Your research will be constructively driven by the ambitious goals of the Horizon Europe project ModConFlex, which is concerned with the modelling and control of flexible structures in fluid environments. The enormous challenges in this scientifically and technologically demanding field will require, and thus promote, substantial mathematical and theoretical developments at the interface of mathematics, physics and engineering, pointing far beyond the already ambitious scope of the project itself. Your research will thus ideally prepare you for a future career in any one of these fields.
The central aim of your doctoral research in applied mathematics is to combine the benefits of two mathematically sophisticated approaches to the modelling of structure-fluid systems: On the one hand, the functional analytic approach that is hitherto well-understood in one dimension and, on the other hand, the differential geometric approach that is well-adapted to higher dimensions and sophisticated geometries of the flexible structure. One of many prototypical questions would be to study the existence of solutions for differential geometric formulations in higher dimensions by functional analytic semi-group methods. There will of course be a great amount of academic freedom to contribute and develop your own ideas, which explicitly includes some measure of blue-sky research into the application of your findings in a wider context.
As members of the doctoral research training programme of ModConFlex, which brings together a large academia-industry consortium of 17 institutions across Europe and Israel through the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions programme, you and your network of fellow doctoral students will receive outstanding training. As part of this training, you will complete three research stays between two and three months at partnering institutions, which will greatly extend your knowledge and make you see the bearing of your research. All these measures combined will significantly boost your career.
Your excellently equipped research position will be within the Mathematical Systems Theory group, headed by Prof. Dr. H. J. Zwart, in the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. Your joint PhD advisors will be both H. J. Zwart (Functional Analysis) and F. P. Schuller (Differential Geometry).
Information and application
Are you interested in this position? Please submit your application before April 15 via the ‘Apply now’ button below and include:
- A motivation letter emphasizing your specific interest in and motivation for this position;
- A detailed curriculum vitae;
- An academic transcript of your BSc and MSc education including all grades;
- A short description of your MSc thesis or equivalent;
- Contact information of two scientific referees (one of whom should be your thesis supervisor) who have agreed to provide a recommendation letter at our request.
We particularly encourage female applicants to apply.
If you have questions about this position, you are welcome to contact Prof. Dr. H. J. Zwart (h.j.zwart@utwente.nl).
About the organisation
The faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) uses mathematics, electronics and computer technology to contribute to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With ICT present in almost every device and product we use nowadays, we embrace our role as contributors to a broad range of societal activities and as pioneers of tomorrow's digital society. As part of a people-first tech university that aims to shape society, individuals and connections, our faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders. Our research has a high profile both in the Netherlands and internationally. It has been accommodated in three multidisciplinary UT research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre and Digital Society Institute.
