Applications are sought for a 4 year PhD studentship to investigate drop impact on nanoengineered surfaces. This is a fundamental investigation into the problem, with a joint theoretical and experimental emphasis. 

The studentship is funded 50/50 through a collaborative project between University College London (UCL) Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering Departments, and has a clear interdisciplinary nature. The selected candidate will study for the degree from UCL Mathematics and will serve as a part time teaching assistant in the same department teaching for 12.5% of the time. The candidate will also be performing experiments in the UCL Mechanical Engineering Department to suit the full scope of the project. The theoretical part of work will involve analytical and computational investigation of the drop impact problem in both room temperature and cold conditions, and the experiments will serve to identify unique nanotextures and superhydrophobic surfaces that could resist impalement by drops impacting on them with moderate to high speeds. 

A clear interest in an interdisciplinary project and in theoretical and experimental tasks will be required. The student must also meet the entrance requirements to be accepted in the UCL Mathematics PhD programme (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maths/prospective-students/phd)

The studentship is for 4 years and it is open to UK/EU nationals only. The student stipend will be £15,863/year. The studentship also covers the fees.

REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should possess a good honours degree (1st Class or 2:1 minimum) in mathematics or physics or engineering with a strong mathematical background, or an equivalent qualification from other countries.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should apply for the MPhil/PhD programme in Mathematics at UCL by completing the UCL Postgraduate Application on-line form available at

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply/research/how-to-apply

and send an up to date CV and a covering letter/email confirming that the on-line graduate application has been submitted and indicating that they are applying for this PhD project directly to both departments, see email addresses below.

DETAILS

The start date will be at the earliest possible date in the date range 15 January 2015 to 15 March 2015.

CV and covering letter/email should be sent by writing jointly to:

Prof Frank Smith (f.smith<στο>ucl.ac.uk) and Dr Manish K Tiwari (m.tiwari<στο>ucl.ac.uk), and copied to Prof Valery Smyshlyaev (Mathematics Applied Graduate Tutor) v.smyshlyaev<στο>ucl.ac.uk.

Interview will be held by 15 January 2015.

Further information about both departments can be found at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk