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Important devices in modern society such as batteries, fuel cells and medical sensors exploit special properties of complex electrochemical reactions. This Australian Research Council funded project (DP210100606 - Parameterisation of voltammetry in a machine-learning environment) involves working with a multidisciplinary research team, with strong interactions with other Australian and Overseas research groups and institutions.
The aim of this multidisciplinary project is to develop an integrated approach to intelligent collection and analysis of large electrochemical data sets in a machine-learning and Bayesian inference environment. As a result, it will become possible for the first time to globally model and quantitatively parameterise all aspects of the dynamic electrochemistry associated with exceptionally complex electrochemical reactions in a statistically significant framework. Problems to be addressed are of biological and chemical significance. An end product will be a commercially viable, user-friendly instrumentation package.
Essential
Desirable
Applicants must also fulfil the criteria for PhD admission at Monash University. Details of the relevant requirements are available at monash.edu/science/schools/chemistry/postgraduate
Academic Supervisors: Associate Professor Jie Zhang and Prof Alan Bond
Renumeration: Successful applicants will receive $30,000 AUD per annum (2022 full-time rate, tax-free), a once-off relocation allowance of $1000 (interstate) or $1500 (international) and covers the cost of tuition (if applicable).
Employment Type: Full-time
Commencement: 2022
Contact: jie.zhang@monash.edu, attaching a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of publication; academic transcripts (university level qualifications) and; IELTS/TOEFL English test results (if applicable).
Carbon dioxide is a notorious greenhouse gas. Its capture, and subsequent storage or utilization, is a major focus not only for researchers, but also for governments trying to meet their obligations of the Paris Agreement on climate change and for industries managing their legal and social responsibilities.
This Australian Research Council funded project (DP220100316 - Medium temperature electrolysis for low-cost carbon dioxide utilization) involves working with a multidisciplinary research team consisting of electrochemists and chemical engineers, with strong interactions with other Australian and Overseas research groups and institutions.
The aim of this multidisciplinary project is to develop commercially viable medium temperature electrolysers to convert carbon dioxide into value added chemicals using electricity from renewable sources. New design principles will be developed to generate highly active and selective catalysts with long-term stability. These electrolyzers will be integrated with carbon capture technologies to directly utilize captured carbon dioxide with high energy efficiency.
Applicants must also fulfil the criteria for PhD admission at Monash University. Details of the relevant requirements are available at monash.edu/science/schools/chemistry/postgraduate
Academic Supervisors: Associate Professor Jie Zhang and Prof Paul Webley
Renumeration: Successful applicants will receive $30,000 AUD per annum (2022 full-time rate, tax-free), a once-off relocation allowance of $1000 (interstate) or $1500 (international) and covers the cost of tuition (if applicable).
Employment Type: Full-time
Commencement: 2022
Contact: jie.zhang@monash.edu, attaching a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of publication; academic transcripts (university level qualifications) and; IELTS/TOEFL English test results (if applicable).
Electrochemical water-splitting is recognised to be one of the most promising approaches to store renewable energy in the form of hydrogen fuel. Commercially feasible water electrolysis requires the use of highly stable and active electrodes, known as electrocatalysts, to overcome the high energy barrier(s) associated with water-splitting. Electrode structure and composition strongly dictate the kinetics and mechanisms of electrocatalytic processes, and thus there is a great need for techniques that can probe electrochemical activity at the scale of surface heterogeneities, e.g., from single defects to the individual grains and grain boundaries of a polycrystal.
This exciting project, entitled “Nanoscale Reaction Imaging of Water-Splitting Electrodes” aims to develop and implement a state-of-the-art electrochemical microscopy platform—the first of its kind in Australia—to probe the nanoscale electrochemistry of promising water-splitting electrodes and reveal catalytic active sites directly and unambiguously. As part of this project, the successful applicant will be among the first to work with frontier nanoscale imaging techniques in electrochemistry (e.g., scanning electrochemical cell microscopy, SECCM), and will also develop considerable expertise in complementary surface analysis techniques (e.g., SEM, TEM, XPS, EBSD etc.) and LabVIEW/MATLAB coding. For SECCM and related surface analysis techniques see for example: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03454-x
Applicants must have completed, or be soon to complete, a relevant Honours/Masters degree in chemistry, physics, mechanical/chemical engineering or equivalent at a high level (HD1 or 2.1 minimum or equivalent). Applicants will be considered if they fulfil the criteria for PhD admission at Monash University (including English language requirements) and demonstrate excellent research capability, with outstanding academic track records in chemistry or materials science. Further details are available here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/chemistry/postgraduate
Note that due to border restrictions, this position is open to candidates that are currently located within Australia and are an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold an appropriate student visa.
Academic Supervisor: Dr Cameron L. Bentley (https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/cameron-bentley)
Renumeration: Successful applicants will receive $29,500 AUD per annum (2021 full-time rate, tax-free), a once-off relocation allowance of $1000 (interstate) or $1500 (international) and covers the cost of tuition (if applicable).
Employment Type: Full-time
Commencement: 2021
Contact: cameron.bentley@monash.edu, attaching a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of any published works; academic transcripts (university level qualifications) and; IELTS/TOEFL English test results (if applicable).
The Monash node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals is seeking Ph.D. candidates to contribute to this project of National Significance. The candidate must be an Australian resident for tax purposes and hold a first-class undergraduate degree or equivalent.
The green economy, digital revolution, improved health, and living standards all depend on metals supplied at a minimal environmental cost. However, the declining grade of the more accessible minerals, increasing complexity of mineralogy, and the growing need to extract minerals from deeper mines, have reached a tipping point, making current practices technologically, economically, and environmentally unsustainable.
Opportunity to make a difference
The Centre will develop transformational technologies for enabling a competitive and environmentally sustainable future for Australia’s minerals industry through:
Understanding the non-covalent interactions between minerals and the polymeric materials used in froth flotation technologies is central to improving the performance of these so-called “collectors”. Through the design and structural engineering of ‘smart’ polymeric materials via the incorporation of responsive chemical functionality, we envisage controlling these interactions by applying an external stimulus or stimuli. Polymeric materials inspired by naturally occurring components that can be modified to respond to temperature, light, and pH will be synthesized and characterized by the candidate within the Monash node of the CoE.
Academic Supervisors: Dr. Chris Ritchie and Prof. San Thang
Location: School of Chemistry, Clayton Campus, Monash University
Selection Criteria
Required
Desirable
Remuneration: Stipends are available for a minimum of three years and are subject to performance at a rate of A$29 500 (tax-free) p.a.
Contact: Chris.ritchie@monash.edu using subject line CoE Ph.D. Application
The ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing is an interdisciplinary research and training environment centred on green and sustainable chemistry.
The Centre will develop new green and sustainable chemical technologies for use in manufacturing.
PhD researchers joining this joint program will enjoy the benefits of training and joint supervision from experts from Monash University, Deakin University, Flinders University and Curtin University, together with mentoring from industry partners.
The range of academic leaders can been seen at the website.
The Centre will train industry ready PhD chemists, chemical engineers and material engineers.
Locations: Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia; Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Employment Type: Full-time
Commencement: 2021
Duration: Students are expected to complete their degree within 3 to 4 years equivalent full-time
Remuneration: $34,013 AUD per annum full-time rate (tax-free stipend for 3 years with the possibility of an extension)
Applicant Requirements
Applicants will be considered provided they meet the requirements of the relevant University:
Applications
For information on research leaders/chief investigators and to submit an expression of interest please see the website below:
https://tcgcm.com.au/news/phd-opportunities
Closing Date
Applications will be accepted until the project has been filled by a suitable candidate.
We are offering two full-time funded scholarships as part of an Australian Research Council funded research project focussed on the design and characterisation of novel ionic phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage applications.
PCMs are capable of absorbing energy, by melting upon heating from the sun during the day. Upon cooling, the material can release the energy by freezing. Thus PCMs must have a melting point in the desired range and freeze with minimal supercooling.
This project will aim to design and demonstrate new materials that store thermal energy in the temperature range between 100 - 220°C that is optimal for distributed storage of solar thermal and wind energy. In an effort to design PCMs which can be implemented in technologies used at household and industrial levels, this project will also aim to design materials which are cost-effective and safe
Applicants must have completed a relevant chemistry degree (Honours/Master degree) at a high level (HD1 or equivalent). In addition, they must be familiar with organic synthesis and basic characterising tools (e.g. NMR, FTIR Spectroscopy etc.). Evidence of data analysis and interpretation skills is desirable. In addition to having excellent laboratory skills, applicant must also demonstrate their ability to work independently as well in a team environment.
Applicants must fulfil the criteria for PhD admission at Monash University and demonstrate excellent research capability. Details of the relevant requirements are available at www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future students/apply
Remuneration: Successful applicants will receive $29,000 p.a. as a full-time stipend (pro-rata).
Closing Date: Applications will be accepted until the project has been filled by a suitable candidate.
For further information and any queries, please contact:
Professor Douglas Macfarlane: Douglas.Macfarlane@monash.edu OR
Dr Mega Kar: Mega.Kar@monash.edu
Impact of personalising student feedback through Learning Analytics
We are interested in using Learning Analytics to optimise student learning. Learning Analytics measure and process student data collected from Moodle (the University Learning Management System). This PhD project will investigate how these data allow us to personalise feedback to chemistry students, which is particularly difficult in large student cohorts. The project will evaluate how students respond to personalised feedback and develop methods to better support students throughout their degree programme.
Raising sustainability awareness through systems thinking and context-based learning
We aim to prepare undergraduate students to tackle global challenges confronting modern society. This PhD project will design and implement context-based learning activities at the university level to encourage students to make links between chemistry, the environment and society. The project will use systems thinking to develop novel methods to help students to learn about fundamental chemistry concepts and relate the concepts to their everyday life, in particular changing their behaviour and actions that impact the environment.
Applicants must have completed, or be soon to complete, a relevant chemistry degree (Honours/Master degree) at a high level (HD1 or 2.1 minimum or equivalent).
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, a strong interest in chemistry education (higher education level), as well as the ability to work independently and in a team environment are essential. Evidence of data analysis and interpretation skills and experience with statistical analysis is desirable.
Applicants will be considered if they fulfil the criteria for PhD admission at Monash University and demonstrate excellent research capability. More details
Interested Candidates that meet the requirements detailed in the previous link should email both prospective supervisors (Dr Sara Kyne, A/Prof Chris Thompson) the following:
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, over Skype if necessary. The interviews will be conducted in English.
Remuneration: Successful applicants will receive $27,353 p.a. as a full-time stipend (pro-rata). Applications from exceptional candidates may be granted additional support for international tuition fees (tuition fees are not applicable to the following: Australian and New Zealand citizens and Permanent Residents).
Closing Date: Applications will be accepted until the project has been filled by a suitable candidate.
We recently discovered a new class of highly fluorescent zwitterionic fluorophores, derivatives of which display extreme environmental sensitivity. These exciting molecules have physical properties that make them interesting candidates for utility in a range of technologies. Of interest to us is the possibility that these molecules could be used to correlate conformational changes at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) which are an important class of drug targets. GPCRs is often activated by several different agonists, both endogenous and as medicines. The significance of this study is that differences in GPCR conformation are thought to be related to the ability of particular agonists to elicit cellular responses. This is because the cellular response is not simply a product of GPCR occupancy, as would be expected in an “on” – “off” switch or indeed to how tightly the agonist is bound.
The project will involve the synthesis of novel fluorophores (School of Chemistry), that will be subsequently conjugated with GPCRs or their signal transducers; G-Proteins. Interaction of these fluorescent, environmentally sensitive, GPCR or G-protein conjugates will then be investigated using single-molecule dynamics with an emphasis on the utility of (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy – Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer) FLIM-FRET in addition to a suite of other techniques.
A suitable candidate will have broad interests spanning synthetic chemistry, biology, and photo-physics. The candidate will receive all the required training to conduct the project but must have a strong desire to assume ownership of the project and work independently.
Supervisors: Dr. Chris Ritchie (chris.ritchie@monash.edu) and Dr. Sebastian Furness (sebastian.furness@monash.edu)
Faculty / Portfolio: School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Clayton Campus, Monash University AND the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville Campus
Candidate Requirements:
Applicants will be considered if they fulfil the criteria for Ph.D. admission at Monash University and demonstrate excellent research capability. Details of the relevant requirements are available at http://www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/eligibility2/eligibility/
Interested Candidates that meet the requirements detailed in the previous link MUST submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) AND email both prospective supervisors:
Remuneration: Successful applicants will receive $29,500 p.a. as a full-time stipend (pro-rata).
Relevant Project References
“Highly Fluorescent Pyridinium Betaines for Light Harvesting” Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed., 2017, 56, 13882. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.201704832).
“Ligand-Dependent Modulation of G Protein Conformation Alters Drug Efficacy” Cell, 2016, 167, 3, 739. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.021).
We recently discovered that Polyoxometalates (POMs) can be used as sensitizers to trigger the photochemical transformation of diarylethene (DAE) photochromes using visible light, a process that would otherwise require irradiation with higher energy UV. Lowering of the energy barrier for the photochemical reaction results from coordination of the photochrome to the POM, with excitation of POM based electronic transitions promoting the photochemical reaction. This process results in the ultrafast conversion (picoseconds) of the assembly to a more highly conjugated species that results in a dramatic colour change from pale yellow to deep blue. The photoinduced cyclization can be revered by irradiation of the sample with red light.
Extension of this project will involve the synthesis of polyoxometalates with appropriate binding sites for attachment of diarylethene ligands using a range of chemical approaches. The resulting compounds will be structurally characterized with an emphasis on understanding how the POMs impact the steric and electronic properties of the attached DAEs. The photophysical properties of these molecules will be investigated within our international collaborative network.
To achieve these project goals, we are seeking two excellent Ph.D. candidates with a passion for synthetic chemistry and a curiosity to discover new molecular materials with potential application in emerging photochromic technologies. The candidate will receive all the required training to conduct the research but must have a strong desire to assume ownership of the project and work independently.
Supervisor: Dr Chris Ritchie (chris.ritchie@monash.edu)
Faculty / Portfolio: School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Clayton Campus, Monash University
Candidate Requirements: Applicants will be considered if they fulfil the criteria for Ph.D. admission at Monash University and demonstrate excellent research capability. Details of the relevant requirements are available at http://www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/eligibility2/eligibility/
Interested candidates that meet the candidate requirements detailed in the previous link MUST then submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) AND email me the following:
Remuneration: Successful applicants will receive $29,500 p.a. as a full-time stipend (pro-rata).
Relevant Project References
"Visible-Light-Driven “On”/“Off” Photochromism of a Polyoxometalate Diarylethene Coordination Complex", Jingjing Xu, Henrieta Volfova, Roger J. Mulder, Lars Goerigk, Gary Bryant, Eberhard Riedle, and Chris Ritchie*. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2018, 140 (33), 10482-10487, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b04900
This collaborative project will target the preparation of nanoscopic molecular cages constructed from environmentally sensitive zwitterionic dyes. Using recently developed protocols we propose that stable molecular containers will be constructed that will selectively bind Cs+ ions based on recent findings (see references). Incorporation of fluorophores with (Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer) TICT properties into structurally similar molecular architectures is anticipated to result in a unique fluorescence response to Cs+ on the binding of the cations within the molecular cage. The solution state dynamics of the resulting “host-guest” complexes will be studied using spectroscopic and x-ray diffraction techniques. The justification for this study is based on the detection of Caesium ions in aqueous media due to the environmental impact of the radioactive isotope 137Cs which is a major component of nuclear waste.
Furthermore, the candidate will be expected to develop and implement new methodologies towards the preparation of novel covalent molecular cages that have the potential to discriminate between other analytes such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the solid state.
To achieve these project goals, we are seeking an excellent Ph.D. candidate with a passion for synthetic chemistry and a curiosity to discover new molecular materials with potential sensing properties. The candidate will receive all the required training to conduct the research but must have a strong desire to assume ownership of the project and work independently.
Key Project Activities: Inorganic and organic synthesis, Single crystal x-ray diffraction, NMR Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Supervisors: Dr. Chris Ritchie (chris.ritchie@monash.edu); A/Prof Brendan Abrahams (bfa@unimelb.edu.au); Dr. Roger Mulder (Roger.Mulder@csiro.au)
Faculty / Portfolio: School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Clayton Campus, Monash University; School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Parkville Campus, the University of Melbourne; CSIRO Manufacturing, Clayton.
Candidate Requirements: Applicants will be considered if they fulfill the criteria for Ph.D. admission at Monash University and demonstrate excellent research capability. Details of the relevant requirements are available at http://www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/eligibility2/eligibility/
Interested Candidates that meet the requirements detailed in the previous link MUST submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) AND email all prospective supervisors:
Remuneration: Successful applicants will receive $29,500 p.a. as a full-time stipend (pro-rata).
Relevant Project References
“Highly Fluorescent Pyridinium Betaines for Light Harvesting” Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed., 2017, 56, 13882. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.201704832).
“Self-Assembly of a Si-Based Cage by the Formation of 24 Equivalent Covalent Bonds” Chem. Commun. 2018, 54 (84), 11877–11880. (https://doi.org/10.1039/c8cc06405a)