A 3-year PhD scholarship in physical chemistry and spectroscopy is available at the Department of Chemistry under the supervision of Assistant Professor René Wugt Larsen.
Project description
One of the major challenges for the physical sciences is to explore how the macroscopic properties of condensed phases, materials and biological systems emerge from complex non-covalent interactions at the microscopic level. The interplay between the different classes of non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, dispersion interaction and steric repulsion emerges already on the level of isolated weakly bound molecular clusters. The PhD project will be focusing on vibrational spectroscopy of weakly bound molecular clusters between simple organic compounds and water embedded in inert condensed phases and isolated in supersonic jet expansions at low temperatures. Hydrogen bonds between organic molecules and water are of particular interest, ranging from fundamental questions concerning conformational isomerism and relative hydrogen donor and acceptor preferences which are responsible for the microscopic origin of anomalous thermodynamic properties such as heats of mixing, volume contractions and azeotropic behavior of liquid mixtures to more applied questions related to separation technologies for industrial production of biofuels and chemicals.
Project description
One of the major challenges for the physical sciences is to explore how the macroscopic properties of condensed phases, materials and biological systems emerge from complex non-covalent interactions at the microscopic level. The interplay between the different classes of non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, dispersion interaction and steric repulsion emerges already on the level of isolated weakly bound molecular clusters. The PhD project will be focusing on vibrational spectroscopy of weakly bound molecular clusters between simple organic compounds and water embedded in inert condensed phases and isolated in supersonic jet expansions at low temperatures. Hydrogen bonds between organic molecules and water are of particular interest, ranging from fundamental questions concerning conformational isomerism and relative hydrogen donor and acceptor preferences which are responsible for the microscopic origin of anomalous thermodynamic properties such as heats of mixing, volume contractions and azeotropic behavior of liquid mixtures to more applied questions related to separation technologies for industrial production of biofuels and chemicals.
Qualifications
The successful candidate should have a master’s degree in chemistry and should be confident in English, both written and spoken.
Approval and Enrolment
The fellowships are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in the Chemistry, Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering PhD programme at DTU. For information about the general requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies, please see the DTU PhD Guide.
Salary and appointment terms
The salary and appointment terms (3 years) are consistent with the current rules for PhD students.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from René Wugt Larsen, DTU Chemistry, e-mail:rewl@kemi.dtu.dk.
Do NOT send applications to this e-mail address, but use the electronic submission system - see below!
Application
We must have your online application by 21 November 2011. Please open the link "apply for this job online", fill in the application form and attach the following documents;
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
- Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and excel spreadsheet here)
Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their master's degree, but cannot begin before having received it.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
Apply Online here!
