Ever wondered how the foam on a cappuccino (or a pint of Guinness) lasts so long? Why surf in the ocean is foamy, but waves in a river are not? How ink is removed from paper during recycling? How perfectly uniform microdrops are made in a microfluidic device? How the texture of foods and cosmetics is controlled? How inkjet printers work? The answers to all these questions, and many more, depend on how bubbles and drops that are suspended in a liquid interact with each other or with other materials.
When bubbles or drops interact, they come very close together so that a very thin layer – perhaps only nanometres thick – of liquid remains between them. The properties of that liquid film, and the surface properties of the bubbles or drops, are critically important in determining whether the film remains intact, or whether it ruptures so that the bubbles or drops coalesce. These properties are affected in subtle and sometimes mysterious ways by solutes present in the liquid. This project, funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant, is all about understanding the properties of very thin liquid films and the surface properties at the boundaries of the film. One of the key questions is whether a phenomenon known as hydrodynamic slippage occurs at the surface of a bubble or a drop under particular conditions. Hydrodynamic slip is very important in a number of areas including modern microfluidic and nanofluidic devices, and yet it remains controversial and poorly understood.
The applicant
The applicant should be a graduate in physical chemistry or physics, but alternative backgrounds including other branches of chemistry, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, or chemical engineering, may also be suitable. You will need experience in conducting experiments in a scientific laboratory, attention to detail and cleanliness, curiosity, willingness to learn, and a can-do attitude.
Applicants must hold at least an upper second class Honours degree in a relevant discipline from an Australian university, or equivalent award and/or experience. For applicants with degrees from outside Australia, this means demonstrating that you have had research training plus some experience of conducting a research project and have written a thesis, a publication, or a report describing the research outcomes. A masters degree with at least one semester of research would usually meet these requirements.
The supervisor
Recently appointed as Director of Research Training at Deakin University in Melbourne, Professor Roger Horn graduated in physics from Monash University, and completed his PhD at Cambridge. He is known internationally for his pioneering work with Prof Jacob Israelachvili on developing methods for direct measurement of surface forces and investigations into the structural and flow properties of thin liquid films at the molecular level. Prof Horn is an experienced PhD supervisor who is widely respected for the quality of his research. His 70 journal publications have been cited over 5000 times.
The laboratory
Prof Horn is establishing a new research laboratory to investigate the properties of liquid interfaces and thin liquid films. This scholarship will support a PhD student to join a small research team in the new laboratory, which is based at the Burwood campus of Deakin University in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The new lab will be associated with one of Deakin’s strongest research concentrations, the Institute for Technology Research and Innovation.
The scholarship
Stipend - The scholarships each provide a tax-free stipend of $27,222 AUD per year (currently 1 AUD is about $US 0.90).
Duration - The scholarship will be for 3 years, with the candidate to remain enrolled full-time unless there are particular circumstances that require part-time enrolment. Generally candidates would aim to complete their PhD in 3 years of full-time study, but they can remain enrolled for up to 4 years.
Tuition Fees - No tuition fees are charged for PhD candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia, or citizens of New Zealand. Other candidates would be liable to a tuition fee for each year of study up to four years. The fee for 2011 is $23,900 AUD. However, there is a possibility that a tuition award would also be available for a well-qualified international applicant, so please don’t see the fee as a barrier to applying for one of these PhD scholarships.
Further details of the scholarship are provided in the Terms and Conditions.
Contact
For further information about this scholarship and/or the research project, contact Prof. Roger Horn, telephone +61 3 9244 6271 or email roger.horn@deakin.edu.au .
Applications
Applications close on Monday 15 November 2010.
Source: http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/admin/scholarships/industry/itri/index.php
