A three-year PhD studentship in organic synthesis for the development of sustainable C–O bond activation technologies

Supervisor: Dr. Roopender Kumar

Application deadline: 28 February 2022

Interview date: End of March

Start date: September 2022

UCL Chemistry Department is offering a fully-funded studentship to a highly motivated candidate to start in September 2022 (earliest in May). The student will carry out his/her doctoral research at UCL.

The goal of the research project is to develop new sustainable technologies for C–O bond activation employing earth-abundant, non-toxic transition metals. The student will be exposed to a variety of techniques in organic chemistry, including shlenck techniques, glove-box techniques, and the most up-to-date purification/analysis techniques, as well as ample opportunities to gain knowledge in ligand design, organometallic chemistry, organic synthesis, photochemistry, and catalysis. Please visit our webpage at https://thekumarlab.com/ for more information.

The applicants should have, or be expecting to achieve, a first or upper second-class Honours degree or equivalent in organic chemistry/biochemistry or polymer chemistry. 

Interested candidates should initially contact the supervisor, Dr. Kumar ([Email Address Removed]), with a degree transcript and a motivation letter expressing interest in these projects. Informal inquiries are encouraged. Please note that a suitable applicant will be required to complete MS Form entitled Application for Research: degree Chemistry programme. In addition, it is essential that suitable applicants complete an electronic application form at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply (please select Research degree: Chemistry programme) prior to the application deadline and advise their referees to submit their references as soon as they possibly can. All shortlisted applicants will be invited for the interview no more than 4 weeks after the application deadline.

The interview process will include a short data analysis project and the preparation of a small report to summarise its results. Any admissions queries should be directed to Dr Jadranka Butorac and Holly Ambrose-Wilson at [Email Address Removed].