PhD Position in Colloidal Micromachines: ETH Zurich invites applications for a 100% fully funded PhD position in the field of interface and colloids science. This position is part of a 4-year project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and will be based in the Multi-Scale Robotics Lab under the supervision of Dr. Minghan Hu. The project aims to develop intelligent micromachines with multiple responsiveness, with applications in robotics, biomedicine, and the environment.
Summary Table:
- Study Area: Interface and Colloids Science
- Scholarship Description: Fully funded 4-year PhD position to develop intelligent micromachines.
- Eligibility: Master’s degree in chemistry, materials science, or related disciplines, with prior experience in responsive polymeric systems and knowledge of interfaces and colloid science.
- Required Documents: Curriculum vitae, copies of BSc and MSc educational records, motivation letter with research statement, and contact details of two references.
- How to Apply: Online application through the official portal.
- Last Date: Application deadline not specified in the provided text.
Study Area: Interface and Colloids Science
Scholarship Description:
PhD Position in Self-assembled Colloidal Micromachines
Artificial intelligence enables robotic machines to autonomously adapt to their surroundings and perform complex tasks. Unlike large machines, micro- and nanomachines cannot host bulky computational units to generate intelligence. The intelligence of small-scale machines, including sensing, control, and adaptation, can only stem from their physical bodies through various responsive mechanisms. Despite growing efforts in this field, encoding diverse types of intelligence into micromachines is still essentially unexplored.
In this project, we aim to develop a toolbox-like assembly strategy to build intelligent micromachines with multiple responsiveness. The expected output of this project will address fundamental questions in robotics as well as advance the development of intelligent micromachines for complex biomedical and environmental applications.
This project will be conducted under Dr. Minghan Hu’s supervision and based in the laboratory of Prof. Bradley Nelson and Prof. Salvador Pane at ETH Zurich. The biomedical application of micromachines will be conducted in close collaboration with Prof. David Mooney’s lab at Harvard University.
Eligibility: You have:
- A master’s degree in chemistry, materials science, or related disciplines from a recognized university
- An excellent track record and meet the general admission requirements for a doctorate at ETH Zurich
- Prior experience in responsive polymeric systems, ideally, with nano-colloids
- Good knowledge of interfaces and colloid science, e.g. emulsion, self-assembly
- Know-how in microfluidic synthesis systems is an advantage
- Curiosity, open-mindedness, and good communication skills
- Proficient oral and written English skills
Required Documents:
- Curriculum vitae
- Copies of BSc and MSc educational records
- Motivation letter with research statement (1 page)
- Names and contact details of two references
How to Apply: Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.
Last Date: Until position filled
For specific deadlines, please refer to the official application portal or contact Dr. Minghan Hu (minghu@ethz.ch) for further information.
