ECR Experiences

ECR networking event 2018 photo
image credit: UK Catalysis Hub

The UK Catalysis supports ECRs where our regular conference series has allowed interaction and liaison, especially for those new to the field or to the UK and where our funding streams have assisted some ECRs in developing their programmes. ECRs employed on Hub projects have been particularly successful with several moving in the last two years to permanent academic and industrial appointments.

Research associate next positions; 12 PDRAS have lectureships and research positions, 2 fellowships, 1 beamline scientist, 10 industrial positions and 1 teacher.

Studentships

A number students funded on other projects have been associated with the hub, over the past 3 years: 15 students including; 6 iCASE students have or are been based at Harwell as well as 3 MChem Placements. The students are hosted by a number of Institutions including Cardiff, Glasgow, UCL, Oxford, QUB and Southampton and spend time based at Harwell. Graduated doctoral students have gone on to become PDRAs, industrial scientists and teachers.

8 PHD (Harwell only) students completed so far; 5 research associates, 1 teacher, 1 industrial and 1 Research Fellow.

The Hub has supported early career researchers from eight institutions to collaborate with Hub scientists through the affiliate researcher scheme. In addition it has housed a successful team of graduate students (currently thirteen, past six) who have responded well to the scientific environment of the Harwell campus.

Current opportunities:

Please come and talk to us if you are interested in ECR opportunities or email our Project Manager – Dr. Josie Goodall – josie.goodall@rc-harwell.ac.uk

Find our current opportunities on the studentships page.

ECR experiences at the UK Catalysis Hub:

Dr Matthew Potter

Over 10 gigatons of CO2 must be captured every year before 2050 if national and global net-zero pledges are to be met, the vast majority of which will likely be stored underground in geological rock formations. This means that CO2 is not only readily available and cheap, but it can also serve…

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Dr Yaroslav Odarchenko

Yaroslav Odarchenko photo

Development of an Ambient Pressure Microreactor for In Situ Soft XAS Analysis In the new decade I have joined Finden Ltd after being an active Cat Hub member and UCL research fellow for four years. I now work as a Research Scientist at a spin-off company co-founded by Prof Andy…

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Dr Catherine Davies

Dr Catherine Davies photo

Environmental Theme: Soot Control The growth in market share of diesel vehicles, which currently stands at around fifty-five percent of new car sales within the EU, has had the beneficial effects of lowering CO2 emissions and improving fuel economy, but has led to locally high concentrations of NOx gases and…

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Ellie Dann

EllieDannWinnerRamsayTalkMedal2018

Design theme highlights: Advances in Heterogeneous Catalyst Characterisation; combined XAFS/DRIFTS Spectroscopy Understanding the chemical processes that govern catalytic function is key to developing new and improved catalytic materials. Characterisation methods used to interpret catalyst structure, morphology and chemical properties often examine the catalyst material outside of its operating environment, which…

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Dr Cristina Stere

Cristina Stere photo

Energy Theme highlights: Probing the role of a non-thermal plasma (NTP) in the hybrid NTP-catalytic oxidation of CH4 The release of methane into the atmosphere must be stringently controlled as it has a warming potential at least 21 times higher than that of CO2, being, therefore, a major contributor to…

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Pip Hellier

Pip Hellier in lab photo

Joint Diamond/UK Catalysis Hub studentship: Novel shell-core catalysts of vanadia on haematite (VOx/Fe2O3) for use in methanol selective oxidation to formaldehyde Over the past year, we have been investigating novel shell-core catalysts of vanadia on haematite (VOx/Fe2O3) for use in methanol selective oxidation to formaldehyde. The shell-core motif has been…

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Dr Changhui Chen

photo of Changhui Chen

Chemical Transformations Theme highlights: Electrochemical characterisation and regeneration of sulfur poisoned Pt catalysts The Energy theme of the UK Catalysis hub has undertaken a wide range of liquid and gas phase projects related to energy conversion catalytic technologies. ‘Electrochemical characterisation and regeneration of sulfur poisoned Pt catalysts’ was a project…

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Dr Scott Rogers

abstract diag1

Design Theme highlights: Tandem Site and Size Controlled Pd Nanoparticles for the Directed Hydrogenation of Furfural The Design theme of the UK Catalysis has undertaken a wide range of fundamental projects related to the understanding of catalytic processes, design of better catalysts and in particular developing the use of large…

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Dr Veronica Celorrio

speaker Veronica Celorrio

Energy Theme Highlights: In-situ Probing Structure and Electronic Properties of Transition Metal Oxide Electrocatalysts The Energy theme of the UK Catalysis has undertaken a wide range of liquid and gas phase projects related to energy conversion catalytic technologies. All the projects have involved strongly multidisciplinary teams utilising expertise from around…

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Dr Hanan Messiha

PDRA working in the lab

Biocatalysis Theme highlights: Bio-based production of monomers for polymer synthesis The Biocatalysis Theme of the Catalysis Hub is now underway with five core projects which address a range of contemporary themes in biocatalysis, namely (i) computational modeling and mechanistic studies of enzymes; (ii) intergration of chemo- and bio-catalytic reactions; (iii)…

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