Water scarcity and contamination are among the most pressing global challenges of our time. Approximately 25% of the global population lives in regions experiencing annual water strees, a number projected to rise significantly by 2050. By then, 25 countries will face extreme water scarcity, withdrawing 80-100% of their available water resources annually. Furthermore, 44 countries are expected to experience high water stress, withdrawing 40-80% of their water resources. Even countries with moderate or low water stress levels will increasingly rely on efficient and sustainable solutions to manage water resources. Water comtaination, remains a critical concern, with pollutants ranging from heavy metals to complex organic molecules, including pharmaceuticals, dyes, and persistent plastics such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Of particular concern are short-chain PFAS, which exhibit high mobility, persistence, and resistance to conventional removal methods. Traditional screening methods of materials and analysis for contaminant removal from water are laborious and slow, limiting progress.
This project will focus on high-throughput synthesis of porous materials and the development of a proof-of-concept analytical methods for water contaminants removal.
We are seeking a PhD student to focus on developing high-throughput synthesis and analysis by integrating advanced robotics, and AI-driven analytics to enhance materials discovery and analysis processes, enabling the improvmenet of material discovery and the assessment of their performance for water contaminants removal.
The main goal of the project will be to accelerate the discovery and optimization of advanced porous materials and analytical method by developing a high-througput workflows for water contaminant removal.
We are looking for candidates with an enthusiasm for research, multidisciplinary collaboration and tackling challenging problems through teamwork. We are targeting candidates with an BSc and MSc in chemistry, chemical engineering or engineering for this post.