Enzyme-Porous Material Composites for Decontamination Applications - Supplementary Scholarship

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Payment per year
$10,000 p.a.
Duration
3.5 years (PhD)
Program
PhD
Degree
Postgraduate Research
Citizenship
Australian Citizens
Type of Scholarship
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Academic
Students with Disabilities
Supplementary Scholarships
Available In
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology (SET)
Available To
Future Students
Commencing Students

DSP Multi-Party Collaborative Project – Enzyme-Porous Material Composites for Decontamination Applications - Supplementary Scholarship

Enzyme-Porous Material Composites for Decontamination Applications – Supplementary (Top-up) Scholarship is funded as part of a DSP Multi-Party Collaborative Project to support a full-time PhD student working on the project and who is in receipt of a major scholarship.

Military and first responders need state-of-the art decontamination materials and technologies to mitigate the threat posed by highly toxic chemicals. Of particular interest are systems that are environmentally friendly and non-stoichiometric (catalytic). Enzyme based systems could fulfil this need, but they are known to suffer from stability and longevity issues.

Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Hydrogen-bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs) have been shown to protect some proteins and enzymes from environments that typically lead to denaturation and inactivation, such as exposure to organic solvents, pH extremes, elevated temperatures, and exposure to denaturing chemicals.

This project aims to develop and evaluate MOF and HOF coated enzyme biocomposites that are applicable to the decontamination and degradation of highly toxic chemicals.

 

Eligibility:

Applicants must be

  • Australian citizens who are acceptable as candidates for a PhD degree at the University of Adelaide;
  • meet University PhD admission requirements;
  • not have previously completed a PhD;
  • able to commence the Program in the year of the offer;
  • able to enrol as a full-time PhD student; 
  • be prepared to be located at the project location(s) that the University has approved and, if required, comply with the host university’s external enrolment procedures;
  • willing to work on a project with Defence applications;
  • willing to obtain a baseline security clearance if required.

 

Stipend:

The recipient will need to apply for and receive a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship in one of the major scholarship rounds.

The supplementary scholarship will be for up to 3.5 years (PhD) and has a stipend of $10,000 (fixed) per annum. It is likely to be tax exempt, subject to Taxation Office approval. 

 

Benefits:

Travel allowance  Additional funding will be available for travel during candidature to attend conferences or for research purposes. This project works closely with the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group and Monash University and will require travel to Melbourne to work at both facilities on occasion.

The following benefits are attached to the underlying major scholarship:

Sick leave – Up to 10 working days paid sick leave a year (accruable) within the tenure of the award.  These periods of leave are not in addition to the normal duration of the award.  For medically substantiated periods of illness lasting longer than 10 working days, up to a total of 60 working days paid sick leave that is additional to the normal duration of the award.  This leave will only be utilised once the accruable sick leave within tenure has been exhausted.

Parental leave - Paid entitlements of up to 60 working days for the birth parent or primary adoptive parent.  Award holders must have been enrolled for a period of over 12 months full-time to access paid parental leave.  Award holders who are partners of the birth parent or primary adoptive parent who have been enrolled for a period of over 12 months full-time are able to access up to 10 working days of paid parenting leave.  Periods of paid parental leave are additional to the normal duration of the award.  Those enrolled for less than 12 months full-time are required to utilise recreation leave or unpaid leave of absence provisions.

 

Enquiries:

Professor Chris Sumby

Discipline of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

Email: christopher.sumby@adelaide.edu.au

 

Application process:

Expressions of interest should be submitted to Professor Chris Sumby [christopher.sumby@adelaide.edu.au] with the name of scholarship in the subject heading. Please ensure you include the following documents:

  • Curriculum vitae, including details of Citizenship status
  • A cover letter of no more than one page, outlining their interest in the position.