Our group is always interested in new members to join our team of high-quality researchers and students. A number of opportunities exist for undergraduate, masters, PhD and post doctoral research positions.
Available positions:
The Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science
This newly funded CDT is offering a number of fully-funded PhD studentships in the area of aerosol science. The students will spend their first 7 months at Bristol taking courses in aerosol science before moving to their final university placement. A number of placements are available at Cambridge and are listed below. See http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cdt/aerosol-science/ to apply.
Adam Boies
University of Minnesota
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, 2010
University of Missouri Science and Technology
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2004
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2003
Researchers
Fiona Smail
Our research is aimed at scale-up production of carbon nanotube (CNT) materials from a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) process. Industrial production of CNTs from a gas-phase aerosol process, requires reactor scale-up and process densification. My work seeks to scale-up CNT production while controlling material chemistry. This work is a part of a larger Advanced Nanotube Application and Material initiative, www.anam.eng.cam.ac.uk.
Xiao Zhang
Xiao Zhang received his PhD degree on Condensed Matter Physics from Prof. Sishen Xie’s group, in the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, investigating the preparation of some novel carbon nanomaterials (especially ultralong suspended CNTs). He developed a novel optical visualization method for single tubes, with which intrinsic optical and thermal properties could be characterized. In University of Cambridge, during his research associate period at Department of Engineering, he will focus on the subject of CNT Synthesis and Characterization (especially on the thermal conductivity enhancement) by working together in the group of Dr. Adam Boies in Division of Energy, and the Nanomanufacturing group of Dr. Michael De Volder in Institute for Manufacturing.
Molly Haugen
My work within the Center for Sustainable Road Freight is to examine noxious and climate pollutants from heavy goods vehicles. A current focus is interpreting results from a variety of research projects within the Boies Lab. These projects include evaluating gaseous emissions collected with low cost sensors from individual heavy-duty vehicles which provide useful engine emission maps, and a separate project analysing correlations between low-cost and high-end instruments in their ability to measure particles in a laboratory setting as well as in ambient conditions.
George Giannopoulos
George obtained his PhD in magnetic recording in 2013 from NSCR “Demokritos”. His main research interest is focused on magnetic materials and applications. He worked in EU projects regarding rare earth free permanent magnets as post-doctoral fellow between 2013 and 2018. Currently he is he is working in EMI shielding and magnetic properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) materials in the framework of Advanced Nanotube Applications.
Anna Schroeder
My current research includes traffic and high resolution vehicle emissions modelling as part of the MAGIC Air (Managing Air for Greener Inner Cities) project, http://www.magic-air.uk. I have a background in Mathematics and worked as a transport modeller within industrial prior to this position.
Brian Graves
I am developing a system to synthesize carbon nanotube fibres and mats directly from the reactor, using microwave plasma in place of a tube furnace. The plasma system has several key advantages which include direct heat input to the carrier gas and reactants, high mass throughput, large temperature gradients which allow for precise control over reaction stages, and the ability to decouple reaction stages such as catalyst particle formation and nanotube growth. The ability to decouple reaction stages may help prevent thermal breakdown of methane and the subsequent formation of amorphous carbon, ultimately improving the quality and purity of the nanotube material.
PhD Students
Thomas Whitney
My current research takes place in the Center for Sustainable Road Freight at the University of Cambridge. The project focuses on the development of a low-cost method of measuring greenhouse and noxious gas emissions from on-road vehicles, utilizing existing low-cost electrochemical sensors. The research seeks to measure this data in real-time through an existing Android app and accompanying software. The system will measure the emissions produced and the data will be used to help generate engine emissions maps for in-use vehicles.
Tyler Johnson
My research focuses on aerosol instrumentation development, predominantly classifiers, and their novel applications. I am currently working on developing the theory and experimentally validating new applications of the Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier (AAC). The AAC classifies nanoparticles based on their aerodynamic diameter, by inducing known drag and centrifugal forces on each particle, and thus avoids multiply-charging effects produced in electrostatic instruments. This work will allow the AAC to investigate current areas of interest to researchers and regulatory bodies, including aerosol characterization, charging and source generation (i.e. monodispersed calibration sources).
Liron Issman
I’m investigating new methods to enhance the productivity of floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) process mainly by incorporating a plasma enhanced (PE) system into the current process. I also wish to develop an in-situ technique to achieve better alignment of the CNT fibrils during the CNT nucleation stage by an intelligent implantation of a magnetic and/or electric field. Better alignment of the CNTs within the non-woven CNT mat or CNT fiber should immensely improve the CNT product macro-scale properties. By collaboration with the nanomanufacturing group of Dr. Michael De Volder I will also seek ways to utilize CNT products, produced by the FCCVD process, in energy related applications such as batteries or supercapacitors.
Maurits Houck
meh78@cam.ac.uk
I am working on novel anode materials for fast charging Li-ion batteries. To improve cell performance, a deep understanding of the underlying thermodynamic, kinetic, and mass transport processes as well as the crystal structures is needed. A great way to do this and to find the charge limiting process, is interpretation of large amounts of electrochemical, XRD, and SEM data, via physics-based models such as (extended) Newman models in COMSOL. For commercial energy density application of the materials, improved characterisation and modelling of the heterogeneous electrode microstructure is needed as well. I am doing this work in collaboration with Echion Technologies Ltd, a spinoff company of the research group, that is developing this new type of fast charging battery material. Ultimately, this material could make it possible to charge your electric car in less than 5 minutes, while also having a better energy density, lifetime and safety!
Xiaoyu Qiu
xq225@cam.ac.uk
My research focuses on the underlying mechanisms behind the formation of gas-phase synthesized carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels within a floating-catalyst chemical vapour deposition. I wish to obtain a detailed formulation of the actual aggregation in CNT aerosols by meso-scale modelling from the nanometer to millimeter length scales using Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS). I’m currently investigating the entropy change during particle coalescence with LAMMPS.
Master’s Students
Mable Qiao, rq215@cam.ac.uk
My research project focuses on the in-flight measurements of CNTs in an FCCVD process to determine CNT growth kinetics, with the aim to help understand the physical fundamentals governing the CNT synthesis process. I also wish to experiment with different particle measurement techniques used for CNTs, such as the Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier (AAC) and the Centrifugal Particle Mass Analyser (CPMA), as reliable in-flight continuous measurement methods could greatly accelerate future research efforts in this area.
Kai Tan, ykt25@cam.ac.uk
Application of CNT materials to functional composites.
Steven Ibrahim, srgai2@cam.ac.uk
Synthesis of mono-chirality CNTs.
Previous Group Members
Andres Gonzalez, PhD 2015-2020
Robert Nishida, PhD 2015-2019
Cathy Zhou, MRes 2018-2019
Josh Hassim, MRes 2018-2019
Jamie Blaiklock, 2018-2019
Mustafiz Raman, Post Doctoral Researcher 2018-2019, https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/persons/mostafiz-rahman
Nick Kateris, MEng 2017-2018
Tom Stakes, MEng 2017-2018
Khuzaimah Saeed, MEng 2017-2018
Krisna Dharma, MEng 2017-2018
Larkin Sayre, MPhil 2017-2018
Naomi Mowat-Amiet, MPhil 2017-2018
Justin Bishop, Post Doctoral Researcher 2012-2017
Jean De la Verpilliere, 2013-2017, CEO https://echiontech.com/
Christian Hoecker, PhD 2013-2017
Maxime Duvieusart, MPhil 2016-2017
Nihal El-Fahim, MPhil 2016-2017
Mariam Ibrahim, MPhil 2016-2017
Wesley Blank, Undergrad Researcher Summer 2016
Nicholas Kateris, Undergrad Researcher Summer 2016
Richard Findley, MPhil 2015-2016
Marc Stetter, PhD and Researcher 2010-2015, https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/m.stettler
Uven Chong, PhD 2010-2014
Niall Martin, PhD 2012-2015
Howard Saffey, MPhil 2013-2014
Mark Bajada, MPhil 2013-2014
Wojciech Nodzynski, MEng 2013-2014
Jacob Swanson, Researcher 2012-2013, https://cset.mnsu.edu/ie/swanson.html
Xiou Yan, Researcher 2011-2013, https://cset.mnsu.edu/ie/swanson.html
Nurul Alam, Researcher 2012-2013
George Harris, MPhil 2012-2013
Laura Pillari, MPhil 2012-2013
Nathan Brakely, MPhil 2012-2013
Joseph Ritchie, 2011-2012
