PhD studentship: 3D digital technologies and AI for developing community-led conservation strategies of heritage buildings at risk

Do you have an Architectural Degree? Are you curious about how digital technologies can enhance our critical approaches towards the conservation of built heritage, especially in the context of disasters? Do you have a PhD research proposal related to this topic, or can you develop one this month? If the answer is yes to these questions, then this PhD funding opportunity for the programme of Architecture Design (Social Science) might be for you.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, self-motivated, and resourceful PhD student, to contribute to the generation of new knowledge on the topic of 3D digital technologies and AI for developing community-led conservation strategies of heritage buildings at risk. This exciting opportunity is based within the Architecture, Culture and Tectonics Research Group, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, which conducts cutting-edge research on the documentation and conservation of built heritage using advanced recording technologies in seismic areas of Chile and India, among other topics. 

You will have the opportunity to experience a great research environment, with several ongoing international research projects and state-of-the-art equipment and software, including 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry, available for you to carry out your studies. 

Supervisory team

Dr Bernadette Devilat and Dr Nils Jaeger, Assistant Professors from the Digital Technologies and Architecture cluster within the Architecture, Culture and Tectonics research group at the Department of Architecture and Built Environment. Bernadette has expertise in digital technologies for the conservation of heritage areas affected by earthquakes, with case studies from Chile and India. Nils’ expertise is in artificial intelligence applied to architectural design, human-building interaction, digitally-driven adaptive architecture, personal data, mental health and wellbeing, and theories of embodiment.

What is the funding for: full fees and a monthly stipend for 42 months, starting in October 2026, subject to the excellence of the candidate and the proposal. 

Deadline: 11.59 pm on Wednesday, the 25th of February 2026. Late proposals for this funding will not be considered. 

Requisites: 1st or a 2:1 in Architecture and an English qualification of 6.5 in IELTS (no less than 6.0 in each element). Other requirements are listed in the programme description.  

Brief description of the PhD topic:

The latest advances in digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3D laser scanning (LiDAR), photogrammetry, and virtual reality, among others, can significantly enhance our preparedness to mitigate and adapt to disasters. From previous research on their application to recurrent threats, such as earthquakes, mitigation strategies can be extrapolated to increase the conservation of our built heritage at risk. Learning from previous earthquakes to increase resilience in future earthquakes in seismic areas (Feilden 1987) is essential to ensure secure habitation, as they occur regularly. In the same way, we already know the possible impacts of climate change and lessons can be extracted to improve the reuse and conservation of heritage buildings, helping not only to mitigate climate change but also to adapt to its consequences.

Digital recording technologies can enhance disaster responses, such as earthquake recovery, through rapid built environment data collection, as demonstrated in previous research applied to seismic-prone areas of Chile and India, and by scaling up re-construction processes that can otherwise be slow in heritage contexts. However, at the moment, the potential of this data remains unexplored in light of the latest AI capabilities, which could lead to scaling up re-construction efforts to physically conserve more built heritage than ever before, if AI is used ethically and in line with the principles of transparency, equity and sustainability. An integrated 3D laser-scanning dataset with AI analysis can serve as a powerful platform for integrating participatory approaches with local communities in the conservation of their heritage. Currently, there is a knowledge gap in developing critical, human-oriented approaches to applying digital technologies to the built environment affected by disasters, from a bottom-up perspective, which this PhD will ultimately be looking at. 

You will need to develop your own PhD proposal based on this brief description. The topic is left sufficiently open in scope and case studies to accommodate a range of prospective students. 

Application information

This is a three-step application process. First, the best 3 PhD candidates for the topic will be selected and interviewed. Second, one of them will be selected to apply to the University of Nottingham. Third, this candidate will be submitted to an expert committee from the University of Nottingham as part of a competitive process to secure the funding. 

How to apply: 

Fill out this form: https://forms.office.com/e/SxNLR1qbBE?origin=lprLink , answer the questions, and attach the following files:

What happens after sending your application:

Potential candidates will be invited for an interview in the week commencing on the 2nd of March 2026 (online or in person, depending on the candidate’s location). The selected candidate will need to follow the regular PhD application process at the University of Nottingham, which can be done here . Then, the selected candidate’s proposal will be sent to the UoN expert committee on the 16th of March 2026 for the final decision. 

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The Faculty of Engineering (FoE) provides a thriving working environment for all PGRs, creating a strong sense of community across research disciplines. Community and research culture are important to our PGRs, and the FoE supports this by working closely with our Postgraduate Research Society (PGES) and our PGR Research Group Reps to enhance the research environment for PGRs. PGRs benefit from training through the Researcher Academy’s Training Programme; those based within the Faculty of Engineering have access to bespoke courses developed for Engineering PGRs, including sessions on paper writing, networking and career development after the PhD. The faculty has outstanding facilities and works in partnership with leading industrial partners. 

NOTE: If you cannot make this deadline, please remember that we are always open to receiving PhD applications using other funding sources. Funding opportunities from the University of Nottingham, like this one, are usually available at this time each year. Areas of research can be wider, not limited to Architecture, and for all the PhD programmes we offer.  

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