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  Low carbon hydrogen production from biomass gasification


   College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

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  Dr Paula Blanco-Sanchez  No more applications being accepted  Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

About the Project

Prospective Start Date: 1 October 2024

Supervisor: Dr Paula Blanco Sanchez

Co-Supervisor: Dr Scott Banks

Applications are invited for a three-year Postgraduate studentship, supported by Aston University to be undertaken within the Energy & bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University. The successful applicant will join an experimental group working on thermochemical conversion of biomass. This research project is mainly focused on experimental research on catalytic biomass gasification and will require the use and manipulation of diverse analytical and experimental equipment.

Details of the Project

The project is linked to the UK Supergen Bioenergy Hub (Task 2: Gasification for Negative Emissions) and the new “Wolfson Centre for low carbon hydrogen” at Aston University. Low carbon hydrogen production from biomass conversion has been described as a key player in the recently published UK biomass strategy and will play a major role in reaching the ambitious UK Net Zero targets by 2050. This research project is mainly experimental and will focus on the low-carbon hydrogen production from biomass conversion. The selected candidate will undergo training to set-up and manipulate a unique lab-scale pressurised gasifier and will also have the chance to develop catalysts for process optimisation and hydrogen production. The project will also look at the hydrogen concentration and will also assess potential influence of other components or impurities present in the gas stream produced. The experimental results produced will serve to validate models developed in parallel as part of a larger working programme within this Task 2.

Person Specification

The successful applicant should have a first class or upper second-class honours degree or equivalent qualification in Chemical Engineering or a closely related area. Preferred skill requirements include knowledge/experience of experimental equipment used for thermochemical processing of biomass and biomass model compounds, catalysis and catalytic process design. Ideally, the candidate should have some experience or knowledge using analytic equipment for the characterisation of solid, liquid, and solid samples.

We would particularly like to encourage applications from women seeking to progress their academic careers. Aston University is committed to the principles of the Athena SWAN Charter, recognised recently by a prestigious Silver Award to EPS, and we pride ourselves on our vibrant, friendly and supportive working environment and family atmosphere.

Contact information

For formal enquiries about this project contact Paula Blanco-Sanchez at [Email Address Removed]

Submitting an application

Your application must include:

1.   English language copies of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor degrees.

2.   A Research Proposal Statement detailing your understanding of the research area, how you would approach the project, and a brief review of relevant literature. Be sure to use the title of the research project you are applying for. There is no set format or word count.

3.   personal statement which outlines any further information which you think is relevant to your application, such as your personal suitability for research, career aspirations, possible future research interests, and further description of relevant employment experience. 

4.   Two academic referees who can discuss your suitability for independent research. References must be on headed paper, signed and dated no more than 2 years old. At least one reference should be from your most recent University. You can submit your references at a later date if necessary.

5.   Evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. If you do not currently meet the language requirements, you can submit this at a later stage.

6.   A copy of your passport. Where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.

Apply for this position here

Alternatively, apply here.

 If you require further information about the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team at [Email Address Removed]

Engineering (12) Materials Science (24)

Funding Notes

This studentship includes a bursary to cover the fees rate, plus an annual maintenance allowance of £19,237.

Where will I study?

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