Centre for Operational Research, Management Science and Information Systems (CORMSIS)

CORMSIS PhD

Join CORMSIS, a top UK research group, to master optimisation, machine learning, and simulation. Conduct impactful research, collaborate with experts, and access cutting-edge facilities at the University of Southampton. Find your ideal PhD supervisor on our staff pages.

A PhD in OR helps develop proficiency in mathematical modelling, optimisation, machine learning, and simulation, enabling you to analyse and solve complex decision-making problems.

Pursuing a PhD in Operational Research (OR) or a related discipline at the Centre for Operational Research, Management Science, and Information Systems (CORMSIS) offers numerous advantages for individuals aiming to advance their expertise in decision sciences.

As one of the country’s leading research groups in the science of better decision making, CORMSIS provides a platform to conduct impactful research in areas such as optimisation, predictive modelling, machine learning, and simulation. The interdisciplinary nature of OR research at CORMSIS enables students to work on real-world challenges and gain valuable insights that are highly sought after by both academia and industry.

Additionally, CORMSIS is known for its strong connections with leading academic institutions and industry partners. As a PhD student, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with renowned researchers and gain access to industry collaborators, internships, and consultancy projects. The University of Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group and offers state-of-the-art facilities, including an HPC equipped with the latest H100 and A100 GPUs and high-performance CPUs, ensuring access to cutting-edge resources for rigorous and computationally intensive research in OR.

Browse our staff pages to identify and contact a potential PhD supervisor you would like to work with.

Dr Agnieszka Stefaniec PhD

Lecturer B in Management Science

Research interests

  • Shared mobility
  • Climate change
  • Transport applications of operational research

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Alain Zemkoho

Professor of Mathematical Optimization

Research interests

  • Bilevel and hierarchical optimization
  • First and second order numerical methods for continuous optimization
  • Nonsmooth and nonconvex optimization

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Alasdair Marshall

Associate Professor in Risk Management

Research interests

  • Corporate risk management
  • Risk intelligence
  • Risk culture
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Dr Alex Zarifis BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA

Lecturer in Information Systems

Research interests

  • Information Systems
  • Financial Technology
  • Fintech

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Behzad Hezarkhani

Professor in Operations Management

Research interests

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics and Transportation
  • Mechanism Design and Contracting

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Bismark Singh PhD, SMIEEE, AFORS, FIMA

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Stochastic optimization, particularly chance constraints.
  • Applications to public health, renewable energy, and sustainability.

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Brendan Ames

Associate Professor in Operational Res

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Carlos Lamas Fernandez

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Operational Research
  • Cutting and Packing
  • Vehicle Routing

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Chao Zheng

Lecturer in Statistics

Research interests

  • High Dimensional Statistics
  • Changepoint Estimation and Localisation
  • Machine Learning Theory and Applications

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Emeritus Professor Chris Chapman

Research interests

  • Management decision-making
  • Project management
  • Risk
Connect with Chris