Doctoral study in Civil Engineering

Why study with us?

Research opportunities

Pursuing a PhD at the University gives you access to a high-calibre research community – you may have the opportunity to publish papers, attend international conferences and develop your network in academia and industry.

We welcome research proposals in topics relating to our key areas, including:

  • Earthquake engineering, which covers broad research areas such as from seismic assessments, materials, community resilience, and more
  • Geotechnical engineering, including soil behaviour modelling, structural foundation systems, dynamic properties of soils, and liquefaction
  • Resilience, with a variety of broad topics ranging from building and transportation infrastructure, to organisational management and communities, and disaster reduction
  • Structural engineering, on areas such as the development of materials and innovative new solutions
  • Transportation, including traffic operations, road safety and skid resistance, network modelling and public transport, and Electric Vehicles
  • Water and environmental engineering, focusing on areas such as hydraulic engineering, flow structures, sustainability, waste management, resource recovery, and more

Our people

Dr Lokesh Padhye

Dr Lokesh Padhye's research group aims to understand and improve water quality in our natural and built environments. His primary focus is the identification, fate, and toxicological relevance of emerging water pollutants. His group’s expertise also includes the synthesis and application of novel photochemical and electrochemical catalysts and adsorbents for advanced water treatment and reuse. Beyond this, he is also deeply committed to working with communities in New Zealand and other Pacific Islands to help increase our resilience to water stress issues related to climate change, primarily through the interdisciplinary Oceania Water Research Consortium (OWRC).

Past research topics

Scholarships and awards

There are several scholarships you may be eligible for when you decide to pursue your PhD in Civil Engineering, including the University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships.

Help and advice

For general student enquiries, please contact the Student Hubs.

If you would like to find out more about studying Civil Engineering, you can contact a Postgraduate Adviser.

Apply for doctoral study