EPSRC, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, funds studentships to provide next generation of skilled individuals in the Engineering and Physical Sciences.
The University of Kent is delighted to offer fully funded EPSRC studentships starting in September 2022. These scholarships include a doctoral stipend (equivalent to the Research Councils UK National Minimum Doctoral Stipend, £15,609 2021/22 rate (2022/2023 rate to be announced) for 3.5 years, tuition fees at the home rate and access to further research support funding. If you are applying as an international candidate, Kent will waive the difference between Home and International fees.
Within Chemistry and Forensic Science (Division of Natural Sciences) we are particularly inviting applications to the following projects:
Computational Design of Main-Group and Organometallic Systems for Catalysis and Photochemical Applications
Dr Felipe Fantuzzi (f.fantuzzi@kent.ac.uk)
Ab initio and density functional theory approaches are combined with further computational tools to design and investigate electronic structure, bonding, and reactivity of novel molecular systems with applications in catalysis and excited-state chemistry.
Chemical modification of doped Solar System analogues by thermal, mechanical and hypervelocity impact processing
Dr Jon Tandy (j.tandy-611@kent.ac.uk)
A suite of analytical techniques (GC-MS, SEM-EDS, Raman, XRD) will be utilised to provide a comprehensive understanding of the chemical modification of Solar System bodies (e.g. the surface of Mars) caused by their extreme environments, including severe temperature variation (replicated in a bespoke cryogenic chamber), mechanical processing (examined with ball milling mechanochemistry techniques) and hypervelocity impacts from meteoroids (using a two-stage light gas gun with in-situ mass spectrometry).
Multifunctional materials for low energy consuming applications
Dr Donna Arnold (d.c.arnold@kent.ac.uk)
Multiferroic materials, coupling together electric and magnetic degrees of freedom, offer new routes to materials which may be utilised to provide lower power consuming devices (such as electronics). This project will investigate ferrotoroidal materials; a new class of multiferroics.
Coordination-controlled Main Group Catalysis
Dr Ewan Clark (e.r.clark@kent.ac.uk)
This project makes use of ligand effects to modulate the reactivity of main group elements, primarily phosphorus, to develop new catalysts with complementary applications to conventional transition metal based systems.
Molecular sensors and switches
Dr Helena Shepherd (h.j.shepherd@kent.ac.uk)
This project will involve studying organic and organometallic molecules that can be switched between different forms, with each form having different colours, structures and other properties. After successful synthesis you will characterize them using a wide variety of structural and spectroscopic techniques and develop them towards applications in environmental sensing.
Using polymer sequence to overcome drug resistance in cancer
Dr Chris Serpell (c.j.serpell@kent.ac.uk)
Nature runs on the sequences of proteins and DNA. This project will put sequence to work in synthetic polymers, programming their self-assembly to create a library of nanomaterials which we will use to overcome drug resistance in cancer cells.
Further information can be found on our University of Kent scholarship page and on the EPSRC page here.
Criteria
Open to Home and Overseas (including EU) students.
If you are applying as an overseas student (this includes EU nationals), Kent will waive the difference between the Home and Overseas fees.
Successful candidates will demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding research potential.
Applicants should have, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second-class honours degree in a relevant subject, and ideally a Master’s degree or equivalent.
How to apply
When applying students should follow the University of Kent’s online application process. As part of the process, students should include the following:
· Explain reasons for study/outline research proposal (please speak with the academic leading the project you wish to apply for)
· Provide details/evidence of qualifications
· Provide two academic references
· Provide other personal information and supporting documentation.
Deadline
Apply for a PhD place at Kent by Sunday 13 March 2022, 23:59 GMT