Dr Ernesto Hernandez
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Talented students from around the globe are invited to apply for the position of Research Assistant leading to a fully-funded PhD.
Faculty of Engineering – Manufacturing & Industrial Processes Division – Bioinspired Engineering Research Group (BIERG)
Research Assistant-Fully Funded PhD (3 years)
Investigating a bioprocessing strategy to convert smoky carbon dioxide into marketable carbonates.
This is an exciting opportunity to apply solution-oriented strategies by bridging the gap between chemical engineering and life sciences while working at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC).
Participants are invited to apply for the position of Research Assistant with fully funded 3-year PhD studentship. You will join the Bioinspired Engineering Research Group (BIERG) at the Manufacturing & Industrial Processes Division (Faculty of Engineering) of the University of Nottingham, a global top 75 University.
The Research Assistant will work in a dynamic research environment, as part of a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, and will undertake interdisciplinary research on bioprocessing strategies to convert carbon dioxide into marketable carbonates.
In the next 20 years, energy production by burning fuels will increase along with the atmospheric concentration of CO2 and its well-known threats to life on Earth. As a solution, the deployment of the tenets of biology to capture CO2 is gaining attention in top-league R&D organizations. The leading bioinspired approach is based on the application of carbonic anhydrase (CA) –a superfast biocatalyst able to convert up to one million molecules of CO2 into carbonates in water.
The drawback of the research carried out so far, on capturing post combustion CO2 with CA, has been the utilisation of pristine CO2 in motionless laboratory conditions, which are far from being representative of the corrosive, poisonous, hot, sticky, fast flowing and dirty nature of smoke from chimneys. These challenging conditions of simultaneous transport phenomena to drive the evolution of a man-made CA represent a unique opportunity for a chemical engineer. Noteworthy is to mention that now the leading researchers in synthetic biology and directed evolution are engineers.
This project focuses on developing a sustainable bioprocessing strategy for converting smoky CO2 into marketable carbonates while using an artificially evolved enzyme and ecologically friendly scrubbers.
The Research Assistant will a) register at UNMC; b) become a member of BIERG ; c) undertake experimental investigations in UNMC; d) work in an international environment and will be required to assist in the design, setup, execution and interpretation of the experiments, and further computational implementation of the findings; e) apply for opportunities to present the research outputs locally and at international conferences; f) benefit from BIERG’s existing expertise in this niche.
Requirements:
i) No nationality restriction but must be eligible to reside and study in Malaysia;
Essential: Strong background in transport phenomena; 1st class BSc from a prestigious university or MSc with Distinction; hold a degree in Chemical Engineering; IELTS 6.0 (no elements below 5.5) or TOEFL (iBT): 79 (no elements below 19).
ii) Desirable: experimental experience in transport phenomena, heterogeneous catalysis, crystallization, reactive absorption or aquatic chemistry. Fundamental knowledge and strong interest in applying bioinspired approaches in chemical engineering; bioprocess engineering or biochemical engineering; good written and oral presentation skills; strong analytical and problem solving skills. Experience with ASPEN RadFrac, reactive-absorption, evaporative crystallization and any area of molecular biology is an advantage.
iii) Not eligible if: already registered for a PhD or currently enrolled in a degree program.
Funding Notes
Benefits
A world class PhD from the University of Nottingham (Fully-funded tuition and fees worth MYR 132,000)
Tax-free monthly stipend (up to MYR 1,700) depending on candidate’s experience
Travel and transportation for conferences and related needs (up to MYR 15,000)
Budget for materials and other related expenses (up to MYR 107, 000)
One-to-one coaching and supervision from an executive previously working in a top American chemical corporation and three global top-100 universities;
Access to state-of-the-art facilities and international network of partners
Eligibility to apply for funding (local/international)
For details about the cost of living in Malaysia, please see:
http://www.nottingham.edu.my/International/LifeinMalaysia/Finance/Index.aspx
References
Selection process:
Stage 1.
Please send electronic copy of the following documents with translation in English wherever it applies:
1) CV (2 pages maximum);
2) IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 79 certificate (test results must be less than 2 years old);
3) Proof of 1st class BSc from a prestigious university or MSc with distinction;
4) Covering letter stating how your interests and experience relate to the project;
5) Academic transcripts;
6) The names and email addresses of two academic referees
to Dr Ernesto Hernandez, email: Bierg@nottingham.edu.my.
Deadline: 31st October 2014.
Stage 2.
Only successful candidates will be notified. After notification, you will have one week to submit your Admission Application on the university online platform. Therefore, you must find the way to have the following documents ready to be uploaded in an online application form:
• academic transcripts from all university-level study
• proof of English language competency
• copy of your passport (photo page only)
• proof of payment for your application fee (it will be a bank transfer of about $50 USD, ask your bank for the procedure and timing)
Starting date: February 2015
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