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PhD Studentship: Management of marine plastics

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
Australia
Closing date
Dec 31, 2019

Job Details

School of Chemical Engineering

The School of Chemical Engineering is an international leader in the chemical engineering field and has an excellent reputation, built over many decades at The University of Queensland.

We deliver quality programs and leadership in chemical engineering education, research and development, and expert consulting to support the process industries. Undergraduate teaching within the School focuses on the disciplines of chemical, biological, environmental and metallurgical engineering and postgraduate programs are available in growing fields including water, sustainable energy and petroleum engineering.

For more Information about the Centre, please visit: www.uq.edu.au/chemeng

About This Opportunity

Plastics pollution in our oceans is a wicked problem. Our current plastics economy continues to deliver large and increasing volumes of plastics waste into our environment, and all countries globally are affected. An opportunity exists for an outstanding PhD candidate to work on an innovative project that explores strategies for addressing this issue. This project will form part of a family of projects that seek to build a systematic framework for addressing the challenges of the new plastics economy, particularly plastic materials design, use and end-of-life management. The successful student would be part of a vibrant research group focussing on sustainability challenges.

The current exponential growth in global plastics production and consumption has been matched by a corresponding exponential increase in leakage of these plastics into our environment, with plastic pollution now being ubiquitous worldwide. While efforts are now underway to develop efficient and effective recycling systems to recapture and reuse the bulk of our petroleum derived plastics, ultimately we need to understand the drivers for our existing systems and identify the key intervention points where we can make a substantial difference to the system leakage into our marine environment most cost-effectively.

This project will begin to address that challenge by undertaking a systems approach to framing of the challenge, before identifying key issues to be addressed, whether that be through novel materials design, strategies for waste conversion and/or repurposing, undertaking lifetime and/or impact assessment, partnering with local communities to evaluate strategic local solutions, or other approaches identified through the early analysis.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are offering an opportunity for an excellent PhD candidate to work with Professor Paul Lant , Associate Professor Steven Pratt and Associate Professor Bronwyn Laycock on this innovative project that will explore strategies for tackling marine plastics pollution.

The University of Queensland values diversity and inclusion and actively encourages applications from those who bring diversity to the University. Please refer to the University's Diversity and Inclusion website ( https://staff.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/human-resources/diversity/commitment ) for further information and points of contact if you require additional support.

What We Can Offer

PhD Scholarship $5,000 per annum, for three years with the possibility of two 6-month extensions in approved circumstances.

For further information on scholarships please refer to: https://graduate-school.uq.edu.au/scholarships

Questions?

To discuss this role please contact Associate Professor Bronwyn Laycock on b.laycock@uq.edu.au or phone +61 7 334 68882

Company

Global Academy Jobs works with over 250 universities worldwide to promote academic mobility and international research collaboration. Global problems need international solutions. Our jobs board and emails reach the academics and researchers who can help.

"The globalisation of higher education continues apace, driving in turn the ongoing development of the global knowledge economy, striving for solutions to the world’s problems and educating a next generation of leaders and contributors."

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