Field of Physics
The Doctoral Field of Physics has been managed since 2024 by the Doctoral School of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences (SDSESN) at the West University of Timișoara.
The main objectives are to train doctoral researchers for the PhD degree in Physics, by providing doctoral programs in cutting-edge research topics of high interest to the academic community. These programs aim to produce doctoral theses with robust and meaningful results, validated by publications in top scientific journals. An important goal is the recognition of doctoral thesis results through citations, as well as the encouragement of further research in postdoctoral programs, specialized companies, universities, and research institutes.
The mission of the doctoral field is to provide the organizational and functional framework for PhD students in Physics to conduct scientific research at the highest level, with the goal of strengthening the Physics domain at UVT both nationally and internationally.
PhD students benefit from a training program based on advanced academic studies, consisting of courses, seminars, laboratories, and specialized activities. This program ensures the development of professional competencies (content-based, cognitive, and research-related) in the field of Physics, as well as transversal skills.
The curricula are approved annually by the SDSESN Council and are drawn up in accordance with current legislation and ARACIS requirements
Doctoral supervisors
- Prof. univ. dr. AVRAM Nicolae (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. COTĂESCU Ion (CV)
- Conf. univ. dr. habil CRUCEAN Cosmin (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil LUNGU Mihail (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil MARCU Loredana Gabriela (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil MARIN Cătălin – Nicolae (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. MĂLĂESCU Iosif (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil MOCA – PASCU Cătălin (CV)
- Conf. univ. dr. habil PAULESCU Eugenia (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil PAULESCU Marius (CV)
- C.S. I dr. SOFONEA Victor (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil SUSAN-RESIGA Daniela (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. VIZMAN Daniel Florin (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil ZAMFIR Alina Diana (CV)
Thematic areas of interest (2025)
Assoc. Prof. Cosmin Crucean, PhD, Habil.
- Quantum field theory in General Relativity
- Matter and antimatter production in the early Universe
Prof. Mihail Lungu, PhD, Habil.
- Manipulation of nanoparticles via dielectrophoresis / ultrasonic levitation
- Recovery of non-ferrous metals from waste through electrostatic or eddy current separation
- Surface treatments using cold plasma dielectric barrier discharges
Prof. Loredana Gabriela Marcu, PhD, Habil.
- Applied medical physics in radiotherapy
- In silico simulation of radiobiological processes
- Radiomics
Prof. Cătălin Nicolae Marin, PhD, Habil.
- Magnetically and electrically active hybrid materials
- “Bio-inspired” and “eco-friendly” materials and structures
- Applied electromagnetism
- Physics applications in medicine
Assoc. Prof. Eugenia Paulescu, PhD, Habil.
- Parametric models for estimating solar radiation energy under clear sky conditions
- Models for separating global solar irradiance into direct and diffuse components
- Model chains for converting solar energy into electricity
Prof. Marius Paulescu, PhD, Habil.
- Radiative transfer in the atmosphere
- Solar resource modeling
- Crystalline solar cell modeling
- Solar resource and PV power forecasting
Senior Researcher I Victor Sofonea, PhD
- Physics of ideal and non-ideal fluids, Enskog-Vlasov theory
- Physics of rarefied gases and microfluidics
- Transport phenomena and structure formation in fluids
- High-performance computing on GPUs
Prof. Daniela Susan-Resiga, PhD, Habil.
- Magnetizable fluids – rheological/magnetorheological behavior and applications:
- Ferrofluids
- Magnetorheological fluids
- Magnetoresponsive composites
Prof. Daniel Florin Vizman, PhD
- Physics of crystal growth processes
- Numerical modeling methods for crystal growth
- Transport phenomena (heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, magnetohydrodynamics)
Useful information
Proposed topics for admission (2025)
For the complete list of topics, please consult the table (link).
The funding status of each topic (scholarship-based budget, budget without scholarship, or tuition fee) is determined based on the admission competition, in accordance with the UVT methodology.
Admission
The admission process consists of two exams:
- A written general physics exam (PG)
Candidates must solve 4 problems in the fields of Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, and Electricity (mandatory for all candidates). - An oral specialty exam (PS)
This includes:- A response to a topic chosen from a list announced by the doctoral supervisor whose proposed topic the candidate has selected;
- A presentation of the doctoral project (maximum 15 minutes).
The oral exam will be conducted before the admission committee.
Information regarding the research topics of each doctoral advisor, PG and PS topics, and the reference bibliography is published on the Doctoral School’s website, according to the admission calendar.
The doctoral admission evaluation aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the candidate’s level of knowledge, previous research achievements, and motivation for the chosen doctoral topic.
- The PG will be graded by two members of the admission committee, with a score between 1 and 10.
- The PS will be coordinated by the doctoral advisor whose topic was chosen by the candidate. Questions may be based on the bibliography announced by the advisor. PS will be graded between 1 and 10. The final score for PS will be the average of the scores given by each committee member.
The Final Grade (NF) will be calculated as a weighted average:
NF = 0.8 × PS + 0.2 × PG
Only a number of candidates less than or equal to the number of allocated places can be declared ADMITTED. The minimum general admission average cannot be lower than 7.00. The final grade is calculated with two decimal places, without rounding.
For the PG, candidates may request a re-evaluation. In such cases, another committee member not involved in the initial evaluation will reassess the exam. For the PS, being oral, appeals are not allowed.
For more details regarding application files, the admission calendar, and the organization of the doctoral admission process within the Doctoral School of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences, please consult the Admission Regulations of the DSESN and the UVT Doctoral Admission Methodology.
Resources
Curriculum
- Doctoral students admitted in the first year in 2024 (link)
- Doctoral students admitted in the first year in 2025 (link)
Courses
Plasma in Technology and Medicine
Rheological Characterization of Complex Materials
Completion of studies
For more details about the IOSUD-West University of Timișoara study completion procedure, please visit the Doctoral Studies > Completion of doctoral studies page (link).
For field-specific details, please consult the following:
- Order of the Ministry of Education and Research no. 3018/2025, dated January 13, 2025, on the approval of the minimum mandatory national standards required for awarding doctoral degrees, published in the Official Gazette no. 78 of January 29, 2025
(applicable to doctoral students admitted from 2025 onward) (link) - Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 5110/2018, dated September 17, 2018, regarding the approval of the minimum national standards for awarding doctoral degrees, published in the Official Gazette no. 817 of September 24, 2018 (link)
(applicable to doctoral students admitted before 2025) (link) - The National Guide for Writing Doctoral Theses related to the Field of Study (forthcoming publication)
- Sections concerning the graduation procedure in the Regulations of the Doctoral School to which you are affiliated