ERC-funded Ph.D. position Modelling Strained Interfaces and Long-range Disorder in Functional Materials, Ghent University, Belgium

The Rogge group, embedded within the multidisciplinary Center for Molecular Modeling (molmod.ugent.be) at Ghent University, Belgium, is looking for a highly motivated Ph.D. researcher to strengthen our team by performing state-of-the-art computational research in functional materials design. The Ph.D. candidate will investigate how interfaces and long-range disorder in metal-organic frameworks and metal halide perovskites impact their tendency to undergo phase transitions. This requires developing a multistep approach to determine (i) which types of interfaces and long-range disorder are likely to occur in these materials, (ii) how these features can be modelled accurately at currently inaccessible time and length scales, and (iii) how they alter polymorphism in these materials. Answering these questions is vital to understanding how these realistic, finite-sized materials can be adopted in applications.

This position fits within a recent Starting Grant (StG) STRAINSWITCH awarded to prof Sven M. J. Rogge by the European Research Council (ERC). This grant aims to establish strain engineering as a new in silico approach to designing functional nanostructured materials (see, e.g., doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2023.02.009). We especially welcome candidates with a strong track record who are – or may become – eligible to apply for a prestigious Ph.D. fellowship at our national funding agency or wish to prepare for a European fellowship.

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