Faculty
of Technology Design and Environment
School
of Architecture
/ School of Engineering, Computing & Mathematics
PhD
studentship - Second Life Batteries: From Electric Vehicles to Building Applications
Eligibility:
Home/EU Students and International Students
Bursary: £15,009
pa (with no inflation increase) for three years; £5000 for
fieldwork
Fees:
Tuition fees will be paid by the University
Deadline:
26 February 2021
Start
date: September 2021
The School of
Architecture at Oxford Brookes University is offering a 3-year full-time PhD
Studentship. This is an interdisciplinary study that cuts across the Architectural Engineering research group and the High Voltage and Energy Storage Laboratory. The studentship
includes a fixed annual bursary of £15,009 for three years, £5000 for fieldwork and tuition fees will be
paid by the University.
Project
description
With the increase in demand for electric vehicles,
manufacture of Li-ion batteries is increasing. The scaling up of the
manufacture of these battery packs comes with increased environmental impact
associated with their relatively short cycle of use. Typically at the end of
life of a battery, from a transport perspective, these batteries still have
significant residual capacity remaining (as high as 80% depending on the
battery cell chemistry and its manufacturer). This suggests that these
batteries can still be utilised, in a ‘Second Life’, for other, less demanding,
applications such as in domestic or commercial buildings. Second life use of
the batteries can significantly reduce the overall life cycle environmental
impact of the batteries and enable greater uptake of renewable energy
technologies via more economical energy storage systems.
However, challenges remain for development of Second Life
battery packs designed with specific applications in mind. These challenges are
to be investigated in this PhD study and include:
●
Design optimisation according to
residential/commercial pattern of use
●
Understanding the impact of
continued battery cell degradation phenomenon in different usage scenarios
●
Modelling of second life batteries
at pack and cell level in relation to building performance
●
Assessment of environmental impact
reduction through Second Life use
●
Integration of second life battery
cells with varying residual capacities and cell chemistries
●
Optimisation of Second Life
battery supply chains
The successful
candidate will be supervised by Dr Shahaboddin Resalati,
Prof Denise Morrey and Dr Paul Henshall. Shortlisted candidates will be
interviewed on 24 March 2021.
Requirements
Candidates
would be expected to have at least an upper second class degree (or equivalent)
and/or Masters in a related subject (e.g. Environmental Science or Energy
related engineering background with sufficient knowledge of renewable
technologies, electric storage systems (essential) and their environmental
impact assessment (desirable)). They should be fluent in spoken and written
English. The selection criteria will focus on academic excellence, suitability
of research experience/ skills, and subject knowledge.
How
to apply
For further information on how to apply, please
email tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk for an application pack, quoting “Second Life Batteries” in the subject
line.
Faculty
of Technology, Design and Environment & Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
School
of the Built Environment & School of Nursing and Midwifery
PhD studentship: Housing, Health and Social
Care for the ageing population
Eligibility: Home, EU and International Students
Bursary:
£15,285 per annum
(with no inflation increase) for three years
£3,000
(one-off payment) fieldwork
Fees:
Tuition
fees will be paid by the University
Deadline:
26 February 2021
Start
date: September 2021
The School of the Built
Environment is offering a 3-year full-time PhD Studentship. This
interdisciplinary study cuts across the Land, Design and Development research
group and Centre
for Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care.
Project
description
An ageing
population and its resultant social and economic issues has been prevalent in
the UK and other advanced countries. This fundamental change in the nation’s
age structure has increased pressures on health and social care services.
Accordingly the integrative role of housing in health care and welfare policy
has become an increasingly important issue in academia and practice.
Given the
challenges imposed by a growing elderly population we propose an
interdisciplinary research strand between Built Environment and Health and
Social Care. Possible PhD questions may include:
1. What are the
policy debates on the role of housing in health and wellbeing for the old
population?
2. What is
age-friendly housing and what are the future models for delivering housing for
older people?
3. What are the experiences
of people receiving community health and care services at home?
4. What are the
benefits and challenges of integrating health and care services and housing for
older people?
The key output will be an innovative
framework to place housing, health and social care at the heart of an
integrated care service in existing built environments.
The successful candidate will be supervised by Dr
Youngha Cho, Prof
Ramin Keivani and
Dr. Jo Brett.
Requirements
We are looking
for a highly competent and capable candidate to submit his/her PhD thesis
within 3.5 years. Candidates should follow the entry requirement of the
university research degree: Masters degree in a related disciplines, i.e.
housing, health and social care, planning or human geography. Outstanding
candidates with substantial prior experience at an appropriate level will be
considered. The candidate should be able to demonstrate strong
interdisciplinary research capabilities.
The selection criteria will focus on
academic excellence, suitability of research experience/skills, and subject
knowledge. A demonstrable interest in housing and health would be an advantage.
Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on 11 March 2021.
Contact
details
Contact Dr
Cho (ycho@brookes.ac.uk) for informal enquiries.
How
to apply
For further information, email tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk for an
application pack, quoting ‘Housing, health and social care for the
ageing population’ in the subject line.