to Be a Good Fit If
- You mainly want to apply existing machine learning packages without understanding the computational or hardware structure underneath.
- You are looking for a tightly specified project where all the important questions have already been decided.
- You are not interested in implementation, experimental evidence, mathematical structure, or the details of how computation is physically realised.
Current Topics
- Hardware accelerator design
- High-level synthesis and corresponding automated code analyses
- Hardware-native neural networks and hardware–algorithm co-design
- Equality-saturation and e-graph rewriting for arithmetic and acceleration
- Novel computer arithmetics, precision models, and hardware
- Semantic and intensional views of computation in machine learning and hardware
What You Can Expect
- Deep engagement: With just one or two new students per year, I meet regularly and aim to ensure each student owns their topic end-to-end (theory → architecture → implementation → evaluation).
- Immersion in the international research community: My research group is not an island. We work as part of an outstanding international research community, and from the first year, I aim to embed you in this community through introductions to key people, conference attendance, and active participation in the field.
- Publishing as you go: We aim for high-visibility outputs, mentorship in writing and peer review, and strong placement outcomes.
- Professional development: Beyond research you will gain experience in conference presentation, peer reviewing, and possibly teaching and industry collaboration, forming the basis of your post-PhD career, whether in an industrial research lab or in academia.
- Supportive, inclusive culture: It matters not only what you discover but how you discover it. I believe good doctoral supervision is a key component of a healthy research ecosystem.
- Having fun doing technical stuff: For me, this is key. The PhD is a chance to have fun doing deeply technical work.
People and Outcomes
I work with a small research group. Former PhD students have gone on to roles in academia, semiconductor companies, major technology labs, startups, finance, and research leadership.
For current students and PhD alumni, please see the People page.
Eligibility and Criteria
- A first-class MEng (or equivalent) degree is required; candidates should demonstrate strong academic performance and evidence of rigorous thinking.
- You must have completed, or be currently studying for, a Master’s degree, including an integrated Master’s such as an MEng.
- Overseas applicants: Scholarships from Imperial College London and external agencies are highly competitive. You will have a much stronger application if you already have one or more publications or substantial research artefacts.
How to Apply
I normally recruit one or two PhD students each year, usually for entry the following autumn.
Please email me:
- A one-page research statement explaining your interests, how they connect with my group’s research, and a question you would be excited to investigate.
- Your CV and academic transcript.
- Links to any relevant publications, dissertation, code, hardware artefacts or technical writing, if available.
Please also indicate your intended start date, whether you require funding, and any scholarship deadlines you are working towards.
I review complete enquiries monthly, normally on the third Monday. In December, the review is brought forward to the second Monday. The September, October and November reviews are particularly useful for preparing applications ahead of funding competitions. Reviews continue after November, and enquiries are welcome throughout the year.
Please send your complete materials before the relevant review date. You only need to submit once. I aim to let you know the outcome of the initial review within two weeks. Selected applicants will be invited to a 20-minute introductory conversation about their interests, experience and potential fit with the group.
Following this conversation, applicants progressing to the next stage will be encouraged to apply formally to Imperial and may be invited to a formal interview involving an additional member of academic staff.
Please apply as early as possible, particularly if you require funding. Scholarship deadlines vary, some fall early in the autumn, and preparing a strong formal application takes time. Later applications remain welcome, although the funding opportunities available may be more limited.
I aim to make my main supervision selection decisions in early January. Formal admission and funding decisions are confirmed separately through Imperial’s processes and may follow later. I continue to consider applicants subsequently where supervision capacity and suitable funding remain available. If I am keeping your enquiry under consideration, I will explain the next step and when you can expect to hear from me.
Further Information
For guidance on Imperial College processes and scholarships, including eligibility and deadlines, please refer to the department website.
If you have questions about PhD study in my group that are not covered here or on the department website, please feel free to contact me personally.
