PhD student position in Nanopores / Nanotechnology (New Zealand)

Reference: 2009_10
Unit: Nano & Micro Fludics
Location: Wellington

Applications close: Friday 18 December 2009
More information: vacancy@irl.cri.nz

Job description:

A PhD research studentship is available for studying resizable nanopores, an exciting new technology consisting of individual nanoscale holes in thin elastomeric membranes. The size of a hole can be altered on the nanoscale by stretching the membrane by macroscopic amounts. Nanoparticles, suspended in electrolyte, can be detected by recording the electronic current passing through a pore. Nanoparticle sensing applications are of growing importance in medical and life sciences, environmental monitoring and security. Nanopores are becoming an important general tool in nanotechnology research.

The student will carry out theoretical and experimental work exploring the physics and chemistry of nanoparticle detection. Topics of particular interest include interactions between dispersed particles and the elastomer, competing nanoparticle transport mechanisms, and detection of novel, interesting nanoparticle types.

The work will be highly interdisciplinary in nature, requiring an applicant with a strong academic background in a physical sciences discipline. You will demonstrate a good command of English both written and oral.

The successful candidate will have access to an extensive array of equipment and expertise. Exposure and access to these resources will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience and develop strong skills.

The project has a commencement date of January 2010. We are open to being flexible with the successful candidate’s start date.

The project is funded by the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (http://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/), affiliated with Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and based at Industrial Research Limited’s (IRL) Gracefield campus. The successful candidate will receive a stipend of $27,000 per annum and all course fees paid.

IRL (www.irl.cri.nz) is a Crown Research Institute tasked with providing world-class science and engineering to industry in New Zealand. Resizable nanopores are uniquely being developed by Izon Science (http://www.izon.com/). The student will be required to collaborate extensively with scientists from VUW, the MacDiarmid Institute and Izon Science.

Contact: Dr Geoff Wilmott
VUW Co-supervisor: Dr Shaun Hendy

Applications close 5pm, 18 December 2009.

Applications:
Please apply online or post your application to us at:

Human Resources
Gracefield Research Centre
P O Box 31-310
Lower Hutt 5040
New Zealand

PhD - Nanoscale Analysis of Living Cells at Cambridge

Vacancy Reference No: MA05987

A PhD studentship is available from October 2010 to work under the supervision of Professor David Klenerman in Cambridge and Professor Yuri Korchev at Imperial College. The project builds on our previous work using nanopipettes and ultrasensitive fluorescence to develop general ways to map the spatial distribution of target analytes on the nanoscale and hence miniaturise analytical chemical and biochemical analysis. The project will focus on developing a method to add a femtolitre of solution close to a surface, or in a living cell, using a nanopipette and then either follow the changes that take place on addition of the solution using ultrasensitive fluorescencence and electrophysiological methods.

Applicants should have, or be about to receive, an honours degree (at least II.1 or equivalent) in chemistry, physics, or other relevant discipline. Applications from students with a strong physical science background that want to apply nanotechnology to biophysical and biological problems are encouraged, since training in biology will be provided during the PhD. The studentships offer tuition fees and a maintenance grant at standard Research Council rates. Owing to restrictions on funding, the studentship is not available to citizens of non-EU countries.

Applications should include a CV, and contact details for two professional referees, and should be sent to Professor David Klenerman, Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW (email: dk10012@cam.ac.uk).

* Limit of tenure: 3.5.years

Closing date: 31 January 2010.

MASTERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY (UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON, UK)

The MSc in Nanotechnology is designed for graduates from the physical sciences and from relevant engineering disciplines who wish to enter this new and exciting arena, either as industrial researchers, technical managers or academic researchers.

Nanotechnology is rapidly establishing itself as a key technology, in industries ranging from microelectronics to health care, with a consequent demand for appropriately trained graduates. The MSc in Nanotechnology is run in conjunction with the department of Physics and Astronomy and the London Centre for Nanotechnology. The programme consists of taught courses (60%) and a research project with dissertation (40%).

For course enquiries, contact Miss Libby Smith ( mscenquiries@ee.ucl.ac.uk )
+44 (0)20 7679 7300

NANOTECHNOLOGY

The London Centre for Nanotechnology, LCN, is a new UK based multidisciplinary enterprise operating at the forefront of science and technology. Structured to form the bridge between the physical and biomedical sciences, it brings together two of the world’s leading institutions in Nanotechnology, namely University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London.

A mission of the LCN is to provide leading edge training in nanotechnology to the workforce and help educate the public. A new £14 million research building has just been completed on the UCL site, furnished with £10 million state of the art equipment, and a £1m teaching facility is in the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering.

To know the research work in LCN, click here.

CORE MODULES

Physical Science for Nanotechnology
Nanoscale Processing and Characterisation for Advanced Devices
Instrumentation and Physical Techniques in the Life Sciences
Experimental Techniques for Nanotechnology
Business Enterprise in Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology and Society
Research Project

OPTIONAL MODULES

Nanoelectronic Devices
Nanotechnology and Healthcare
Quantum Computation and Communication
Order and Excitations in Condensed Matter
Molecular Physics
Plastic and Molecular Electronics
Physics and Optics of Nano-Structure

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

To know about the english language requirements,click here.

To know about other requirements needs for international students, Click here.

FEES STRUCTURE :

To know about the fees structure and living costs, Click here.

SCHOLARSHIPS

A limited number of scholarships are usually available for UK/EU or overseas students to study at UCL. These scholarships are however highly competitive and all applicants should indicate what alternative sources of funding they will have available on their application form.

Various scholarships are :
1.) EPSRC Masters Training Package Studentships
2.) Shell Centenary Scholarships
3.) Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Scholarships and Awards
4.) British Council scholarships
5.) Commonwealth scholarships

To know more details about scholarships,click here.

APPLICATION

All applicants must complete an application form and submit it to the University's admissions office and NOT the department. Application forms can be submitted online, downloaded or requested through the post.

To fill online application form, Click here.

All applications will require 2 references and a copy of your transcript before being deemed complete. CV’s will not be accepted without the presence of a completed application form.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION

Applications are accepted from November for the following academic year, with all full time programmes starting in September. Places are offered to suitably qualified applicants on a first come first served basis – so early application is recommended.

Prerequisite Qualifications

1.)The Minimum degree level is a UK 2:2 or equivalent for fully taught MSc’s, although some programmes have higher requirements.

2.)For the MSc Communications Research programme the Minimum degree level is a UK 2:1 or equivalent (Industrial Certifications (Microsoft, CISCO etc.) do not count as academic qualifications).

3.)The degree may be in any relevant subject, e.g. electronic engineering, communication engineering, computer science, physics.

4.)Applicants from overseas, who have not previously studied or worked in the UK, are required as a minimum to satisfy UCL's English Language requirement, but some programmes may have other requirements

5.)Degree qualifications for international students will be assessed by UCL Admissions (not the admissions tutor) for equivalence to UK degrees.


For more enquiries,contact :

Tutor: Prof Ian Boyd
i.boyd@ee.ucl.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7679 7302

Admin: Ms Elizabeth Smith
mscenquiries@ee.ucl.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7679 7300