04 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Groningen, Netherlands

Topic of research: Fundamentals in the growth behavior of ultrahigh temperature TaC coatings for producing epitaxial SiC semiconductors
Reliable protective coatings are exigently demanded to coat graphite crucibles and susceptors for bulk SiC crystal and epitaxial SiC film growth processes for supplying wide bandgap materials in the fast growing market of semiconductor power devices. Presently thick TaC coating on graphite is being developed to catch up the demand. However, this crucial development is currently hampered by the high tendency of dense micro-cracks and delamination of TaC coating from the graphite substrate, which are mainly caused by the large thermal expansion mismatch between the coating and graphite substrate during chemical vapor deposition and during service by the thermal cycles from room temperature to the service temperatures (up to 2600 °C).

This research project aims understanding the fundamentals in the growth behavior of ultrahigh temperature TaC coating on graphite with chemical vapor deposition and eventually developing a crack-free and crack-tolerant TaC coating for the semiconductor industry.

Campus Fryslân and the Faculty of Economics and Business within the University of Groningen are looking for a joint postdoc for the living lab project SMiLES (Shared Connectivity in Mobility and Logistics Enable Sustainability).

SMiLES is a 5-year project where researchers are working together with public and private partners from the region in the field of sustainability, mobility and logistics. Together, they explore the economic, technical, legal, ethical, psychological and practical barriers and opportunities around various mobility and logistic innovations. As a postdoc, you will contribute to the project in its final year by focusing on the role of shared values and goals among stakeholders for shared and sustainable logistics.

Emissions from transport is a big environmental problem and logistics is a significant contributor to this problem. Logistics systems could become more sustainable if stakeholders start sharing knowledge, tools and resources. This is usually the case when there are interdependencies between different stakeholders. Such interdependencies, however, might lead to friction when parties endorse different values and prioritize different goals (e.g. economic, environmental sustainability, privacy). What are the barriers for companies and organizations to work together? Are there ways to stimulate collaboration?

In this interdisciplinary research project on sustainable logistics, you will combine theory and approaches from different disciplines (e.g. psychology and decision science) in answering these research questions. First, you will investigate which values are prioritized among different stakeholders in the field of logistics, and how they relate to realizing innovative and sustainable solutions in logistics. Next, you will study whether bringing stakeholders around shared values could influence stakeholders’ behaviour and thinking.

The project will lead to a unique understanding of whether sharing the same values and goals would trigger collaboration among different parties. You will be under the supervision of Dr Berfu Ünal from the Faculty of Campus Fryslan in Leeuwarden, and Kees Jan Roodbergen/İlke Bakir from the Faculty of Economics and Business in Groningen. Your appointment will be with Campus Fryslân.

We are seeking a highly motivated and independent Postdoctoral candidate with expertise in advanced electronic materials, soft actuators, flexible electronics, and wearable sensors. The ideal candidate should be eager to work in an interdisciplinary environment. As a Postdoc, you will collaborate with our dynamic team of enthusiastic PhDs and Postdocs, who specialize in MEMS, electronic materials, flexible electronics, biomimetics, sensor technology, and biomedical sensors. Together, we aim to drive innovation and advance the frontiers of sensor technology. This postdoctoral position is for a duration of two years.

The postdoctoral candidate will conduct research in the broad fields of flexible electronic devices and soft actuators. The candidate will design, fabricate, and test multifunctional soft actuators inspired by animals and human muscles. Additionally, the role involves developing and characterizing flexible electronic sensors using various printed electronics technologies, including aerosol jet printing, inkjet printing, and 3D printing functional elements.

In the Chemical Engineering group of ENTEG at the University of Groningen, we are looking for a talented and motivated postodoctoral researcher in the field of Solid Oxide Cells as part of the HyUSE project (HyUSE – Groenvermogen (groenvermogennl.org – https://groenvermogennl.org/en/project/4785/)) of the National Growthfund GroenvermogenNL. The project aims on the work package on the next-generation Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells with different hydrogen-containing fuels for zero emission combined heat and power applications in industry and the built environment. The project will be in collaboration with, 3 knowledge institutes – University of Utrecht, UTWENTE, Avans University of Applied Sciences – and 3 industrial partners – HyET NoCarbon, Shell and Lyondell Basell. In this context, the postdoc will work in close collaboration with the different partners, focusing on electrocatalysis and electrochemical engineering towards securing efficient and stable operation of such systems, as well as understand possible electrode degradation phenomena.