PhD Position in Meta-Structures Autonomous Sensing Capacities

PhD Position in Meta-Structures with Autonomous Sensing Capacities

Met2

Adapt (M2A) seeks to appoint 16 highly motivated Ph.D. candidates to a range of positions across Europe. The Early Stage Researcher (ESR) positions offer an exciting opportunity to work with leading experts across Europe to design and deliver sustainable meta-materials for vibration mitigation, self‑aware meta-components and carbon‑efficient meta‑structures for the renewable energy sector via the M2A European Training Network (ETN), funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska‑Curie programme.

M2A puts forward a robust methodology to deliver innovative research and training vis‑à‑vis the following interlinked routes: (i) To engineer novel meta‑material architectures with optimum vibration mitigation capabilities tailored to the specific mechanical and environmental stimuli pertinent to wind and wave energy production; (ii) To innovate a robust multi‑physics simulation framework from the meta‑material to the meta‑structures scale, leveraging the advantages of physics‑rich AI simulation;

(iii) To design meta‑structures that are self‑tuned, resilient, and adaptable to adverse environmental conditions and eventually (iv) to deliver a closed system empowered with intelligent SHM and prognostics capabilities hence enabling a truly manageable and resilient green‑energy production ecosystem.

The M2A network consists of leading academic institutions and companies from 9 different countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and United States).
ESR
15 in particular is hosted at ETH Zurich.

ESR
15 will primarily focus on the development of metamaterials‑based structures and devices that through vibration energy harvesting can exploit structural vibration to power sensors and data communication to the base. This objective will be addressed by:

• Elaborating on the vibration harvesting technology, depending on the vibration frequency and amplitude. This is highly application dependent, for instance wind turbine generate large amplitude long period vibration.
• Designing of a metamaterial that shall guide and amplify the vibrations where the harvesting device is located to increase the exploitable vibrational energy. The harvester for instance can be mounted on a device that exploits rainbow focusing properties. Several basic mechanical designs can obtain this, beams, frames and plates.
• Adapt to changing vibration conditions to maximize harvesting and sensing by autonomously change its position or its mechanical property through embedded actuation systems.

This doctoral student position is offered for 36 months with the earliest starting date as agreed upon recruitment. Primary advisor is Prof. Eleni Chatzi (
ETH Zurich
, DBAUG
), co‑advisors are Dr. Andrea Colombi (Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW) and Dr. Vasileios Ntertimanis (ETH Zurich).

Applicants must

• hold a M.Sc. Diploma (120 ECTS points) or equivalent in civil, mechanical or electrical engineering, geosciences, physics, applied mathematics, or related fields, and be at the beginning of their research career.
• possess principal qualifications that include strong analytical and quantitative skills in computational solid mechanics, nonlinear dynamics, data analysis, mechatronics, and interest in laboratory‑based experimentation and engineering applications.
• have a solid knowledge of English as the spoken and written language of work.

We expect good interpersonal skills, the ability to thrive in a diverse, multidisciplinary environment, ability to present work in international conference, as well as the willingness to spend a number of months working with project collaborators at partner universities in this project.

ETN Mobility Rules
:
Researchers can be of any nationality. At the time of recruitment, researchers

• Should not have resided or carried out your main activity in Switzerland
  , for more than 12 months within the last 3 years.
• Must be in the first four years of their research careers and not yet have a doctoral degree.

We offer
you the opportunity to be a part of M2A, which will not only…