Graduate School

Cosmology and Gravitation research overview

Cosmology & Gravitation

The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) is a research institute at the University of Portsmouth devoted to the investigation of cosmology, galaxy evolution and gravitation. We have nearly 50 staff, post-doctoral fellows and students working on subjects from inflation in the early universe to understanding the stellar populations in galaxies.

The ICG is one of the leading cosmology groups in the United Kingdom, and is supported by major grants from the Research Council STFC and the European Union.

Our postgraduate research students are engaging in original research, including:

  • Interacting dark energy models of the late-time acceleration of the universe
  • Cosmological dynamics and observational building a mass function and testing gravity using galaxy clusters
  • Observational constraints on the statistical properties of clusters of galaxies and the halo occupation distribution
  • Properties of the host galaxies of type Ia supernovae in the SDSS-II supernova survey
  • Cosmological constraints from the ages of luminous red galaxies
  • Constraining cosmological models with CMB fluctuations from the late universe
  • Four-dimensional effective theories in Branewords
  • Cosmic late-time acceleration: theoretical models and observational constraints

For more information about how to apply please contact the Faculty of Technology using the Contact us page.

If you have any questions about studying for a research degree at the University of Portsmouth, please complete our enquiry form.

Key Facts

RAE rating: Our researchers entered their work with the Department of Mathematics researchers in the Unit of Assessment Applied Mathematics, covering research in galaxy formation, dark energy, quantum cosmology and the dynamics of chaotic systems. We are delighted with the results obtained, as 75% of our research was judged to be 'world-leading or internationally excellent'. This score is one of the best in the United Kingdom, matched only by the universities of Cambridge, Durham and Oxford.

Academic staff: 10 (please see the staff list).

Postgraduate research students: 22.

Internal links: The Institute for Cosmology works closely with the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Technology.

External links: We have close research links and partnerships with the following organisations:

  • South East Physics Network Astrophysics collaboration (SEPNet ASTRO)
  • Sloan Digital Sky Survey
  • UK National Cosmology Supercomputer Consortium (COSMOS)
  • Dark Energy Survey (DES)
  • Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) UK consortium
  • Astrogrid Project (designed to create a Virtual Observatory for UK and International astronomers)
  • European Network for Theoretical Astroparticle Physics (ENTApP)

Research Centres

Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation

The researchers at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation work in a variety of projects. Our research covers theoretical and observational cosmology, astrophysics and their interface. Our research projects are supported by grants from the Research Council STFC, the Royal Society and the European Union.

Research Areas

Early universe and particle cosmology

If your interests lie in this area, we can provide excellent supervision in the fields of:

  • Inflation
  • Brane-world cosmology
  • String cosmology, Primordial perturbations

Structure formation in the universe

Our researchers are working and supervising high quality research in fields such as:

  • Cosmic microwave background
  • Galaxy surveys
  • Dark energy
  • Gravitational lensing
  • Cosmic magnetic fields
  • Gravitational waves

Galaxy evolution

Our researchers are producing excellent research and supervising postgraduate research students in specialisms including:

  • Stellar population models
  • Chemical evolution
  • Galaxies at low and high redshift