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As a PhD student in the School of Biological Sciences, you'll explore the fundamental aspects of the living world and humanity’s interactions with it.
You’ll conduct high-impact research that addresses the global challenges faced by society and the natural environment.
Carry out your research in our new £60m Health and Life Sciences building, which houses dedicated research laboratories, study space and the Cole Museum of Zoology.
You’ll also have access to the University’s Herbarium, one of the largest and most diverse herbaria in the country.
The Whiteknights campus itself is a rich environment for biological scientists, with more than 300 acres of woodlands, lakes, gardens and meadows.
We offer flexible modes of study designed to fit with your needs. Our PhD is available for study on a full-time basis over three years and part-time over four to six years.
Both full-time and part-time variants are available for study in Reading, or at a distance for students who live outside the UK.
Matthew Greenwell
PhD student
We study the interactions between species and between species and their environments that influence abundance and distribution.
We employ mechanistic process modelling, Bayesian statistics and high-performance computing to address climate change adaptation, design of habitat networks, and agri-environment schemes.
Using modern analytical tools, we aim to answer fundamental questions about the evolution of plants, animals and microbes.
We’re developing new statistical methods to incorporate fossils and geographic data into phylogenies, detect natural selection on phenotypes, and probe gene network evolution and adaptive landscapes.
We’re also advancing understanding of human and cultural evolution by applying phylogenetic methods to ethnobotanical, linguistic and ectoparasite data.
Training is an intrinsic part of your development as a researcher. As part of your PhD study, you will benefit from a programme of relevant training, and have access to specialist modules agreed between you and your supervisor/s as well as attending a programme of transferable skills organised by the Doctoral and Researcher College.
You will have access to expert training on the Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP).
Depending on the respective funder for your PhD, further training via attendance at advanced courses, meetings and workshops may also form part of your PhD programme.
You can apply for doctoral training and studentships from the NERC SCENARIO Doctoral Training Partnerships. These include a wide range of opportunities for placements and training with external partners.
There are opportunities for participation on established research projects run by our experienced staff.
Doctoral study offers you opportunities to make exciting new discoveries in your chosen field of interest. Our PhD degrees equip you with the skills, knowledge, and experience to become an independent researcher. You could go on to work in academia, government and the private and public sectors in the UK and abroad.
Irene Teixidor-Toneu carried out her PhD in our School, investigating medicinal plant use and its implications for healthcare. Irene now holds a post-doctoral position at the Natural History Museum (NHM) of the University of Oslo, Norway – this collaboration stemmed from links established during her PhD studies. Read more about Irene’s research and career.
