PhD in Geosciences

This 3.5-year PhD project at The University of Manchester (Manchester) focuses on microbial engineering of novel Cr-free biogenic catalysts for hydrogen production via the Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction. The project will exploit metal-reducing microorganisms to produce a suite of novel Cr-free biogenic catalysts using controlled dopant incorporation and tailored microbial pathways to engineer catalyst structure and performance. These materials will be analysed using advanced spectroscopic methods and electron microscopy to determine how dopants and biosynthesis conditions influence catalyst nanoscale structure. Catalyst activity will be evaluated under WGS conditions to establish synthesis–structure–activity relationships. Start date is October 2026. Home students, and EU students with settled status, are eligible to apply. The student will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and tuition fees will be paid.