2 PhD Positions in photochemical transformations

The Flow Chemistry group is headed by Prof. Timothy Noël and is part of the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) at the University of Amsterdam. We are seeking two excellent, highly motivated PhD candidates to carry out interdisciplinary research with the aim to overcome the current limitations towards the applicability and scalability of photochemical transformations within the PhotoReAct project.

PhotoReAct is an Innovative Training Network (ITN) and PhD students, which in this context are called Early Stage Researchers (ESRs), will participate in the research to tackle the challenges associated with photocatalysis in a coherent and comprehensive fashion. The use of visible light energy to induce chemical transformations constitutes a chemoselective and green activation mode of organic molecules. However, implementation of this energy source in organic synthetic methodologies and in the industrial production of fine chemicals has been challenging.

In total 15 Early Stage Researchers will be trained in 14 organizations from industry and academia within the PhotoReAct network. The network will provide them with opportunities to undertake research with the aim to overcome the current limitations towards the applicability and scalability of photochemical transformations. This will be achieved through rational design of novel photocatalysts, the development of new photocatalytic methodologies, improved reactor technology and direct industrial implementation of photocatalytic transformations. Furthermore, the ESRs will be trained in the PhotoReAct graduate school, acquiring scientific, personal and soft skills. All ESRs will perform three secondments, of which at least one is intersectoral and carried out with an industrial partner and a second is international. Consequently, the ESRs will have improved career prospects and a higher employability. Due to the high degree of industrial participation, the PhotoReAct network will provide an innovation-friendly environment where scientific results can grow and become products or services that will benefit European economies. PhotoReAct is EU funded (project no. 956324) and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action.