CSIRO Manufacturing & Monash University - Masters Studentship

Acknowledgement of Country 
CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation .

The Opportunity

A collaborative Master's by Research project between CSIRO Manufacturing and Monash University aims to design and optimise the application of a novel spongy super-hydrophobic material for oil spill clean-up through small pilot-scale testing.

Developing materials that are highly efficient at recovering oil to mitigate the environmental impact of oil spills is both crucial and challenging. This project aims to design and optimise the application of a novel spongy super-hydrophobic material for oil spill clean-up through small pilot-scale testing. The ultimate goal is to significantly improve oil filtration efficiency in Oil Spill Response, potentially revolutionising current practices and contributing to environmental sustainability.

A hyper-crosslinked polymer-coated sponge (HPCS) was previously developed and successfully applied by CSIRO Manufacturing to remove oil from oil-in-water emulsions, thereby improving oil spill clean-up processes. This proposed research will advance the technology by scaling up the HPCS production and the filtration process to facilitate its future implementations. The project activities include formulating and fabricating functional sponges, optimizing the filtration process using modelling, conducting system characterisation and preparing research papers for publication.

Role particulars

Location:         Clayton, VIC

Scholarship:    Approximately $36 000 per annum, for two years

Duration:         2 years Full time, commencing mid-July or soon thereafter

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must:

• Hold a relevant Tertiary qualification, with H1 First Class Honours 
• Meet host university admission requirements (see Academic entry requirements - Graduate Research )
• Appointment to this role may be subject to conditions including provision of a national police check as well as other security/medical/character clearance requirements.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish.

About CSIRO
At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

Contact us

For any inquiries or additional information, reach out to Dr Wendy Tian, Wendy.Tian@csiro.au , or Professor Wenyi Yan, Wenyi.yan@monash.edu .

How to apply:

To apply, please submit the following documents to Wendy Tian via email to Wendy.Tian@csiro.au :

• a cover letter (research statement)
• a copy of electronic academic transcripts
• a CV that includes any publications/awards and the contact details of two referees.

Applications close:

This advertisement will remain open until filled. Early applications are strongly encouraged.