"Operando Analytical Methods to Advance the Design of Porous Materials for Clean Energy, Direct Air Capture and Catalysis"

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2026.

Porous materials are central to the production of clean energy, sustainable aviation fuels, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, clean water and gas storage. Depending on the product required, the porous materials are known as catalysts, sorbents, membranes etc., but they all have common characteristics in that their performance is determined, to differing extents, by their chemical composition and the size (typically of nanometre to micron dimensions) of the pores that they contain and the way those pores interconnect.

Surprisingly, we still know relatively little about how molecules behave when confined within the pores of these materials, and yet it is clear that the chemical composition of the materials as well as their pore size have very significant effects on their performance. The group has developed a wide range of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to understand how molecular adsorption and mobility, and the phase behaviour of mixtures of molecular species changes when moving from the bulk phase to the confined 'world' of a nanometre to micron scale pore. Importantly the magnetic resonance methods can be performed at the operating conditions at which the porous materials will be used so that we learn how the materials are really 'working'.

The group has active interests in catalytic processes (sustainable methanol production/ sustainable aviation fuel), adsorbents (direct air capture) and organic membranes (clean energy production). The successful candidate may wish to focus in a specific area or extend their studies across multiple materials and applications.

Applicants for the studentships should have a First Class (or a high 2:1) or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline such as chemical engineering, engineering, chemistry or physics.

To apply for this studentship:

1. You must have a high 2.i or a 1st in your undergraduate degree and any subsequent study; please see the University's requirements if your degree(s) was completed outside the UK: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply/before/international-qualifications
2. If you are able to meet the above requirement, you would need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering, noting Vacancy Reference NQ48882 in the research proposal of your application. Full information about our PhD, as well as a link to the on-line application, is: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng

Please quote reference NQ48882 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Key information

• Department/location: Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
• Salary:
• Reference: NQ48882
• Category: Studentships
• Date published: 19 February 2026
• Closing date: 31 March 2026