PhD position in Advanced Materials

Highlights:

1. A PhD scholarship in Engineering is now available at University College Dublin, Engineering & Materials Science Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
2. University College Dublin - European Space Agency & UCD (2010-2013)
3. We are currently seeking applicants, from Ireland and across the European Union, interested in working with a European team to advance the state of scientific knowledge on alloy solidification, which is of great relevance to the success of manufacturing engineering components, via the casting process, for aerospace, automotive, and  biomedical engineering applications.
4. The PhD project here relates to the ESA MAP (Microgravity Applications Promotion) project XRMON: "In-situ X-ray monitoring of advanced metallurgical processes under microgravity and terrestrial conditions".  We have partners in Norway, Germany, France & Belgium. Funding is from the ESA PRODEX programme.
5. The focus will be on X-ray observation of equiaxed and columnar growth of dendrites during solidification of aluminium alloys.
6. The PhD student at UCD will Assess existing experimental data on Al-Cu, Al-Ni and Al-Ge alloys systems Develop and implement new image analysis routines to process raw data from in-situ X-ray experiments
7. Use image analysis to determine dendrite topological evolution during solidification, detachment from columnar dendrites, nucleation in bulk undercooled liquid, motion of equiaxed grains, solute field development, and impingement
8. Assist with the design of a new sounding rocket microgravity space experiment Determine the effects of gravity on alloy solidification
9. Model non-steady state kinetics of crystal growth and validate models with XRMON experimental results
10. Collaborate with our European colleagues for the purposes of effective and meaningful co-operation; this will involve some travel
11. Assist with joint European Synchrotron Radiation Facility experimental campaigns in Grenoble, France, where applicable
12. The 3-year scholarship should provide an annual tax-free stipend of € 18,000 and cover the PhD fees of the successful candidate. In addition, financial support will be available to cover the costs of the travel within Europe necessary for the collaboration with UCD's partners, and a computer.
13. Applications are invited from recent honours graduates, preferably of Mechanical Engineering, or Materials Science and Engineering, who should be EU citizens.
14. Deadline is 5 March 2010.
15. Please apply by sending a CV to:

Dr David J. Browne

School of Electrical, Electronic & Mechanical Engineering

Engineering & Materials Science Centre

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Email: david.browne@ucd.ie

Tel +353 1 716 1901; fax +353 1 283 0534