Academic supervisors: Dr Mohamed Saafi and Dr Andrea Hamilton, Strathclyde University.

Industrial supervisor: John Riding, Sellafield Ltd.

A fully funded PhD scholarship is available within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde on the development of advanced sensor technologies and smart materials for encapsulated waste forms. The Engineering faculty at Strathclyde is world renowned for innovation, close collaboration with industry and state of the art laboratory facilities for sensor development, imaging and testing. The 3 year PhD studentship will be carried out in collaboration with Sellafield, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the National Nuclear Laboratory, offering the successful candidate access to internationally leading laboratories, excellent training / research opportunity for a talented scientist/engineer with an interest in materials to be part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers. It is also an excellent introduction to the nuclear industry and expanding academic research base in the UK. This PhD project particularly focuses on the design, fabrication and evaluation of moisture/anion sensors for embedding in hydroceramic waste forms and civil structures at Sellafield.  The embeddable sensors will be developed using systems such as graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has recently moved into new customised laboratories with integrated facilities for advanced sensor technologies, nanotechnology, micro fabrication, structural and geomechanics research. Candidates should hold a an upper second class or first class Honours Degree from a UK institution (or EU equivalent) in the area of electrical and electronic engineering, physics or materials science.

The studentship is open to UK or EU candidates only and will cover all UK/EU fees plus an annual stipend of £13,726 per annum (paid monthly) for 3 years.

If you are interested in this position, please email a CV and covering letter tom.bensalem.saafi<στο>strath.ac.uk, andrea.hamilton<στο>strath.ac.uk and lisa.lyons<στο>strath.ac.uk. Please title your email “sensor technology PhD”.