Dear Everyone,

I did a Msc in Nanotechnology and I'm currently I'm doing Photonic DTC program which is running between UCL and Cambridge. This program is lead to a PhD degree.

Research Groups to choice from:

UCL - Photonics Group
UCL - Optical Networks Group
UCL - Communications and Information Systems Group
UCL - Electronic Materials and Devices
London Centre for Nanotechnology
UCL - Sensors Systems and Circuits
UCL - Centre for Medical Image Computing
UCL - Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Positron Physics
UCL - Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory
UCL - Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Systems

Cambridge - Centre for Photonic Systems
Cambridge - Photonics Sensors Group
Cambridge - Institute of Biotechnology
Cambridge - Electronic Devices & Materials Group
Cambridge - Computer Architecture Group
Cambridge - Centre for Industrial Photonics
Cambridge - Geotechnical Group, Engineering
Cambridge - Wide bandgap semiconductors, Materials Science
Cambridge - Digital technology group, Computer Laboratory
Cambridge - Systems Research Group, Computer Laboratory

I would like to do my PhD in Nanotechnology field. I've just don't know which intuition should l aim for.

UCL - Electronic Materials and Devices
London Centre for Nanotechnology
Cambridge - Electronic Devices & Materials Group

Currently I'm working in Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE). please recommend me a supervisor if you know any.

Thank you for your help,

Regards,

Raham,

please help me people if you can, I don't have that much time!!

Thank you

I cannot help with the topic area as this is outside of my field, but I would prefer Cambridge to UCL. I am studying in Cambridge and love the place for its atmosphere and historical ambience. That said both are good institutions.

I admit that Cambridge would make your CV more saleable once you finish, however:

1) Have you had look around at each and got a feel for people and facilities? This is key as you need to be able to work with them.

2) Which has facilities and specialities closest to your needs?

I've done some nanotechnology (cool!!!) and from this I suggest also you have arummage around their websites and also see what they've done paperwise on http://www.sciencedirect.com (get personnel names from individual websites and do an author search on Science Direct).

This requires an informed decision by yourself. Sorry to keep this so general.

thank you Mackem_Beefy and dunni73

Well, yes I did all of these things I even talked to the potential supervisors in the both institutions and they are happy to take me as their PhD student. Even more I read few current and past papers of the targeted supervisor.

The problem is that when I talk to the current PhD students they do not express it very well in either research groups. I think in this situation I need to go by the name of the institution which i don't like this type of decision making!!

Yup, talking to the students helped me choose a 'new University' over an established institution and I made the right decision. When a fellow north easterner rips the living p*ss out of you and makes you feel at home, that was a big plus point and I knew there'd be a few friendly faces. The 'established' Uni in comparison was full of very aloof people and was a switch off. I later did a years post-doc at the 'established' Uni, which turned out to be an uncomfortable experience, confirming I'd made the right decision (though as I've realised from another thread, I could have done more to allieviate that - i.e. approach another senior academic to see if they'd take me under their wing).

You have to realise that many students will be seriously stressed and at varying stages. If you could get your hands on a recently qualified post-doc from each, you probably get a more informed decision (i.e. stress out of the equation).

Mackem_Beefy

thanks for your help

Assuming that the quality of research is about the same, I wouldn't put too much weight on Cambridge making you more 'saleable'. UCL is a leading international uni on a par with Cambridge in some respects so it's not like you're choosing between a very high quality and a low quality institution.

If things seem the same with regard to research opportunities, consider the following:
- Which research questions on offer really grab you. Not just 'Oh, that's interesting', but 'WOW, that's INTERESTING, I want to spend 3 years obsessing over it!'
- How supportive do you think the supervisors will *really* be?
- What opportunities are there in the department for wider learning - seminar series, chance to go to conferences, inter-institutional collaborations
- Do the current students seem happy and inspired there?
- Would you rather live in a big city or a small one?

Thank you hazyjane

that's what I was considering so far and its quite hard to make a decision,