Dr S Curling, Ms Penny Dowdney
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Bangor University and the Biocomposites Centre
Project ID: BUK2160
Annual Stipend: £11,472
Application Deadline: 30/11/18
Project Description :
We are looking for a graduate with experience in materials science to work on an exciting and industry relevant project whilst gaining a Masters by Research qualification. The successful applicant will work with scientists from the BioComposites Centre – an industry focused centre within Bangor University and with RFIDdirect - a specialist supplier of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology within the European market. The company is based in Mold, Flintshire and in Kleve, Germany and specialises in quality product applications and solutions designed to tackle common production and logistical chain issues to speed up business cycles across a range of sectors, from manufacturing and retail, to healthcare and horticulture.
Passive UHF RFID technology uses propagation coupling where a reader antenna emits electromagnetic energy (radio waves). The tag gathers energy from the reader antenna, and the microchip uses the energy to change the load on the antenna and reflects back an altered signal. This is called backscatter. This signal can be read by appropriate receivers and provide information on identification and position. The backscatter can be influenced by the moisture and temperature changes, and pressure on the antenna.
The company require information on how moisture within wood and wood-based materials affects the backscatter signal of RFID technology. The project will therefore, develop an understanding of how environmental conditions affect materials and how this in turn affects the operation and reliability of embedded RFID technology. This will help the company implement critical identification and logistical applications for a range of products.
This funded Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship (KESS) project will be supervised by Dr Simon Curling from the Biocomposites Centre at Bangor University and by Frits Van Calker of RFIDdirect. The funding includes a generous travel and equipment budget.
We welcome applications from UK / EU residents for a January 2019 start.
How to apply:
Send a covering letter and CV to Dr Simon Curling ([Email Address Removed]) cc to Dr. Penny Dowdney ([Email Address Removed]) by 30th November 2018
Funding Notes
Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships (KESS 2) is a pan-Wales higher level skills initiative led by Bangor University on behalf of the HE sector in Wales. It is part funded by the Welsh Government’s European Social Fund (ESF) convergence programme for West Wales and the Valleys.
Due to ESF funding, eligibility restrictions apply to this scholarship. To be eligible, the successful candidate will need to be resident in the Convergence Area of Wales on University registration, and must have the right to work in the region on qualification.
www.kess2.ac.uk