Applications are invited for a three-year Postgraduate studentship, supported by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, to be undertaken within the EBRI Research Group at Aston University. This project is part of an internal competition.
The position is available to start in either October 2022 or January or April or July 2023, subject to negotiation.
Financial Support
Engineering and Physical Sciences College DTP PhD studentships are fully funded for 3 years. They include a maintenance allowance based on UKRI minimum and Home tuition fees (subject to eligibility). The figures for 2022/23 are yet to be confirmed. For reference, in the 2021/22 academic year, the maintenance allowance was £15,609 and the Home tuition fees were £4,500.
Overseas applicants may apply but will need to cover the difference between the ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees. The difference between ‘Home’ and ‘Overseas’ tuition fees for 2022/23 is yet to be confirmed. In the 2021/22 academic year, the difference was £13,100.
As part of the application, you will be required to confirm that you have applied for, or secured, this additional funding.
Full details of eligibility can be found here. Further guidance on UKRI Eligibility Criteria can be found on the UKRI website.
Project Background
Around 1.7 million tonnes of plastics are produced in the UK each year, but only ~1% of these products are made from renewable resources, while the majority still relies on fossil fuels conversion. This clearly needs to change if we are to meet the UK's 2050 net-zero target.
The structural diversity of biomass resources makes them good candidates for the synthesis of renewable monomers and polymers substituting in this way the need for petrochemical resources.
This project will explore and identify a sustainable pathway for biomass waste conversion into functional molecules to obtain bio-based and biodegradable polymers. For example, sugar derivable building block chemicals will be obtained and transformed into new families of commercially relevant molecules such as levulinic acid and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF).
The project will use a novel approach combining experimental and artificial intelligence tools to identify and optimise a suitable pathway. The ultimate goal will be to obtain renewable biopolymers with excellent thermomechanical properties and with potential scalability to replace fossil fuel-derived polymers.
Person Specification
The successful applicant should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, a Masters degree in a relevant subject with a 60% or higher weighted average, and/or a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or an equivalent qualification from an overseas institution) in chemical engineering or chemistry. Preferred skill requirements include knowledge/experience of working in a laboratory environment, a strong interest in developing laboratory methodologies and formulating engineering solutions to environmental problems, and a willingness to learn how to operate experimental and analytical equipment.
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 Dr Paula Helena Blanco Sanchez.
Submitting an application
Details of how to submit your application, and the necessary supporting documents can be found here. Once you have contacted a supervisor, please follow the instructions on How to Apply to submit an application.
Please include the supervisor name, project title, and project reference in your Personal Statement.
For further information about the application process please contact Postgraduate Admissions.
What happens next
Applications received by 31st January will be referred by Graduate School PGR Admissions to the potential Supervisors. Potential candidate interviews will be either in-person or online. Interviewed applicants will be informed of the outcomes by April 2022.
Continue with Facebook
