University of St Andrews

Project description

The energy released depends on the 3D details of the reconnection processes.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Parnell, Neukirch

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Hybrid methods are becoming topical as they achieve high computational efficiency. But there is a price to pay, namely accuracy. This project will investigate the accuracy-efficiency trade-offs.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s): Dritschell, Reinaud, King
• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Stefanella Boatto (UFRJ); Daniel Alfaro (UFRJ); Luiz Bevilacqua (ABC, COPPE-UFRJ, IUTAM representative for Brazil); Roberto Kraenkel (ICTP-SAIFR); Juliana B.R. Loureiro (UFRJ, youngest member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC)); Henrique de Melo Versieux (IM, UFRJ); Andre Nachbin (IMPA); Atila Pantaleao (UFRJ); Fabio Ramos (IM, UFRJ); Ailin Ruiz de Zarate Fabregas (UFPR); Giovani Vasconcelos (UFPE)

Additional notes

Fruitful collaboration is being set up between the Vortex Dynamics Group in St Andrews and 11 leading academics spread across Brazil. We plan to collaborate through research visits and joint supervision of PhD students in four general subject areas: (1) nonlinear waves such as internal waves in the oceans, (2) numerical modelling of atmospheric and oceanic flows, (3) fundamental aspects of vortex dynamics, and (4) theoretical aspects of geophysical and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

This PhD project will bring together the fields of benthic foraminiferal (palaeo)ecology, molecular genetics and taxonomy. The student will develop a new morphologically-based taxonomy which is fully informed by our understanding of molecular genetics and ecology. The training will be relevant to the fields of taxonomy, biodiversity, palaeoecology, palaeoceanography and biostratigraphy. A 21st century taxonomy which is deeply rooted in biology has the potential to unify benthic foraminifer classification, with major implications for the application of foraminifera as environmental indicators and in palaeoenvironmental research.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr William Austin and Professor Kate Darling

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The project can potentially be made available as a co-tutelle PhD, with a focus on material collected from the South Atlantic or elsewhere. Together with Dr Magali Schweizer (Edinburgh), Dr Austin and Professor Darling are leading a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) project to integrate morphologically-based taxonomy and molecular genetics (see: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/gsd/news/events/Eventname,78708,en.html) and would welcome the opportunity to extend this work to the South Atlantic. The student will be based in the School of Geography and Geosciences and have research linkages to the University’s Centre for Biological Diversity.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Solid oxide fuel cells offer the most efficient method for conversion of biofuels to electrical energy; however, there a number of important considerations. First of all coking of fuel must be avoided and second it is important to maximise the electrical conversion efficiency, especially in the Brazilian context where heat is not generally a useful byproduct. In this project, we will consider fuels such as bioethanol, bioglycerol and bio-oils applying autothermal reforming strategies to optimise electrical output. A range of metallic and oxide composite anodes, maintaining low contents of coking active species such as Ni, will be investigated. Work will entail both heterogeneous catalytic studies, addressing thermal signature of reforming/oxidation processes and electrochemical tests of prospective anodes in realistic fuel streams.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof. John TS Irvine (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Dr Fabio Coral Fonseca, Dr. Marcelo Linardi, IPEN/CNEN-SP, Programa Célula a Combustível. Av. Lineu Prestes 2242, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo (SP), Brasil 05508-000

Additional notes

The groups interacted at the European SOFC Forum at Lucerne in 2010 that Irvine chaired. St Andrews interests in direct hydrocarbon fuel cells are closely correlated with Brazilian Technical priorities. Relevant publications: [1] "Advanced Anodes for High-Temperature Fuel Cells", A. Atkinson , S Barnett, R.J. Gorte, J.T.S. Irvine , A.J. McEvoy, M. Mogensen, C. Singhal , J.Vohs, Nature Materials, 2004, 3, 17-27. [2] "A Redox-Stable, Efficient Anode For Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells", S Tao and JTS Irvine, Nature Materials, 2003, 2, 320-323.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Hydrocarbon assessment in Palaeozoic basins often is guided by thermal histories estimated using the conodont alteration index (CAI), in which colour of protein-associated, nano-scale carbonate-apatite crystallites changes systematically as a function of peak temperature and the duration of time over which that temperature persisted. Reflectivity of collagenous graptolite fossils (Graptolite Reflectivity) is used in a similar way to vitrinite reflectance at younger ages, again to estimate maximum burial temperature, although time effects are considered less important and material properties more influential for the GR index than for CAI. Both indices are estimated manually, by microscopic comparison to standards and to the empirical database of similar measurements globally. This yields thermal maturity estimates graded in successive bins spanning ~30-50 °C (i.e., “70-100 °C “; 100-150 °C”, “150-200 °C”). These discrete temperature bins and strong time-dependence (for CAI) are major functional shortcomings of the indices. Furthermore, bedding-focused fluid flow and matrix-/material- properties of the fossils and the rocks hosting them are known to have potentially strong, though as-yet uncalibrated influences. Modern mineralogic spectroscopic methods are capable of quantifying conodont colour, graptolite reflectance, and matrix petrographic textural maturity in rich detail. The PhD student will spectroscopically characterize conodonts and graptolites from black shales crossing thermal gradients from immature, into the oil and gas windows, then past thermal cracking to supermature, anchizone, and greenschist metamorphic grade. Similar characterization will be performed on industry standard and in-laboratory experimental alteration series, and specific successions with independent evidence for assessing fluid flow and material-/matrix-effects. Reference monitor samples will be cross-correlated against other indices for thermal maturity, such as illite and chlorite crystallinity, H-, C-, and O- pyrolysis indices, and biomarker ratios, i.e. even/odd long-chain hydrocarbons.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Timothy Raub, Department of Earth Sciences

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The project is intended to introduce analytical rigour to methods used ubiquitously in the petroleum- and natural gas industries, and to significantly reduce analysis time. These data also are of academic importance for a variety of basin- and tectonic-modeling, and palaeo-geochemistry studies.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Although bacterial precipitation of and incorporation into carbonate rocks is relatively rare on Earth today, it has dominated older ages of Earth history, including episodes of unprecedented global carbon cycle change and climate response in the late Precambrian, the Palaeozoic, and the Cretaceous-Palaeogene. Some of these microbial carbonates are structured into stromatolitic bioherms; and they may be either dominated by limestone or by dolostone composition. Primary porosity and later hydrocarbon permeability networks are influenced by these depositional differences as well as variable behavior upon diagenesis and burial dewatering. Thus understanding the chemostratigraphy and the inherent geochemical systematics of microbial carbonates is of first-order importance both for understanding Earth history and fthe distribution and beneficiation of hydrocarbon resources. The PhD student will undertake extensive fieldwork in South Australia, one of the few places on Earth where modern dolomite and magnesite are precipitating in microbial-influenced estuaries of the Coorong; and where an exceptional record of microbial carbonate deposition in the Adelaidean Torrensian and Willouran Series is preserved across the ~800 Ma “Bitter Springs Event”, one of the most enigmatic and striking excursions to Earth’s geologic carbon cycle anywhere in the rock record. Methods employed will include water and rock isotope geochemistry of inorganic and organic carbon, oxygen, and sulphur. Sedimentary texture and sequence stratigraphic analysis also will be employed.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Timothy Raub, Dr Tony Prave,

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Results will be tailored for presentation both to targeted audiences in the hydrocarbon industry and in the academic Earth History community.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The use of bimetallic nanoparticles supported on oxides is widespread in industrial catalysis. It is extremely important to characterise the elemental distribution within bimetallic nanoparticles as functions of temperature and gas environment since optimising and maintaining selectivity in complex catalytic processes requires well-defined surface atomic arrangements. Baddeley is expert in the use of medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) to characterise the depth dependent composition of bimetallic surfaces. Grande and co-workers have developed an elegant and sophisticated method to analyse MEIS data from sub-5nm nanoparticles arising from a detailed understanding of the asymmetrical energy-loss line shape in MEIS spectra.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Chris J. Baddeley (School of Chemistry, St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Pedro L. Grande (Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

Additional notes

Student will spend time optimising sample preparation in St Andrews and acquiring data at the new MEIS facility at the University of Huddersfield. Detailed analysis of data will be carried out in Porto Alegre.[1] M.A. Sortica, P.L. Grande, G. Machado, L. Miotti, J. Appl. Phys. 106 (2009) 114320; [2] A.R. Haire, J. Gustafson, A.G. Trant, T.E. Jones, T.C.Q. Noakes, P. Bailey, C.J. Baddeley, Surf. Sci. 605 (2011) 214;[3] J. Gustafson, A.R. Haire, C.J. Baddeley, Surf. Sci. 605 (2011) 220.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

This is part of an on-going unifying project, currently supported by an EPSRC grant with Nik Ruskuc as PI; the aim is to deploy the language of model theory to compare and contrast different combinatorial theories (graphs, tournaments, permutations, posets,...). In this particular project, the emphasis will be on the substructure ordering, and questions of anti-chains and partial well-orderedness. Particular attention will be paid to computability and decidability aspects.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Nik Ruskuc, Sophie Huczynska

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Algebra and Combinatorics Research Group has 7 permanent members of staff, 3 research staff and 14 Ph.D. students. Its expertise is rooted in classical group and semigroup theories, and the theory of presentations for both. Current cutting edge interests include applications of automata in algebra and combinatorics, development of novel computational methods for group and semigroup presentations, and new approaches to studying generating sets for both finite and infinite groups and semigroups.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Semigroups and monoids are among the most fundamental mathematical objects, arising naturally as semigroups of transformations of sets or words over an alphabet, and also providing a bridge between mathematics and computer science. Therefore the availability of computational tools for these algebraic structures will influence the development of a variety of seemingly disconnected scientific disciplines, going well beyond mainstream semigroup theory. Although there have been significant recent advances in the field, the current situation is that although there is a significant body of work in this area, it is fragmented and imbalanced, with theoretical results outnumbering practical implementations. The overall aim of this project is to address these problems.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  James Mitchell and Nik Ruskuc.

   

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Algebra and Combinatorics Research Group has 7 permanent members of staff, 3 research staff and 14 Ph.D. students. Its expertise is rooted in classical group and semigroup theories, and the theory of presentations for both. Current cutting edge interests include applications of automata in algebra and combinatorics, development of novel computational methods for group and semigroup presentations, and new approaches to studying generating sets for both finite and infinite groups and semigroups.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

In a number of proteins, cysteine and glutamine residues can form backbone cross-links via thioester bonds, R-S-C(O)-R'.These bonds are very reactive and can be used, e.g. to promote covalent binding of the protein to nucleophilic groups on cell surfaces (e.g. carbohydrates). State-of-the-art computational methods, including quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical techniques [1], will be used to model the mechanisms of thioester formation and -cleavage, calling special attention to effect of the protein environment. The possible catalytic role of neighbouring residues can be identified, furnishing insights into the molecular basis of this potential binding mode of bacterial surface proteins.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Michael Bühl (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof José Walkimar de M. Carneiro (Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista, s/n, 24020-150 Niterói - RJ, Brazil)

Additional notes

To understand the chemical processes underpinning biological processes at an atomic level is a major driver for the biomolecular sciences. We wish to apply state-of-the-art modelling tools rooted in quantum chemistry to shed light on key aspects in this area, focusing to the detailed mechanism of spontaneous or enzymatic reactions of proteins. M. Bühl and Prof Carneiro have strong links, which has resulted in the following joint publication: M. T. de M. Cruz, J. W. de M. Carneiro,D. A. G. Aranda, M. Bühl, J. Phys. Chem. C 2007, 111, 11068. References: [1] R. M. Hagan, R. Björnsson, S. A. McMahon, B. Schomburg, V. Braithwaite, M. Bühl, J. H. Naismith, U. Schwarz-Linek, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 8421.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Radiosensitisers are substances that increase the sensibility of hypoxic cells to radiation, enhancing treatment efficiency in cancer radiotherapy. Complexation to transition metals can enhance this effect, Prime tools for characterisation are NMR and EPR spectroscopy for dia- and paramagnetic complexes, respectively. We propose to use state-of-the-art quantum-chemical methods to model structures, energies, and spectroscopic properties of a variety of metal complexes (including Re(CO)₃⁺ and Cu²⁺ complexes, which have attracted recent interest), calling special attention to the effect of the solvent, water. The results promise insights into speciation of such complexes under physiological conditions, which can help to design novel metallodrugs.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Michael Bühl (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Teodorico C. Ramalho (Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário - UFLA, Dept. de Química, 37200-000, Lavras-MG,Brasil)

Additional notes

To understand the chemical processes underpinning biological processes at an atomic level is a major driver for the biomolecular sciences. We wish to apply state-of-the-art modelling tools rooted in quantum chemistry to shed light on key aspects in this area, calling special attention to structural properties that can be probed with spectroscopic techniques. M. Bühl and Prof Ramalho have close links, which has resulted in the following two joint publications: T. C. Ramalho, M. Bühl, Magn. Reson. Chem., 2005, 43, 139; T. C. Ramalho, M. Bühl, J. D. Figueroa-Villar,R. B. de Alencastro, Helv. Chim. Acta 2005, 88, 2705.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Radiosensitisers are substances that increase the sensibility of hypoxic cells to radiation, enhancing treatment efficiency in cancer radiotherapy. Complexation to transition metals can enhance this effect, Prime tools for characterisation are NMR and EPR spectroscopy for dia- and paramagnetic complexes, respectively. We propose to use state-of-the-art quantum-chemical methods to model structures, energies, and spectroscopic properties of a variety of metal complexes (including Re(CO)₃⁺ and Cu₂⁺ complexes, which have attracted recent interest), calling special attention to the effect of the solvent, water. The results promise insights into speciation of such complexes under physiological conditions, which can help to design novel metallodrugs.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Michael Bühl (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Teodorico C. Ramalho (Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário - UFLA, Dept. de Química, 37200-000, Lavras-MG,Brasil)

Additional notes

To understand the chemical processes underpinning biological processes at an atomic level is a major driver for the biomolecular sciences. We wish to apply state-of-the-art modelling tools rooted in quantum chemistry to shed light on key aspects in this area, calling special attention to structural properties that can be probed with spectroscopic techniques. M. Bühl and Prof Ramalho have close links, which has resulted in the following two joint publications: T. C. Ramalho, M. Bühl, Magn. Reson. Chem., 2005, 43, 139; T. C. Ramalho, M. Bühl, J. D. Figueroa-Villar,R. B. de Alencastro, Helv. Chim. Acta 2005, 88, 2705.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a key neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. After pioneering studies in St Andrews of synthesis, receptor binding and quantum-chemical modelling of a singly fluorinated analog, higher fluorinated derivatives are currently being explored. We plan to perform high-level quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical simulations [1] of such analogs (notably the recently reported 2,3-difluoro-derivative [2]), both in water and the binding pockets of known receptors. We expect detailed insights into the way how the CF bonds affect the conformational preferences of the molecules and, hence, their affinity toward the GABA receptors, informing on potential design of new ligands for therapeutic applications.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Michael Bühl (St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The project will benefit from the close proximity of Prof O'Hagan in St Andrews, a world-leading expert in organofluorine chemistry. References: [1] J. Cao, R. Bjornsson, M. Bühl, W. Thiel, T. van Mourik, Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 184. [2] I. Yamamoto, M. J. T. Jordan, N. Gavande, M. RE. Doddareddy, M. Chebib, L. Hunter, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 829.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Automata are one fundamental model of computation used in theoretical computer science. They arise in algebra as they can be used to transform an input of strings of symbols into another such string. The groups arising in this fashion tend to be rather important and have attracted considerable attention, and the study of corresponding semigroups is in ascent. The purpose of this project is to investigate conjugacy within groups defined by automata and to develop machinery that can answer questions relating to conjugacy in an effective and algorithmic manner. The corresponding questions for automaton semigroups will refer to detecting Green's relations.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Martyn Quick, Collin Bleak, Nik Ruskuc

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Algebra and Combinatorics Research Group has 7 permanent members of staff, 3 research staff and 14 Ph.D. students. Its expertise is rooted in classical group and semigroup theories, and the theory of presentations for both. Current cutting edge interests include applications of automata in algebra and combinatorics, development of novel computational methods for group and semigroup presentations, and new approaches to studying generating sets for both finite and infinite groups and semigroups.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

This topic is an exciting new area combining two singular systems (point vortices and source-sink dynamics). Virtually nothing is known in this area. This project will investigate equilibria, their stability, and nonlinear evolution.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dritschell, Reinaud, Tran

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Stefanella Boatto (UFRJ); Daniel Alfaro (UFRJ); Luiz Bevilacqua (ABC, COPPE-UFRJ, IUTAM representative for Brazil); Roberto Kraenkel (ICTP-SAIFR); Juliana B.R. Loureiro (UFRJ, youngest member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC); Henrique de Melo Versieux (IM, UFRJ); Andre Nachbin (IMPA); Atila Pantaleao (UFRJ); Fabio Ramos (IM, UFRJ); Ailin Ruiz de Zarate Fabregas (UFPR); Giovani Vasconcelos (UFPE)

Additional notes

Fruitful collaboration is being set up between the Vortex Dynamics Group in St Andrews and 11 leading academics spread across Brazil. We plan to collaborate through research visits and joint supervision of PhD students in four general subject areas: (1) nonlinear waves such as internal waves in the oceans, (2) numerical modelling of atmospheric and ocean ic flows, (3) fundamental aspects of vortex dynamics, and (4) theoretical aspects of geophysical and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

What are the mechanisms responsible for heating the solar corona; how does the plasma respond to the sudden deposition of heat?

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  De Moortel, Hood, Parnell

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

How does the magnetosphere respond dynamically to changes in the solar wind in terms of waves; what are self-consistent inner and outer boundary conditions?

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Wright

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Older segments of the continental crust have striking episodes of igneous activity, separated by periods of apparent quiescence. If such periodicity is representative of crust-forming processes it would be prima facie evidence that crust formation was dominated by the emplacement of mantle plumes. It is less likely that a global episodicity in crust-forming events would result from the more continuous subduction-related processes, as in the recent geologic past. It has therefore also been argued that these peaks of ages reflect the fact that magmas generated in different tectonic settings are more or less likely to be preserved. The peaks of ages coincide with the ages of supercontinents. We have argued that rocks generated at the late stages in the supercontinent cycle are more likely to be preserved, and that is the cause of the observed peaks of crystallization ages. The second strand is that the Pan-African, or the Brasiliano, orogenic event is unusual in that it has long been recognized as an event characterized by high degrees of reworking of the pre-existing crust. It too is preserved as a peak of crystallization ages, and this project is designed to address: (a) what that peak of ages represents, and how was it generated? and (b) the reasons as to why the Pan African is characterized by a high degree of crustal reworking, and hence is also reflected in a distinctive increase in the Sr isotope ratio of contemporaneous sea water.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Professor Peter Cawood and Professor Chris Hawkesworth

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Professor Miguel A S Basei, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo

Additional notes

The project addresses these questions by contrasting the records of magmatic and detrital zircons across two selected traverses in the Brasiliano of southern Brazil. Zircons yield high precision U-Pb crystallization ages, they often preserve silicate inclusions that constrain the magmas from which they crystallised, and Hf and O isotopes will be used to constrain the contributions from older sediments that might yield hybrid Hf isotope data, and when pre-existing crustal material was derived from the mantle. Training will be provided in petrology and state-of-the-art isotope geochemistry involving in-situ analysis by ion microprobe and laser ICPMS. There will be the opportunity to interact with colleagues working on related projects in other parts of the world. Hawkesworth, C.J., et al. (2010) Jour. Geol. Soc. Lond. 167, 229-248; Dhuime, B., Hawkesworth, C.J., Cawood, P.A. & Storey, C.D. (2012) Science, 335, 1334-1336.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The proposed project aims to characterize in detail key components of the nuclear chromosomal DNA replication apparatus of the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, and related Leishmania species, and to develop small molecular inhibitors of their functions as potential therapeutics. These organisms are the causative agents of sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa (T. brucei) and Chagas disease in Central and South America (T. cruzi), "Old World" cutaneous leishmaniasis (L. major) and "New World" visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in East Africa, South America and Southeast Asia (various Leishmania species). The diseases caused by these parasites affect millions of people and represent a huge percentage of the world’s disease burden; there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets and to develop effective lead compounds. Surprisingly, despite their importance as disease agents, very little is known of the enzymes and mechanisms of nuclear chromosome replication in kinetoplastid organisms – fewer than a handful of papers have been published in this area and there is vast untapped potential for drug target identification and anti-parasitic drug design. The proposed work aims to use state-of-the-art techniques to determine the molecular composition of the three replicative DNA polymerases in these organisms, to determine the three-dimensional structures of core catalytic domains of each enzyme complex, and to screen pharmacophorically-rich fragment libraries for small molecule inhibitors of their functions as a springboard for future drug discovery.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Stuart MacNeill & Dr Terry Smith

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student will work in the newly built Biomedical Sciences Research Complex (BSRC), a highly interactive multi-disciplinary research facility with a secure containment level 3 facility for parasite culture.

See https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/bsrc for details.

 

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

One of the primary goals of Electron Magnetic Resonance is to measure and understand electronuclear hyperfine interactions to obtain a detailed understanding of the local molecular environment of unpaired electrons in important material, chemical and biomolecular systems. These paramagnetic centres often define a materials electronic or optical properties or are central to the role of catalysts or enzymatic activity. The goal of this project is to demonstrate state-of-the-art sensitivity and capability for hyperfine measurements and impact across a wide range of interdisciplinary research areas. The project will be carried out by using and optimising a state-of-the-art high field EPR spectrometer developed in St Andrews.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr G Smith, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

The student appointed to this project would benefit from training in the Doctoral Training Centre in Integrated Magnetic Resonance, a collaboration between 6 of the UK's leading Universities in Advanced Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation and Techniques and includes St. Andrews, Dundee, Aberdeen, Warwick, Nottingham and Southampton. The aim is to provide a coherent training program for doctoral students whilst working on new research topics in instrumentation and methodology, associated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Electron Magnetic Resonance, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation (which collectively represent £multi-Billion annual markets).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

High entropy in an ergodic dynamical system suggests fast growth and rather `chaotic' behaviour. It is also a good tool, in general, to study multifractal decompositions for systems that lack conformality. This project is concerned with cases where the usual entropy is very small or zero, or indeed the natural measure is not ergodic. The main question will be how to adapt notions of entropy to study these systems to reveal new dynamical behaviour. This will build on Todd's work with Bruin, Iommi and Pacifico, using inducing methods and thermodynamic formalism.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  M Todd

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Analysis Research Group is recognized as one of the world's leading research groups in Fractal/Multifractal Geometry and Dynamics. The Group's main research interests are in areas of contemporary mathematics that relate to fractal geometry and dynamics. These include number theory, ergodic theory, smooth dynamical systems, multifractals, differential equations on fractal domains and non-commutative geometry. The UK supervisor Dr Todd has established links with researchers in Brazil (Lorenzo Díaz, PUC, Rio (lodiaz@mat.puc-rio.br) ; Maria José Pacifico, UFRJ, Rio (pacifico@im.ufrj.br); Isabel Rios, UFF, Niterói (rios@impa.br); Edson Vargas, USP, São Paulo (vargas@ime.usp.br); Daniel Smania, USP, São Carlos (smania@icmc.usp.br); Vilton Pinheiro, UFBA, Salvador (viltonj@ufba.br); Krerley Oliviera, UFAL, Macieó (krerley@gmail.com)), and this project would form part of the collaboration.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Exactly how and why do active regions form, evolve and decay; what are the dominant processes responsible?

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Hood, Archontis

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Most of the best-known fractal constructions, such as the von Koch curve or Sierpinski triangle, are made up of components that do not overlap significantly, and the geometry and dimensional aspects of these have been well-analysed. When overlapping occurs analysis becomes much more complicated and only a limited amount has been achieved to date. Of particular interest are overlapping fractal attractors of non-invertible dynamical systems which can have complicated overlapping structures. There is wide scope for a PhD project first studying piecewise affine systems and then more general nonlinear systems with overlapping attractors.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof K Falconer

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Analysis Research Group is recognized as one of the world's leading research groups in Fractal/Multifractal Geometry and Dynamics. The Group's main research interests are in areas of contemporary mathematics that relate to fractal geometry and dynamics. These include number theory, ergodic theory, smooth dynamical systems, multifractals, differential equations on fractal domains and non-commutative geometry.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Chromosomal DNA replication in all forms of life requires the complex interplay of a variety of essential and non-essential proteins factors in a temporally and spatially coordinated manner. Understanding how these processes occur in human cells, and how they are regulated, presents a major challenge to modern biology. By using simple model systems such as yeast or archaea, it is possible to gain insights into replication enzyme structure, function and regulation, insights that greatly inform our understanding of the mechanics of chromosome replication in our own cells. The proposed project focuses on the CMG (Cdc45-MCM-GINS) complex. This multisubunit complex lies at the heart of the replication machinery, unwinding double-stranded DNA ahead of the moving replication fork. The project will combine genetic and biochemical analysis of CMG helicase structure and function in a model archaeal organism, the halophile Haloferax volcanii. Unlike most archaeal models, this organism is tractable to molecular genetic methods and a wide variety of tools have been developed to facilitate this. The aim of the project will be to characterise biochemically and genetically the interactions that take place between the putative CMG components in this organism. Depending on the results of these studies, it will be possible to perform a more detailed molecular biology analysis of archaeal CMG function in vivo, to initiate a detailed structural or enzymatic analysis of the CMG in vitro, or ideally, both. Taken together, the results of these studies will ultimately offer important insights into the biology of chromosome replication in archaea and eukaryotes.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Stuart A. MacNeill

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student will work in the Chromosome Replication and Genome Stability group in the newly built Biomedical Sciences Research Complex (BSRC). Research in the group is focused on understanding the molecular biology of chromosome DNA replication in eukaryotes and in archaea: see http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/macneill for details.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Chromosomal DNA replication in all forms of life requires the complex interplay of a variety of essential and non-essential proteins factors in a temporally and spatially coordinated manner. Understanding how these processes occur in human cells, and how they are regulated, presents a major challenge to modern biology. By using simple model systems such as yeast or archaea, it is possible to gain insights into replication enzyme structure, function and regulation, insights that greatly inform our understanding of the mechanics of chromosome replication in our own cells. The proposed project focuses on the CMG (Cdc45-MCM-GINS) complex. This multisubunit complex lies at the heart of the replication machinery, unwinding double-stranded DNA ahead of the moving replication fork. The project will combine genetic and biochemical analysis of CMG helicase structure and function in a model archaeal organism, the halophile Haloferax volcanii. Unlike most archaeal models, this organism is tractable to molecular genetic methods and a wide variety of tools have been developed to facilitate this. The aim of the project will be to characterise biochemically and genetically the interactions that take place between the putative CMG components in this organism. Depending on the results of these studies, it will be possible to perform a more detailed molecular biology analysis of archaeal CMG function in vivo, to initiate a detailed structural or enzymatic analysis of the CMG in vitro, or ideally, both. Taken together, the results of these studies will ultimately offer important insights into the biology of chromosome replication in archaea and eukaryotes.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Stuart A. MacNeill

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student will work in the Chromosome Replication and Genome Stability group in the newly built Biomedical Sciences Research Complex (BSRC). Research in the group is focused on understanding the molecular biology of chromosome DNA replication in eukaryotes and in archaea: see http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/macneill for details.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

The Amboseli basin of Kenya is an exceptional example of rift-phase chemical sedimentation and is a close modern analog to the Brazilian Santos and Campos basins of Brazil. The goal of this project is to understand the environmental and hydrologic controls on modern magnesium-silicate deposition and develop a general model for the architecture of non-marine carbonate reservoirs as a function of drainage basin geology and hydrology. The student will conduct field work in the Amboseli basin, analysing sediment mineralogy, water chemistry and isotopic composition through state of the art materials characterisation techniques and isotopic analysis.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Nicholas Tosca and Dr Edward Tipper

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

The Santos and Campos basins of offshore Brazil are being heavily explored because of their exceptional hydrocarbon resource potential. The physical properties of these reservoir rocks have been heavily influenced by the initial formation and subsequent diagenesis (or recrystallisation during burial) of magnesium-silicate minerals (a geologically uncommon group consisting of sepiolite, palygorskite, kerolite, stevensite and talc). Despite their presence in alkaline saline lake sediments, basic knowledge of magnesium-silicate formation and stability upon burial is currently lacking. Improving this understanding will ultimately lead to the confident prediction of porosity and reservoir properties in the Santos and Campos basins, directly aiding Brazilian exploration. Our approach is to study these minerals experimentally, and in both modern and ancient analog settings, combining Dr. Tosca’s and Dr. Tipper’s respective expertise in synthetic mineralogy and isotope geochemistry. The project is geared to provide critical information that will aid in the development of Brazilian hydrocarbon resources recently identified as primary exploration targets by Petrobras. The project includes significant amounts of laboratory and field work.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Arguably the most facinating aspects of astronomical black holes is the emission of Hawking radiation from the event horizon, an intriguing quantum effect combining gravity, thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. Unfortunately, the astrophysical Hawking radiation is far too weak to ever being detected directly. Recently, however, we have invented a method to create moving artificial event horizons with short pulses in optical fibers. Moreover, the expected Hawking radiation is strong enough to be detectable with single photon coincindence counting. The idea of the PhD programme is the detection and characterization of this elusive Hawking radiation for the first time. The work has already gained momentum in our group and a setup is built using optical pulses of just a few cycles pulse length. In addition we will explore similar quantum effects such as the Unruh effect and the dynamical Casimir effect.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr F Koenig, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

n/a

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Investigate how one can modify a finite presentation of a group (or monoid), such that it still presents an isomorphic group, but is more susceptible to Small Cancellation Theory. This is a topic which is in the context of the EPSRC funded project "Algorithmic Generalisations of Small Cancellation Theory" involving Colva Roney-Dougal, Max Neunhöffer, Steve Linton and Jeff Burdges (RA). The aim is to employ a combination of geometric, word-combinatorial and computational techniques to obtain a new generation of efficient algorithms for dealing with finitely presented groups. This project is offered in collaboration with School of Computer Science, through the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Computational Algebra (CIRCA).

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Max Neunhöffer, Colva Roney-Dougal, Steve Linton

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Algebra and Combinatorics Research Group has 7 permanent members of staff, 3 research staff and 14 Ph.D. students. Its expertise is rooted in classical group and semigroup theories, and the theory of presentations for both. Current cutting edge interests include applications of automata in algebra and combinatorics, development of novel computational methods for group and semigroup presentations, and new approaches to studying generating sets for both finite and infinite groups and semigroups.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Presently little is known about the impact of repeated wave breaking on the redistribution of density in a stratified flow. This project would use theory, simulation and experiments to bring fundamental new understanding.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Carr, Dritschell, King

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Stefanella Boatto (UFRJ); Daniel Alfaro (UFRJ); Luiz Bevilacqua (ABC, COPPE-UFRJ, IUTAM representative for Brazil); Roberto Kraenkel (ICTP-SAIFR); Juliana B.R. Loureiro (UFRJ, youngest member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC)); Henrique de Melo Versieux (IM, UFRJ); Andre Nachbin (IMPA); Atila Pantaleao (UFRJ); Fabio Ramos (IM, UFRJ); Ailin Ruiz de Zarate Fabregas (UFPR); Giovani Vasconcelos (UFPE).

Additional notes

Fruitful collaboration is being set up between the Vortex Dynamics Group in St Andrews and 11 leading academics spread across Brazil. We plan to collaborate through research visits and joint supervision of PhD students in four general subject areas: (1) nonlinear waves such as internal waves in the oceans, (2) numerical modelling of atmospheric and oceanic flows, (3) fundamental aspects of vortex dynamics, and (4) theoretical aspects of geophysical and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Remarkably little is known about the underlying causes of large-scale, large-amplitude planetary waves in the atmosphere and in planetary atmospheres. This project will examine these waves in a hierarchy of models, from idealised to semi-realistic, to help explain their observed robustness.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dritschell, Scott

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Stefanella Boatto (UFRJ); Daniel Alfaro (UFRJ); Luiz Bevilacqua (ABC, COPPE-UFRJ, IUTAM representative for Brazil); Roberto Kraenkel (ICTP-SAIFR); Juliana B.R. Loureiro (UFRJ, youngest member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC); Henrique de Melo Versieux (IM, UFRJ); Andre Nachbin (IMPA); Atila Pantaleao (UFRJ); Fabio Ramos (IM, UFRJ); Ailin Ruiz de Zarate Fabregas (UFPR); Giovani Vasconcelos (UFPE)

Additional notes

Fruitful collaboration is being set up between the Vortex Dynamics Group in St Andrews and 11 leading academics spread across Brazil. We plan to collaborate through research visits and joint supervision of PhD students in four general subject areas: (1) nonlinear waves such as internal waves in the oceans, (2) numerical modelling of atmospheric and oceanic flows, 3) fundamental aspects of vortex dynamics, and (4) theoretical aspects of geophysical and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

The correct interpretation of observed oscillations requires a full knowledge of wave propagation in non-uniform plasmas.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  De Moortel, Wright, Hood

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Tube-formulas refer to study of volumes and curvatures of r-neighbourhoods of sets. For sets satisfying some convexity conditions, this has a long history going back to Steiner in the early 19'th century. However, within the past 15 years various attempts have been made to develop a systematic study of tube formulas for fractal sets using techniques from the theory of so-called zeta-functions. Following this line of investigation, it is natural to ask to what extend it is possible to develop a theory of multifractal tube formulas. The purpose of this project is to develop a theory of multifractal tube formulas, and the accompanying multifractal curvatures, for measures exhibiting some self-similarity, e.g. self-similar measures or self-affine measures satisfying the Open Set Condition.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof L Olsen

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Analysis Research Group is recognized as one of the world's leading research groups in Fractal/Multifractal Geometry and Dynamics. The Group's main research interests are in areas of contemporary mathematics that relate to fractal geometry and dynamics. These include number theory, ergodic theory, smooth dynamical systems, multifractals, differential equations on fractal domains and non-commutative geometry.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

We propose to prepare multiply-doped ceria nanomaterials for application in new anode catalysts and electrolyte materials for intermediate temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells using hydrocarbon and bioethanol fuels. Anodes and electrolytes will require very different starting morphologies and doping strategies and we have experience in this area. [1-5] Key to both materials sets is the dependence of their defect chemistry and precise crystallography on temperature and gas atmosphere. Redox, catalytic and electrochemical evaluation at St Andrews will be coupled with in situ crystallography and X-ray absorption spectroscopy in Brazil in order to relate macroscopic performance to atomic environment and oxidation state.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Richard T. Baker (School of Chemistry, St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Dr Marcia Carvalho de Abreu Fantini (Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão Travessa R Nr.187 CEP 05508-090 Cidade Universitária, São Paulo - Brasil).

Additional notes

Dr^a Fantini and Baker and Fuentes co-authored a paper [6] on the reduction behaviour of ZrO₂-CeO₂ solid solutions with tubular nanostructure. Dr^a Fantini is Head of Department, has published over 100 papers and is an expert on the application of X-ray diffraction, X-ray scattering and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XRD, SAXS, EXAFS) to the study of materials including highly porous oxides and nanostructured zirconia. Her group is a frequent user of the Brazilian Laboratory of Synchrotron Light (LNLS). As part of a long-standing collaboration, Baker and Fuentes (previously a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Baker group, now group leader at Dept. of Condensed Matter Physics, National Committee for Atomic Energy, Buenos Aires, Argentina) have ten joint papers on ceria-based materials for fuel cell applications. They have made use of the XRD, XANES and EXAFS capabilities at the LNLS on several occasions to study the redox behaviour and crystallography of nanostructured doped cerium oxide materials and Dr Fuentes is a very experienced user of the LNLS. Baker speaks, reads and writes Portuguese having worked in the language for two years at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. References: [1] R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources 184 (2009) 268. [2] R.O. Fuentes and R.T. Baker. J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 914. [3] S. Song, R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker. J. Mater. Chem. 20 (2010) 9760.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Nanomaterials based on doped ceria and other compositions will be prepared and evaluated for application in new anode catalysts and electrolyte materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Anodes and electrolytes will require very different starting morphologies and doping strategies and we have experience in this area. [1-5] The excellent facilities for electron microscopy (SEM and HRTEM, both with EDX analysis) and XRD at St Andrews will be used to characterise the starting powders. Novel redox and catalytic methods will be used to identify the best compositions and these will be incorporated into electrochemical cells for evaluation as working fuel cell components.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Richard T. Baker (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Dr. Baker speaks, reads and writes Portuguese having worked in the language for two years at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. References: [1] R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources 184 (2009) 268. [2] R.O. Fuentes and R.T. Baker. J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 914. [3] S. Song, R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker. J. Mater. Chem. 20 (2010) 9760. [4] M.R. Kosinski, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources, 196 (2011) 2498. [5] J. Kearney, J.C. Hernández-Reta, R.T. Baker, Catal. Today (2012) 139.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

The aim of this project is to explore phase transitions in non-equilibrium quantum systems, and in particular, those involving many body quantum optics that is readily accessible to current or future experiments with cold atoms or superconducting qubits. The last few years have seen a growing range of experimental systems in which collective quantum optical effects can be studied, and which prompt important questions about the differences between "quantum" phase transitions in open and closed quantum systems, and whether open quantum systems can ever be described as displaying a quantum phase transition. In particular, experiments by the group of Esslinger in ETH have shown how cold atoms in an optical cavity subject to an external coherent pump can undergo a transition to a superradiant phase. This project will consider related problems, in which different aspects of quantum phase transitions in non-equilibrium systems become accessible.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr J Keeling, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

The student appointed to this project would benefit from training in the flagship Scottish Doctoral Training Centre in Condensed Matter Physics (CM-DTC). The CM-DTC provides international-level doctoral training in the core discipline of condensed matter physics. Students perform a PhD research project, take graduate level courses, participate in summer schools, conferences and workshops, and receive skills training relevant to their future careers.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Under the EPSRC funded “HPC-GAP” project we are developing parallel extensions to the GAP system to allow mathematical computations to take advantage of modern computers and clusters. There is scope for a number of PhD projects applying this framework to major areas of computational algebra, such as permutation groups, exact linear algebra and finitely-presented groups. Sandwich projects in this area could surely be developed in cooperation with the excellent algebra group at the University of Brazilia (Sidki). This project is offered in collaboration with School of Computer Science, through the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Computational Algebra (CIRCA).

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Max Neunhöffer, Steve Linton

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Sidki (Brazilia)

Additional notes

Algebra and Combinatorics Research Group has 7 permanent members of staff, 3 research staff and 14 Ph.D. students. Its expertise is rooted in classical group and semigroup theories, and the theory of presentations for both. Current cutting edge interests include applications of automata in algebra and combinatorics, development of novel computational methods for group and semigroup presentations, and new approaches to studying generating sets for both finite and infinite groups and semigroups.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Familiarity with Matlab coding, or else demonstrated ability to learn and program in analytical languages is important. Background in carbonate sedimentology desirable, clastic sedimentology also is acceptable. Results will be of interest in academic circles but also for government-industrial users of sonar datasets of anomalous bedforms at moderate water depths globally. Deglacial dolostones that “cap” ~635 Ma glacial episodes of exceptional severity (so-called “Snowball Earth” episodes) commonly contain 1-3 horizons of apparently rapidly aggrading, sharp-crested bedforms. These “mega-ripples” are of large amplitude and long wavelength, and they are composed of mostly >0.5 mm peloidal carbonate grains of putative bacterial origin. While some workers interpret these units to indicate strong wave conditions related to anomalous climate during Snowball deglaciation, other workers suggest that they may be slowly accreted, inheriting early-cemented sharp-crested ripples of “normal” profile and hydrodynamics (Lamb, Fischer, Raub et al., in press, Geology). In this scenario, the only exceptional thing about the mega-ripples is the climate-geochemical anomaly related to deglaciation that appears to have produced anomalously large carbonate grains and exported them to moderately deep water, whereas at other ages, sedimentary carbonate grains are smaller and so behave differently during advection and sedimentation. Three cap carbonate units that well-expose these “mega-ripples” crop out in southern Brazil, in the Garwhal Himalaya of India, and in eastern Namibia. To test the new hypothesis of large grain-size origin for these features, the PhD student will spend ~1-3 weeks in the field in each location (Brazil during the Brazilian first year); Namibia and India during the St Andrews second year). Multiple sections will be visited, and grain sizes systematically measured in situ and in thin- and thick-section from samples brought back to the lab. Matlab modeling will be used to explore hydrodynamic regimes for the grain size distributions determined. Analogue studies in Palaeozoic and younger rocks in South America and Europe also will be compared to assess scaling laws.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Timothy Raub, Dr Tony Prave, Department of Earth Sciences

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Dr Paulo Boggiani, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo.

Additional notes

Familiarity with Matlab coding, or else demonstrated ability to learn and program in analytical languages is important. Background in carbonate sedimentology desirable, clastic sedimentology also is acceptable. Results will be of interest in academic circles but also for government-industrial users of sonar datasets of anomalous bedforms at moderate water depths globally.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Gonadal hormones (such as testosterone and estrogen) can impact upon the development of the brain, leading to sex differences in brain structure and function. While previous research on rodents has shown that the brain is sensitive to the effects of gonadal hormones during prenatal and perinatal periods of life, this project will investigate the hypothesis that adolescence is also a period of life when gonadal hormones influence brain development and subsequent behaviour. Psychopharmacological techniques will be used to suppress gonadal hormones during adolescence in rats, and the effects on long-term behavioural and brain development will be examined. Techniques will include the use of hormone antagonists, ELISA hormone assays, immunohistochemistry and detailed behavioural analysis. The results will provide novel insights into why human males and females are differentially susceptible to a range of mental health disorders.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Gillian Brown (School of Psychology & Neuroscience)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The field of behavioural neuroendocrinology has a strong history in Brazil and is gaining influence at an international level, as exemplified by the First Brazilian International Symposium on Integrative Neuroendocrinology (2011). The student would gain experience of the neuroendocrinology community within the UK through membership of the British Society for Neuroendocrinology. Within St Andrews, the student would become a member of the Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences (IBANS), which supports interdisciplinary research across Psychology, Biology, Chemisty and Medicine. In the School of Psychology, PhD students receive advanced training in statistical techniques and experimental design, and all students gain generic skills training. PhD students attend seminars, present their research at conferences and workshops, and often experience public engagement activities, all of which provide an excellent foundation for their future careers.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

What is the energy conversion process during solar eruptions; how are particles accelerated in flares; how does coupling occur between the macro- and micro-scales?

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Parnell

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Projects in this area can have several different flavours: analytical studies, normally by linearising the MHD equations about a specific equilibrium state; numerical studies, when we solve the MHD equations using existing, well tested codes; observational studies, when observations of specific phenomena are investigated; particle acceleration, when non MHD effects are considered and mechanisms for accelerating electrons to the observed high speeds are investigated. Our MHD Research Group is one of the strongest such group world-wide. Research within the SMTG is very much a team effort involving the permanent staff, the PDRAs and PhD students. Ideas are frequently discussed and exchanged, both at an informal level (e.g. normal everyday scientific discussion) and more formally (e.g. weekly group seminars and topical subgroup meetings).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Borrowing from recent results in geophysical fluid dynamics, this project will seek to understand how waves and turbulence in anisotropic media combine to form coherent structures, which tend to dominate the system's dynamical evolution.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil) or Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dritschell, Reinaud, Tran

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Stefanella Boatto (UFRJ); Daniel Alfaro (UFRJ); Luiz Bevilacqua (ABC, COPPE-UFRJ, IUTAM representative for Brazil); Roberto Kraenkel (ICTP-SAIFR); Juliana B.R. Loureiro (UFRJ, youngest member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC); Henrique de Melo Versieux (IM, UFRJ); Andre Nachbin (IMPA); Atila Pantaleao (UFRJ); Fabio Ramos (IM, UFRJ); Ailin Ruiz de Zarate Fabregas (UFPR); Giovani Vasconcelos (UFPE)

Additional notes

Fruitful collaboration is being set up between the Vortex Dynamics Group in St Andrews and 11 leading academics spread across Brazil. We plan to collaborate through research visits and joint supervision of PhD students in four general subject areas: (1) nonlinear waves such as internal waves in the oceans, (2) numerical modelling of atmospheric and oceanic flows, (3) fundamental aspects of vortex dynamics, and (4) theoretical aspects of geophysical and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

Today there is widespread use of advance remote sensing sonar methods for mapping the World’s ocean floors. While development work in the sonar technologies was originally driven by a need to map morphology and geology most recent advances, in particular with multibeam sonar, have focused on the environmental assessment of biological communities on the seafloor. There now exists the opportunity to develop the sonar technologies and apply them to detailed geological mapping of the seafloor thus providing new insight to geological ocean processes. The project will build new geological-based processing methods for multibeam sonar and further will adapted algorithms from airborne and satellite imagery research and apply them to the geological mapping with the very resolution data now available from the multibeam sonar. The research will test the methodologies on well-known geological sequences around the coast of Scotland where ground truth data can easily be obtained from onshore mapping. The research will benefit both curiosity-driven studies of geological processes recorded in the ocean floor and also address the needs from industry, for example the Oil and Gas industry, to understand surface geological processes as part of offshore exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Richard Bates & Dr Tony Prave, Department of Earth Sciences

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student will be required to undertake 4-6 weeks of field work at different locations around the coast of Scotland both with onshore mapping and with marine data acquisition using the departmental survey vessel. Extensive use of computer-based mapping techniques will be tested together with GIS-based data processing.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

---

Project description

A recent fossil discovery made in Namibia (Brain, Prave, et al. 2012. S. Afr. J. Sci.) of small, sponge-like organisms termed Otavia antiqua (Fig. 1) has pushed the evidence for the evolution of animals back to at least 760 million years ago. This age is in broad agreement with molecular clock predictions for the advent of animals, but is some 200 million years older than the oldest, currently documented animal fossils. Further, our reconstruction of the geological relationships indicates that Otavia existed prior to the hallmark climatic extremes of that time, the Snowball Earth glaciations. This negates the hypothesis that freeze-fry environmental fluctuations (i.e. global-scale glaciations and severe greenhouses) caused bottleneck-flush conditions that led to the development of metazoans and compels re-thinking of their origins. The goal is to document better these putative organisms and test ideas about the casual factors (climatic versus ocean chemistry) for the advent of animals.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Tony Prave, Dr Tim Raub, Department of Earth Sciences

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student will be required to undertake 3-4 weeks fieldwork in Namibia in Year 1 doing detailed mapping, section logging and sampling; this will enable accurate and precise palaeoenviromental reconstructions. In Year 2, an additional 2-3 weeks of complementary fieldwork will take place investigating key localities of equivalent rocks in the Bambuí Group of southern Brazil. The student will use the field data to underpin geochemical and isotopic analyses to assess bioginecity of the putative fossils and associated organic structures and inform on the biochemical conditions at the time of deposition. Further, the student will do SEM, BSE and XRMT imaging to enable 3-D reconstructions of the organisms. Much of the laboratory work will be done at St Andrews; the more novel techniques will be in conjunction with collaborative efforts with colleagues in North America. The student will be expected to participate in national and international conferences and workshops.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Fluorinated compounds make up 20% of pharmaceutical products. Replacing fluorine for hydrogen does not have a significant steric effect but it suppresses adventitious metabolism, influences pK_a of functional groups and alters solution conformation. The C-F bond is polar and subject to strong stereoeletronic effects. A series of bioactive neurotransmitter analogues will be explored, combining experiment (synthesis, NMR, X-ray) with theory to evaluate the influence of varied fluorine substitution with a focus on neuroactive compounds GABA and NMDA. The student will prepare/synthesise and analyse appropriate compounds in St Andrews and carry out the theory studies in Lavras.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s): Prof David O'Hagan (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)
  
• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Matheus P Freitas (Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário - UFLA, Dept. de Química, 37200-000, Lavras-MG,Brasil)

Additional notes

D. O'Hagan has hosted Prof. Freitas during his recent fruitful visit in St Andrews, which, in collaboration with M. Bühl, has resulted in the following two publications: Joint publications: D. O'Hagan, M. P. Freitas, M. Bühl, Chem. Commun., 2011, 48, 2433; M. P. Freitas, M. Bühl,D. O'Hagan, R. A. Cormanich, C. F. Tormena, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2012, 116, 1677.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Fluorinated compounds make up 20% of pharmaceutical products. Replacing fluorine for hydrogen does not have a significant steric effect but it suppresses adventitious metabolism, influences pK_a of functional groups and alters solution conformation. The C-F bond is polar and subject to strong stereoeletronic effects. A series of bioactive neurotransmitter analogues will be explored, combining experiment (synthesis, NMR, X-ray) with theory to evaluate the influence of varied fluorine substitution with a focus on neuroactive compounds GABA and NMDA. The student will prepare/synthesise and analyse appropriate compounds in St Andrews and carry out the theory studies in Lavras.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof David O'Hagan (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Matheus P Freitas (Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário - UFLA, Dept. de Química, 37200-000, Lavras-MG,Brasil)

Additional notes

D. O'Hagan has hosted Prof. Freitas during his recent fruitful visit in St Andrews, which, in collaboration with M. Bühl, has resulted in the following two publications: Joint publications: D. O'Hagan, M. P. Freitas, M. Bühl, Chem. Commun., 2011, 48, 2433; M. P. Freitas, M. Bühl,D. O'Hagan, R. A. Cormanich, C. F. Tormena, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2012, 116, 1677.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Crick (1984; PNAS81:4586-4590) wrote, “If the thalamus is the gateway to the cortex, the reticular complex might be described as the guardian of the gateway”. The reticular complex, or thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), is a sheet of GABA-ergic cells, interposed between thalamus and cortex. It receives collateral projections from both thalamocortical and corticothalamic fibres, but the projections of TRN are only to thalamus. As such, the TRN is privy to the information passing between cortex and thalamus and positioned such that it could filter this information. By its projections into thalamus, the TRN could ‘open’ selected thalamic channels to cortex and close others. Such a function defines the requirements of a substrate of attention. In our studies of the TRN in rats, our aim has been to understand how the brain might solve the problem of selection of inputs with the intention of understanding how and why this might sometimes fail: from errors arising from normal lapses of attention, to functional pathologies of attention arising from brain dysfunction or disease. This project will take a multidisciplinary approach employing behavioural and electrophysiological techniques coupled with pharmacologically selective agents. The aim of the project is to characterize the role played by GABA and nicotine in information transmission in the TRN, with a view to understanding the potential significance of this pathway to the attentional and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Verity J Brown and Dr Eric M Bowman (St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

n/a

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Crick (1984; PNAS81:4586-4590) wrote, “If the thalamus is the gateway to the cortex, the reticular complex might be described as the guardian of the gateway”. The reticular complex, or thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), is a sheet of GABA-ergic cells, interposed between thalamus and cortex. It receives collateral projections from both thalamocortical and corticothalamic fibres, but the projections of TRN are only to thalamus. As such, the TRN is privy to the information passing between cortex and thalamus and positioned such that it could filter this information. By its projections into thalamus, the TRN could ‘open’ selected thalamic channels to cortex and close others. Such a function defines the requirements of a substrate of attention. In our studies of the TRN in rats, our aim has been to understand how the brain might solve the problem of selection of inputs with the intention of understanding how and why this might sometimes fail: from errors arising from normal lapses of attention, to functional pathologies of attention arising from brain dysfunction or disease. This project will take a multidisciplinary approach employing behavioural and electrophysiological techniques coupled with pharmacologically selective agents. The aim of the project is to characterize the role played by GABA and nicotine in information transmission in the TRN, with a view to understanding the potential significance of this pathway to the attentional and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof Verity J Brown and Dr Eric M Bowman (St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

n/a

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Pleistocene to modern age sediments deposited in the Amboseli basin record the development of a saline alkaline lake formed in response to the early stages of continental rifting. This tectonic and environmental setting is a unique analog to the Santos and Campos basins of offshore Brazil. Understanding the tectonic and environmental controls on rift-related chemical sedimentation, and the isotopic expression of changing hydrology and climate through time will help identify the main controls on non-marine carbonate reservoir architecture through time. This will aid directly in the development of improved facies models for the Santos and Campos basins of Brazil and the recovery of natural hydrocarbon resources.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Nicholas Tosca and Dr Edward Tipper

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Santos and Campos basins of offshore Brazil are being heavily explored because of their exceptional hydrocarbon resource potential. The physical properties of these reservoir rocks have been heavily influenced by the initial formation and subsequent diagenesis (or recrystallisation during burial) of magnesium-silicate minerals (a geologically uncommon group consisting of sepiolite, palygorskite, kerolite, stevensite and talc). Despite their presence in alkaline saline lake sediments, basic knowledge of magnesium-silicate formation and stability upon burial is currently lacking. Improving this understanding will ultimately lead to the confident prediction of porosity and reservoir properties in the Santos and Campos basins, directly aiding Brazilian exploration. Our approach is to study these minerals experimentally, and in both modern and ancient analog settings, combining Dr. Tosca’s and Dr. Tipper’s respective expertise in synthetic mineralogy and isotope geochemistry. The project is geared to provide critical information that will aid in the development of Brazilian hydrocarbon resources recently identified as primary exploration targets by Petrobras. The project includes significant amounts of laboratory and field work.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

In lacustrine settings similar to the Brazilian Santos and Campos basins, saline lake water is prone to rapidly fluctuating chemistry. The resulting sediment mineralogy sets the stage for the development of reservoir porosity upon further diagenesis. Magnesium-silicates, however, can be used to track these influences. Here the student will investigate the chemical controls on Mg-silicate formation in the laboratory, using state-of-the-art experimentation and materials characterisation techniques. The results will provide insight into the mineralogical development of rift-basin settings, and provide tools which will aid in understanding porosity development in non-carbonate reservoir rocks.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Nicholas Tosca and Dr Edward Tipper

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Santos and Campos basins of offshore Brazil are being heavily explored because of their exceptional hydrocarbon resource potential. The physical properties of these reservoir rocks have been heavily influenced by the initial formation and subsequent diagenesis (or recrystallisation during burial) of magnesium-silicate minerals (a geologically uncommon group consisting of sepiolite, palygorskite, kerolite, stevensite and talc). Despite their presence in alkaline saline lake sediments, basic knowledge of magnesium-silicate formation and stability upon burial is currently lacking. Improving this understanding will ultimately lead to the confident prediction of porosity and reservoir properties in the Santos and Campos basins, directly aiding Brazilian exploration. Our approach is to study these minerals experimentally, and in both modern and ancient analog settings, combining Dr. Tosca’s and Dr. Tipper’s respective expertise in synthetic mineralogy and isotope geochemistry. The project is geared to provide critical information that will aid in the development of Brazilian hydrocarbon resources recently identified as primary exploration targets by Petrobras. The project includes significant amounts of laboratory and field work.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The theory of transience for random processes and Markov chains is reasonably well developed, but the analogues in dynamical systems, even in the case of countable Markov shifts, are still at a very early, and exciting, stage. Work of Cyr and Sarig, as will as Todd's work with Iommi has laid some of the foundations for this field in the one-dimensional setting. This project will use the perspective taken in Todd's work with Pacifico to adapt these ideas to higher dimensions. This should lead to interesting and physically relevant results.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  M Todd

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The Analysis Research Group is recognized as one of the world's leading research groups in Fractal/Multifractal Geometry and Dynamics. The Group's main research interests are in areas of contemporary mathematics that relate to fractal geometry and dynamics. These include number theory, ergodic theory, smooth dynamical systems, multifractals, differential equations on fractal domains and non-commutative geometry. The UK supervisor Dr Todd has established links with researchers in Brazil (Lorenzo Díaz, PUC, Rio (lodiaz@mat.puc-rio.br) ; Maria José Pacifico, UFRJ, Rio (pacifico@im.ufrj.br); Isabel Rios, UFF, Niterói (rios@impa.br); Edson Vargas, USP, São Paulo (vargas@ime.usp.br); Daniel Smania, USP, São Carlos (smania@icmc.usp.br); Vilton Pinheiro, UFBA, Salvador (viltonj@ufba.br); Krerley Oliviera, UFAL, Macieó (krerley@gmail.com), and this project would form part of the collaboration.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Solar power is the most abundant renewable energy resource, but the relatively high cost of silicon solar cells has limited its adoption. We will pursue an attractive alternative technology using semiconducting polymers, which have potential for low-cost roll to roll fabrication. The efficiency of polymer solar cells is lower than silicon cells, and innovations in both materials and devices are needed. In this project the student will use complementary photophysical measurements in Campinas and St Andrews to study key processes such as exciton diffusion and charge transport. The results will be used to guide the development of more efficient polymer solar cells.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof I.D.W. Samuel, Organic Semiconductor Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof. Ana Nogueira, Professor of Chemistry and Co-ordinator of the laboratory for Nanotechnology and Solar Materials, University of Campinas

Additional notes

Professor Ifor Samuel has been developing informal links with Brazilian groups at University of Campinas and PUC, Rio de Janeiro since a UK-Brazil workshop on Organic Electronics.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Most solid-state lasers require bulky and complex cavities. In this project we will explore how, by using optical confinement within a gain medium laser performance can be greatly enhanced. In its simplest form this comprises a one-dimensional confinement, however we also wish to explore the operation of channel waveguide devices based on either micro-machined or femtosecond direct written structures. Ultimately with mirrors attached directly to the endfaces of such devices, fully monolithic cavities can be produced. The geometry of such devices also permits intriguing opportunities for innovative pumping designs ultimately allowing the generation of high power output. Our vision is to incorporate technologies that permit the generation of ultrashort pulses for these devices and show, with the help of our collaborators, a wide range of applications for these lasers.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Tom Brown, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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