We welcome expressions of interest from prospective PhD students, visiting students and postdoctoral fellowship applicants whose plans align with our research.

PhD and visiting students

Prospective PhD students should apply through the standard DAMTP admissions process and indicate their interest in working with Sven. A separate expression-of-interest form is available for students with a specific connection to our research directions. The form helps us identify research fit, but it does not replace the formal University application process.

Please do not send speculative supervision requests by email. Visiting students are generally considered only when they have their own funding.

Postdoctoral fellowships

We are open to discussing externally funded postdoctoral fellowships when the proposed research fits the lab’s programme. Relevant schemes include Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships, the Royal Society University Research Fellowship, the STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship and country-specific fellowship programmes.

Host support is not automatic. Many schemes require departmental approval, resources or an internal selection before the funder’s deadline. Prospective applicants should complete the postdoctoral fellowship expression-of-interest form, ideally at least three months before the external deadline. Earlier contact is strongly encouraged where an internal selection is required; late requests may be impossible to support.

The form is the appropriate first point of contact for fellowship-hosting enquiries. Submission does not constitute an offer of support, endorsement or selection by the lab, DAMTP or the University.

Privacy and data handling

These expression-of-interest forms are separate from the University’s formal admissions and recruitment systems. Responses are collected using Google Forms and stored in a private Google account administered by Sven Krippendorf. They are used to assess research fit, supervision or hosting feasibility, and timing. Where necessary for that assessment, relevant information may be discussed with appropriate University colleagues.

Please do not submit special-category or other sensitive personal data. If no application, visit or fellowship discussion proceeds, responses will normally be deleted within 18 months of the last substantive contact. To request access, correction or deletion of a response, contact slk38@cam.ac.uk. Formal applications are handled under the relevant University of Cambridge privacy notices. Google’s handling of information submitted through its service is described in the Google Privacy Policy.