PhD Scholarship – Functionally Graded Cellulose Foam Packaging from Recycled Cardboard Fibre University of Waikato in New Zealand

Background: We have a fully-funded PhD scholarship as part of the MBIE Smart Ideas project. The project aims to develop Cellulose Foam for Packaging. Currently, plastic foams and polystyrene are commonly used as cushioning and packaging materials, but their disposal poses significant economic and environmental challenges due to their non-biodegradable nature and high handling costs. To overcome these problems, functionally graded (variable density and strength) cellulose foams with outstanding shock resistance properties will be developed using microfibres obtained from recycled cardboard fibre.

Your ideal background:

• BE/BSc (with honours) or MSc/ME in Chemical Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering or related field.
• passion for the application of sustainable materials
• a willingness to learn, up-skill and work in a multidisciplinary group
• a professional attitude, good writing and time management skills
• Flexible to travel and work at other collaborative institutes

Scholarship (3 Years): A stipend of NZ$36,000 per year, plus coverage of domestic tuition fees and insurance (approximately NZ$10,000 per year), along with support for research materials.

Application documents required:

• CV including contact details for 2-3 referees (including at least one academic reference)
• Academic transcript from the previous study undertaken
• A personal statement (max 1 page) describing your motivation, interests and background related to the research project
• English language Certificate (IELTS/TOEFL) where English is not the first language.

Contact: For further information/confidential discussion or to apply contact ( [email protected] ) by 15 November 2024 NZDT.