Join a pioneering PhD program at the Australian National University (ANU), ranked No. 32 worldwide (QS 2026), focused on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in next-generation photovoltaics. The School of Engineering offers fully funded PhD positions for top students passionate about advancing solar energy technologies through computational and experimental research.
This project centers on physics-based AI for perovskite photovoltaics, aiming to address critical challenges such as device stability and efficiency. By leveraging machine learning and in-house AI platforms like AiNU, you will contribute to the rational design and optimisation of perovskite solar cells, transforming materials discovery from intuition-driven to AI-empowered science. The group has achieved world-record perovskite solar cells and published in leading journals including Nature, Science, and Energy & Environmental Science.
Successful candidates will have access to state-of-the-art computational resources, including the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) and advanced simulation tools (VASP, COMSOL), as well as high-performance workstations equipped with AMD Threadripper Pro and NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU. Experimental facilities feature world-class perovskite photovoltaic fabrication and characterisation laboratories, Australia's most advanced high-throughput robotic platform for perovskite research, and access to national-level facilities such as the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).
The research group is embedded within the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) and maintains broad international collaborations with leading institutions in China, Germany, the US, the UK, and across Australia. First-year PhD students in the group have already published in top-tier journals such as Advanced Materials and Advanced Functional Materials.
Eligibility requires a strong background in Computer Science, Computational Materials Science, or Perovskite Photovoltaics. International applicants should be in the top 5% of their graduating class from a highly regarded university, while Australian and New Zealand applicants must hold at least an Upper Second-Class Honours (H2A) or equivalent. Applicants with a GPA below 3.2/4.0 must demonstrate research excellence through high-impact publications or patents. Experience in machine learning and computational materials science is highly preferred.
Funding includes an annual tax-free stipend of AUD $39,069 and a full tuition waiver, supported by active research grants. The program encourages candidates with a keen interest in the technological revolution of perovskite photovoltaics using interpretable AI and machine learning. You will work in a collaborative, friendly environment and are expected to attend domestic and international conferences.
Applications are accepted year-round. To apply, contact Dr. H Zhan at hualin.zhan@anu.edu.au with your CV and academic transcripts, and review the ANU admission requirements. For more information, visit the group website at
www.nexsas.org
or the official position page.