Computational Chemistry International Scholarship

12 Feb

The Project

The University of New England is seeking an enthusiastic International or Domestic PhD student in theoretical and computational chemistry to be involved in innovative research within the Computational Chemistry Lab at the School of Science and Technology and in close collaboration with the VESI WATER start-up.

Your Role

During the past decade, computational chemistry has had an unprecedented impact on almost all branches of chemistry as a powerful approach to designing new molecules and materials. The increasing computational power provided by supercomputers and the emergence of highly accurate theories make computational chemistry one of the most powerful “microscopes” available for examining chemical processes at the atomic and molecular levels.

The computational chemistry lab of Professor Amir Karton uses powerful supercomputers in conjunction with highly accurate theoretical methods to design functional molecules and materials. In this project, you will use density functional theory to design advanced two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials for efficient and sustainable water capture technologies. You will collaborate closely with Vesi Water on patented nanomaterials with outstanding desiccant qualities for efficient air-to-water technologies. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the experimental lab of Prof. Yuta Nishina at Okayama University.

For further information: See the Vesi Water website (https://www.vesi-water.com/ (https://www.vesi-water.com) Relevant publications from the Karton group include:

Thermoresponsive Graphene Membranes with Reversible Gating Regularity for Smart Fluid Control, Advanced Functional Materials, 29, 1808501 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201808501 (https:// doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201808501)
Bioinspired graphene membrane with temperature tunable channels for water gating and molecular separation, Nature Communications, 8, 2011 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02198-5 (https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02198-5)

For all relevant publications, see: https://www.chemtheorist.com/publications.html (https:// www.chemtheorist.com/publications.html)

This is an excellent opportunity for a passionate and qualified PhD student to gain hands-on experience in advanced computational chemistry techniques, computational materials, and to collaborate with an industry partner on developing next-generation functional 2D materials within a world-class research environment with access to state-of-the-art local and national supercomputing facilities.

To be considered for this role, you will demonstrate:

An excellent undergraduate academic record

Interest and background in computational chemistry Excellent written and verbal communication skills
This position is open to international and domestic students

The following additional expertise will be favorably considered:

Strong background in materials chemistry and organic chemistry Experience in running density functional theory simulations
Demonstrated ability in literature reviews and scientific writing

Ability to work effectively independently and in collaboration with other researchers

Scholarship Information

The Scholarship funded by the University of New England is valued at $32,192 per annum tax-free for a full- time on-campus student. The scholarship covers international tuition fees and overseas health cover for the student only.

The scholarship is tenable for a maximum of three years and six months full-time for a doctoral degree. The duration of this scholarship cannot be extended.

How to Apply

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must complete and submit a candidature and scholarship application. All required supporting documentation as mentioned in the application form including the following:

Include in your application a cover letter and a CV detailing the reasons for your interest in the project;