Electronic Engineering PhD Studentship, University of Hull

Developing Novel Chemical Sensors Systems for Measuring Water Quality in the Environment

Date of expiry: Wednesday, 8th July 2009

This project aims to a develop novel, high-resolution water quality measuring system using innovative miniaturised "lab-on-a-chip" sensing devices to measure substances of environmental importance. It will require closely integrated development of the chemical and fluidic system together the electronic sensing and signal processing. Data obtained from using these sensors will help advance the science of hydro chemistry and should lead to a cheap and reliable method for monitoring water quality. This will help regulatory agencies, industries and agriculture monitor and mitigate their environmental impacts, and provide a method for the early detection of polluted water supplies, for instance from toxic algal blooms or acts of terrorism.

The engineering student will work on areas such as electronic sensor development, signal processing, system design and modelling, self-test and diagnosis; collaborating closely with the chemistry student.

This work is part of a fully-funded EPSRC project entitled "Novel technologies for in site environmental monitoring: linking sensor development to improved pollutant transport models". See: http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/ViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/G014221/1

Other partners involved are the University of Reading, the Center for Ecology and Hydrology and the Environment Agency. The Reading student will focus on field deployment of the devices, analysing the resulting data and developing pollutant transport modeling techniques.

Applicants should have a good (1st or 2.1) and relevant BEng or MEng degree in electronic, mechatronic or systems engineering. The studentship will suit candidates who have an engineering background which includes electronics and have an interest in sensors, systems design modeling and simulation, and mixed systems testing. There will also be some fieldwork in evaluating the sensor systems in the environment and the opportunity to work with professional staff in the other institutions. This will be excellent training in the inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional methods characteristic of modern research.

The student will join the Department of Engineering at the University of Hull and also work closely with the Department of Chemistry. http://www.hull.ac.uk/engineering/ and http://www.hull.ac.uk/chemistry/

The studentship is available from 28 September 2009. The stipend will be £13,290 per year and all fees and training costs will be paid.

Funding Notes

The studentship is open to any nationality (subject to immigration status) BUT will pay UK tuition fees only. Fees (2009/10) for UK and other EU students are currently £3225 p.a. Overseas students pay £11500 p.a. Therefore overseas students will have to find an extra £8275 p.a. as well as living costs. For detailed information see http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/PostgraduateTraining/StudentEligibility.htm

Please Contact

Project Supervisors: Dr Bell in Engineering (I.M.Bell@hull.ac.uk) and Prof. Greenway in Chemistry (G.M. Greenway@hull.ac.uk)

Applications to: Postgraduate Admissions Secretary,
Department of Engineering, University of Hull, HULL, HU6 7RX,United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 1482 465 141
FAX: +44 1482 466 664
Email: engineering.admissions@hull.ac.uk