PhD Studentship: Optical Instrumentation for Hydrogen Energy

We have an exciting PhD scholarship within Electronic Engineering Sensor Systems at the University of Sheffield for a project entitled "Optical Instrumentation for Hydrogen Energy". The scholarship provides £17.5k tax free stipend (equivalent to a £25k salary), and there would be considerable opportunities for the stipend to be supplemented further by tax-free income from commercial projects for a candidate with the right skillset. The candidate will be provided with a Research Training Support Grant of £4500, and will be provided with additional funding on consumables to enable them to carry out their research.

Hydrogen based energy is emerging as a leading fuel source in efforts to decarbonise industry and for use within transportation. Be it for use within combustion as an alternative to natural gas, or within fuel cells for electricity generation, hydrogen will become a major contributor in the efforts to combat climate change. However, in order for hydrogen-based energy to become ubiquitous as a fuel source, more needs to be known about its properties during combustion, and within the usage of hydrogen fuel cells. For this to be achieved, new forms of measurement technology are required. Within this PhD, the candidate will develop and utilise such instrumentation for use within hydrogen energy applications. Developed instrumentation may include new technology for the measurement of temperature, humidity, and spectral properties, with the instrumentation tested within “end-use” applications. In addition to the development of new forms of instrumentation, there will be opportunities for the instrumentation to be used to carry out “fundamental” scientific research into hydrogen energy.

This exciting opportunity is ideally suited to a candidate who wishes to apply their knowledge and experience within engineering or science in order to carry out exciting and impactful scientific research. During the course of their PhD, the candidate will be given opportunities to work with a wide range of collaborators, within both academia and in industry. They will be strongly encouraged to publish their research within high quality journal papers, as well as presenting it at international conferences.

About the Research Group:

The project will take place within the Sensor Systems Group within the Electronic and Electrical Engineering department. The group specialises in the development of novel sensor system-based instrumentation, used within both academic and industrial applications. The group has an expertise in non-contact metrology, thermal imaging, and hyperspectral measurements, working with several industrial collaborators, including Tata Steel and Rolls-Royce. The candidate will benefit from working within a large, multi-disciplinary research group, and learn from experienced members of staff and other PhD students. Group members come from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines, with the group promoting a friendly and inclusive working environment.

Academic Requirements:

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Bachelors/Masters Honours degree in Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics or a closely related discipline. The candidate is not expected to have any previous experience within hydrogen energy or electronic instrumentation. The studentship is available to home applicants only and will start in September 2023.

Application and enquiries:

For more information and informal enquiries about this position, please contact Dr. Matthew Hobbs (m.hobbs@sheffield.ac.uk). To apply for this position, please submit a CV and covering letter via e-mail, or via the Apply Link.

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