PhD Opportunities in Space and Planetary Sciences
The University of Hong Kong · 2027 Entry · Two Positions
We invite applications from around the world for two PhD positions in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at HKU.
Who should apply?
We welcome applications from final-year undergraduates, master’s students and graduates with backgrounds in space physics, planetary science, geophysics, physics, mathematics, computer science or related disciplines. Experience in programming, numerical modelling or data analysis is an advantage.
Research opportunities
Aurorae and planetary space environments — Prof. Zhonghua Yao
Study Earth and the giant planets using spacecraft measurements, telescope observations and numerical simulations.
Planetary magnetospheres and upper atmospheres — Dr Junjie Chen
Use global numerical modelling to study magnetic reconnection, ionospheric electrodynamics and magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling, from Earth to Jupiter and its moons. Students will be co-supervised by Prof. Binzheng Zhang.
Funding and scholarships
Eligible full-time PhD students may receive a Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS), currently HK$19,135 per month (September 2026 rate). Tuition for 2027/28 is HK$49,500 per year unless waived.
Competitive scholarships are also available through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and the HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS).
Interested? Get in touch.
Please send your CV, academic transcripts and a few sentences about your interests to:
- Zhonghua Yao: yaozh@hku.hk
- Dr Junjie Chen: cjjvince@hku.hk
The HKU Main Round deadline is 1 December 2026, 23:59 HKT. HKPFS applicants must first obtain an RGC reference number by 12:00 noon HKT that day. Early enquiries are encouraged; recruitment may close once the positions are filled.
Admission requirements
Applicants must meet HKU’s academic and English language requirements for PhD admission. Where English test results are required, the IELTS Academic minimum is 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0; equivalent qualifications accepted by HKU may also be used.
Further details on admission and scholarships: https://gradsch.hku.hk/
Supervisor profiles
Prof. Zhonghua Yao
Prof. Yao is an Associate Professor in HKU’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Director of the Laboratory for Space Research (LSR), and an HKU-100 Scholar. He also directs the Planetary Space Environment Laboratory at the HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI) and is an Honorary Professor at University College London (UCL). He received his PhD in Space Physics from Peking University. His research focuses on planetary space environments, particularly giant-planet magnetospheres and planetary aurorae.
He has published over 200 papers, including more than 50 as first or corresponding author, in journals including Nature Astronomy, Nature Communications, Science Advances, EPP, ApJL, GRL and JGR. In 2026, he was awarded funding through the NSFC Young Scientists Fund-Type A. His honours include the RAS Winton Capital Award, the EGU Arne Richter Award for Outstanding Early Career Scientists, the AOGS Kamide Lecture Award, and NASA’s Cassini Group Achievement Award. He served as President of the AOGS Planetary Sciences Section from 2024 to 2026 and has led an international team at the International Space Science Institute–Beijing (ISSI-BJ). He also served as a ground-based science expert for the “Tiangong Class” Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session.
Email: yaozh@hku.hk
Website: https://spaceyao.github.io
Dr Junjie Chen
Chen is a Research Assistant Professor at HKU. He received his BSc and PhD from the University of Science and Technology of China and was a research visitor at HAO/NCAR, USA. His research uses global numerical models, including GAMERA and TIE-GCM, to study magnetic reconnection, ionospheric electrodynamics and magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling at Earth and Jupiter.
He has authored over 30 papers, including 14 as first or corresponding author, in journals such as GRL, JGR, A&A and ApJ. He is PI of an RGC General Research Fund (GRF) project for 2027–2029. He teaches three HKU undergraduate courses, including Machine Learning for Earth and Planetary Sciences. He has organized scientific sessions at AOGS and COSPAR, is a member of the COSPAR ISWAT H4-03 action team, and serves as a reviewer for journals including GRL and JGR.
Email: cjjvince@hku.hk
Website: https://cjjvince.github.io
Co-supervisor: Prof. Binzheng Zhang
Prof. Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at HKU, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Physics. He received his BSc from Zhejiang University and PhD from Dartmouth College. His research focuses on planetary magnetospheres, aurorae, space weather and computational plasma physics. He develops numerical methods and global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models, including GAMERA and GAMERA-OP, to investigate plasma transport, magnetic reconnection and magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling at Earth and other planets.
He has published over 100 journal papers, including work in Science, Nature Astronomy, Nature Communications, Science Advances, GRL and JGR. He serves as an Editor of AGU Advances and received an RGC Research Fellowship in 2025/26. His honours also include HKU’s Outstanding Young Researcher Award.
Email: binzh@hku.hk
Website: https://www.binzh.net/