PhD Studentship under Supervision of Dr Raj Pandya

This PhD studentship supports research on imaging ultrafast solvation in electrochemical systems. Understanding how atoms and electrons move on ultrafast timescales is central to both the biosphere and modern technology — from photosynthesis to batteries, catalysts, and computing materials. Based in the iCCD Lab at Cambridge Chemistry under the supervision of Dr. Raj Pandya, the work will be primarily experimental and involve building novel ultrafast (visible/infrared) laser setups in combination with electrochemical protocols to tease out elementary interfacial dynamics at solid–liquid interfaces, especially relevant for Li-ion batteries. The studentship provides a maintenance grant and tuition fees at the UK/home rate for 3.5 years. The project will suit a student excited by hands-on optics and instrumentation, eager to explore clean energy materials and electrochemistry. Exceptional overseas applicants will also be considered, though the primary funding covers UK/home fees. Applicants should have an honours degree (at least 2.1 or equivalent) in physics, materials science, electrical engineering, chemistry or mathematics. Experience in experimental laser spectroscopy/imaging, instrumentation control, or electrochemistry would be helpful, though not essential. There is an internal deadline of 2nd December, with interviews to be held in early January.