The Eni Project Master Scholarships in Petroleum Engineering 2010-2011 at Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Call for applications for the 2010/2011 academic year
The Eni Project offers international students the possibility to receive a scholarship and other benefits to graduate from the Politecnico di Torino attending a Master of Science program in Petroleum Engineering.
The project, promoted by the Politecnico di Torino and financed by Eni – Exploration & Production Division and Eni Corporate University, will offer for the 2010/2011 academic year scholarships to international students, mainly from Angola, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
The length of the course is 2 years full time and corresponds to 120 ECTS credits. All the courses are entirely held in English.
The activities will begin in September 2010.
Master of Science program in Petroleum Engineering
Requirements
Academic requirements
In order to be admitted into the Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering program, applicants must possess a university degree equivalent to a Bachelor of Science degree, which is approximately equivalent to three or four years after secondary school, depending on the number of secondary school years.
For further information, please visit the Entry requirements page.
Application is open to students who:

• are not Italian citizens
• are not older than 32 years (by 31/12/2010)
• have an adequate knowledge of the English language, preferably demonstrated by an international certification
• are not already enrolled at the Politecnico di Torino before the 2010/2011 academic year
• are not recipients of other scholarships, Italian or foreign.

Obtaining a degree at the Politecnico di Torino
To graduate at the Politecnico di Torino, students must attain a total of 120 credits, including exams and the final dissertation. A plan of studies must be outlined under the guidance of the student’s academic tutor to identify, in relation to the student’s previous academic career, the courses additionally required to complete the program of studies for the Master of Science course in which the student is enrolled at the Politecnico di Torino. The time required to graduate is approximately 4 semesters. However, the effective duration is also dependent upon each student’s capacity. Note also that the time required for the compulsory Italian course, before classes start, is not considered in the estimated duration of the program.
Please note that scholarship recipients must attend their program for its entire length (2 years – 120 credits). Students who have already attended other university courses can ask for a credit transfer up to a maximum of 10 credits per year (20 credits in total). Please note that credits achieved in preparatory courses or in the first year/second year in systems where preuniversity education lasts 10/11 years can not be taken into account.
Scholarships
Selection criteria
Applicants will be selected based on their previous academic career and on their Curriculum Vitae.
Amount of the scholarship

• The gross amount of the Eni Project scholarship is 10.000 Euro per year (20.000 Euro for the complete period). The exact net sum is dependent upon the individual tax conditions of each student, which can be verified only upon the arrival of the student.
• The amount of the scholarship will not be increased in case the student will need more time to graduate than indicated.
• The allocation of the scholarship is dependent upon the submission, within 10 days from the arrival in Italy of the student, of the original documentation, which must correspond with the documentation attached to the online form (see the “Selection outcomes” section below).
• Payment of the scholarship occurs periodically. The first instalment is dependent upon the possession of the relevant documentation (residence permit, Italian fiscal code, and bank account in the name of the scholarship recipient), all obtainable upon arrival in Italy; for this reason, the first instalment is not paid at the moment of arrival at the Politecnico di Torino, but in the course of the following month.

Requirements to maintain the scholarship

• Given that it is not possible to combine the benefits received from more than one scholarship, students who are assigned another study grant while receiving the Eni Project scholarship must promptly notify the Politecnico di Torino.
• Payment of the scholarship will be suspended if the academic performance of the recipient does not meet a satisfactory level.

How to apply
To apply, students must, under the penalty of being excluded from the selection process:
COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

• Deadline:
  9 p.m. (Italian time) on April 30th, 2010.
• Method: fill in the online application form by first registering and providing your biographical information, logging in and choosing your level and degree course, and subsequently submitting the application. Students must also provide information on their previous educational career, language abilities and work experience, and they must attach the necessary documentation in pdf format. After having completed these steps, the application for a scholarship will be considered complete.N.B. The scholarship or project for which the applicant is eligible is not specified in the application form, since the Politecnico will automatically assess your eligibility for the Eni Project scholarship based on the information you provide. At the end of the selection process, the Politecnico di Torino will inform you if you have been selected for a Eni Project scholarship (see the “Selection outcomes” section below).The following documentation must be attached in pdf format to the online application form:
  1. an official transcript (original or authenticated copy) issued by the registrar of your university of origin containing ALL of the following information:
     • Planned duration of the program of study (no. of semesters)
     • Total number of exams sustained in the program of study
     • Total number of credits obtained in the program of study (if available)
     • Year of enrolment
     • A list of the exams already taken with the score of each exam and, where applicable, the number of credits earned with each exam.
     • The overall average score of the exams taken (at the moment of application)
     • A list of the exams still to be passed to complete the degree course
     • The grading system used with explanations (e.g. quantitative system from 0 to 10, with 5 corresponding to satisfactory; or qualitative system ABCD, with A as top grade and C corresponding to passing)
     • The semester of enrolment at the moment of the presentation of the application (e.g. “on xxx [day] the student is enrolled in the second semester of the fourth year of the degree course in xxx”)
     If the transcript provided by the students’ registrar does not contain ALL of the above information, an additional document will have to be sent that provides it. This additional document must be signed by an authority of the university of origin (Tutor of the degree course, Dean, etc).
  2. Curriculum Vitae, dated and signed (in English if possible) – maximum 3 pages
  3. Letters of reference (2 maximum)
  4. A personal introduction letter (written by the applicant)
  5. Optional English language certificate
  The above documents must be rendered in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian.
  We emphasise that the data shown in the documents must coincide with those inserted in the online application form. Moreover, failure to attach even one of the above documents will result in exclusion from the selection process.

Selection outcomes
Following the closure of the online application form, the applications will be assessed by Eni – Exploration & Production Division and Eni Corporate University, which will select the students eligible for the participation in the program.
The applications of the eligible students will be then evaluated by a special joint commission between Politecnico di Torino and Eni Corporate University, which will award the scholarships on the basis of the applicants’ previous academic career and Curriculum Vitae.
At the end of the selection process, a provisional list of standings will be composed with the names of the students who have been awarded a scholarship and the names of the eligible applicants that may be awarded a scholarship in the event of one or more renunciations.
The list of standings will be published on the Official Register of the Politecnico di Torino, on this project website, and on the Apply@Polito section of the Politecnico website.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AFFIXING OF THE LIST OF STANDINGS TO THE OFFICIAL REGISTER OF THE POLITECNICO DI TORINO WILL BE, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE ONLY OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF INCLUSION IN THE LIST OF SELECTIONS AND, FOR STUDENTS WITH THE APPROPRIATE QUALIFICATIONS, THE ONLY OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP.
An e-mail message will be sent to all scholarship recipients and eligible applicants summarising the terms for the disbursement of the scholarship. This message will be sent to the address(es) specified by the students themselves on the online application form. NEVERTHELESS, THIS MESSAGE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE SELECTION.
The scholarship awardees and eligible applicants who wish to confirm their position must take the following steps:

1. download the scholarship acceptance form which will be published together with the list of selection outcomes, fill it in and fax it to the number +39 011 090 6329. Failure to send in the acceptance fax within the given period will constitute a definitive renunciation and the scholarship will be reassigned accordingly.
2. upon arrival in Italy scholarship recipients must hand in the original documentation, which was previously attached to the online application form (see the above list), to the Politecnico di Torino. Before handing in the aforementioned documentation, we recommend that you make photocopies for yourself. We ask that you not hand in any other documentation other than that which has been required, and put all the documentation in a single folder bearing your name, surname and “Eni Project – Petroleum Engineering”. We reemphasize that the information given in the documents must correspond to that attached to the online application form.Failure to hand in the original documentation within 10 days from the student’s arrival according to the above conditions will result in the non-allocation of the scholarship.

Publication of the final list of standings is foreseen for May 2010.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AFFIXING OF THE LIST OF STANDINGS TO THE OFFICIAL REGISTER OF THE POLITECNICO DI TORINO WILL BE, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE ONLY OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF INCLUSION IN THE LIST OF SELECTIONS AND, FOR STUDENTS WITH THE APPROPRIATE QUALIFICATIONS, THE ONLY OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP.
We emphasize that the Politecnico di Torino assumes no responsibility for the applicant’s failure to view the list of standings and/or the terms for the acceptance of the scholarships as published online and on the Official Register of the Politecnico.
In all the e-mail messages and the correspondence sent to the Politecnico following the awarding of the scholarship, the recipient must clearly specify “Eni Project – Petroleum Engineering”.
Facilities
Tuition fees for ENI Project students are covered by the project.
Scholarship recipients, together with the Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering course, will benefit from:

• one round trip air ticket from/to home country per year
• an intensive Italian language course, free of charge
• advice on lodging facilities (for more information visit the Accommodation section)
• additional services offered to the student community (access to the Politecnico libraries and computer laboratories, WI-FI (wireless LAN), etc.); scholarship recipients will also be entitled to all the services offered by the regional university student assistance organisation, Ente regionale per il DIritto allo Studio Universitario (EDISU Piemonte) at full fee: student canteen service, cultural and recreational activities, sports activities, libraries with lending service, etc. (for more information visit the Campus Facilities section)
• assistance in obtaining an entry visa. For more information consult the Immigration Requirements section and the websites of the Italian Embassy or Consulate
• assistance by the Stage and Job Placement Office for internship and employment.

In order to benefit from a reduction on the fees of the services offered by EDISU, students must provide an official declaration about:

• the composition of their family unit
• the revenue generated abroad in 2009
• the property and real estate assets generated abroad at December 31st, 2009

These declarations, issued by the competent authorities of the foreign country where the family’s income is generated, must be translated into Italian and certified by the Italian Embassy or Consulate.
Information for students coming from particularly poor countries
Notes

• The scholarship does not include accommodation costs, which are thus totally at the expense of the student.
• The Politecnico di Torino does not guarantee any type of accommodation for Eni Project scholarship recipients. For students turning to the private market to rent an apartment, the initial amount requested for the cautionary deposit is equal to about three months rent, plus any fees charged by the real estate agency, if applicable. The approximate amount of the rent for an apartment shared with other students comes to about 250 EURO/month per person, and the rent for a small/medium sized apartment is about 500 EURO/month.
• Enrolment at the Politecnico includes insurance coverage for accidents occurring on the university premises.Medical insurance for emergencies (First Aid), as required by the law for non-EU citizens, is about 100 EURO per year. Upon their arrival in Italy, students must pay this amount to INA Assitalia: this is required for the conversion of the entry visa into a residence permit. For further information on these matters, see theHealth insurance section.
• We advise students to go to the Italian Embassy or Consulate to inform themselves on the necessary requirements to obtain an entry visa in Italy.

For more details, go to:
http://international.polito.it/en/financial_aid/politecnico_international_scholarships/complete_list_of_scholarship_projects/eni_project_petroleum_engineering/2010_2011_edition

The Danish Ministry of Education Scholarship Scheme 2010 for Students From Outside the EU/EEA

The Danish Ministry of Education Scholarship Scheme is open to highly qualified candidates studying for Academy Profession degrees or Professional Bachelor’s programmes.
Scholarships for students from outside the EU/EEA for studies at Academies of Professional Higher Education and University Colleges are administered by the individual institutions.
The scholarships can be given as full or partial tuition fee waivers and/or grants towards covering your living costs. However, as the scholarships are administered by the individual institution, you should enquire about the details at the institution you are interested in studying at.
What is The Danish Ministry of Education Scholarship Scheme?
Denmark warmly welcomes highly qualified and motivated students from all over the world. A number of scholarships are therefore offered each year by the Danish Ministry of Education to fund students from countries outside the European Union/ European Economic Area. The scholarships can be awarded for a full degree programme or for part of a degree programme at undergraduate level.
Who can apply for a scholarship?
In order to be eligible to apply for a scholarship you have to be:

• A citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA).
• Permanently resident in a non-EU/EEA country.
• Studying in Denmark outside any established exchange programme or another kind of agreement, which waives your tuition fee.

What kind of financial support can I apply for?
The amount may vary between institutions.
How and when do I apply?
If you would like to apply for a scholarship, we would strongly recommend you do the following:

1. Contact the institution which offers the specific study programme you are interested in. The institution will then provide you with the application form. The institution can also inform you about entry requirements, course descriptions, deadlines and student services.
2. Apply for a residence permit. Read the instructions below.

When will I be notified about the outcome of my application?
The institution will assess all applications as soon as this process is finalised, the applicants will be notified by the institution where they have applied for a scholarship.
How do I apply for a residence permit? 
The procedures vary depending on your nationality. Students from outside the EU/EEA should note that they have to apply for the residence permit in their home country. There are also certain financial requirements attached to the process. You can find more information about residence permit in English on the home page of the Danish Immigration Service .
For more details, go to:
http://studyindenmark.dk/tuition-and-scholarships/scholarship-scheme

2 Doctoral Positions in Ubicomp and Building Automation, Austria

Job Description : The Department of Digital Architecture and Planning at Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria (www.tuwien.ac.at/tuwien_home/EN/, www.iemar.tuwien.ac.at) invites applications for two Doctoral Positions for three years (2010-2013). The positions are supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF (www.fwf.ac.at/en).
The positions are in a small research group which is being established at the Department of Digital Archiecture and Plannung. Working language is English. International candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Research work will focus on the design, implementation, and validation of a space model server for ubiquitous computing and building automation applications.
The ideal candidates are self-motivated team players who are interested pursuing their doctoral studies in an emerging, inter-disciplinary research area with high application potential.
Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable: software engineering, spatial databases, location-based services, distributed systems, building information modeling, building automation.
Candidates should submit a CV and a one page summary of their Master thesis or comparable piece of work in electronic form to:
Georg Suter, Associate Professor, PhD
georg.suter at iemar.tuwien.ac.at
http://www.iemar.tuwien.ac.at/content/suter.aspx
Applications should be received by:
May 15, 2010. Late applications are considered until the positions have been filled.
Job Homepage :
Category : PhD
Contact address : Georg Suter, Associate Professor, PhD
georg.suter at iemar.tuwien.ac.at
http://www.iemar.tuwien.ac.at/content/suter.aspx

Canada - Postgraduate Commonwealth Scholarship Program

The Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program is celebrating 50 years! Since the plan’s inception in 1959, the Government of Canada has provided scholarships of excellence to all member countries of the Commonwealth. The CCSP goal is to promote Canadian values and identity around the world and to help meet the human capital needs of developing countries.
Canada also played a leadership role in the establishment of the international Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan and is the largest contributor to this program after the United Kingdom.

Description

• Graduate Students Exchanges (GSEP) are hosted by Canadian institutions for a period of five or six months and provide up to $10,000 to cover transportation, living and other related expenses during the students’ stay in Canada.

Student application process

Students interested in this scholarship program should contact their home institution to make their interest known, and to find out if there is an institutional collaboration or exchange agreement with a Canadian institution. The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) provides a database of international exchange agreements which, while not exhaustive, does provide a list of some existing agreements.
An institutional exchange agreement is desirable, however, where no agreement yet exists, research applications by students which may result in a new collaboration between professors from a Canadian and foreign university will be considered.

Further Scholarship Information and Application

France International Scholarships for India, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Morocco, Russia and Saudi Arabia Students

In March 2010, the Ministry of External and European Affairs (MEEA) and AIR LIQUIDE decided to create a
programme for hosting and supporting meritorious foreign students in France.
This forms part of the “QUAI D’ORSAY – ENTERPRISES” programme of the Ministry of External and European Affairs and is based on a public-private partnership The specificity of this MEEA programme lies in the creation of optimal and personalized conditions for hosting foreign students and jointly selecting candidates with the MEEA, AIR LIQUIDE and French higher education partner institutions.
The AIR LIQUIDE-MEEA co-financed scholarship programme is aimed at students hailing from India, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Morocco, Russia and Saudi Arabia, who are currently pursuing their studies in their countries. Only candidates holding the nationality of one of these six countries are eligible for this programme; candidates holding dual citizenship, if it includes French nationality, are not eligible.
For the academic year 2010-2011, 12 scholarships will be awarded.
FOR WHAT KIND OF STUDIES?
The AIR LIQUIDE-MEEA co-financed study scholarship will be awarded for one year of studies in France at the
Master 2 level or a Master of Science, in the following areas:
- Energy
- Industrial Engineering
- Engineering
- Economics/ Finance

Further Scholarship Information and Application (pdf)

Master Scholarships in Particle Physics at Clermont-Ferrand, France

Master Scholarships for the Master in Particle Physics at Université Blaise Pascal (1), Clermont-Ferrand, France
The 2nd year of the Master of Physics at Clermont-Ferrand1 welcomes students from France and abroad, provided they have passed the Master 1 exams, or possess the background expected after 4 years of Physics. To promote mobility and excellence, a number of 5,000 euros fellowships have been opened this year to the best candidates satisfying high level academic criteria.
Teaching program:

• 200 hours of advanced lectures in particle physics include: field theory, symmetries in Physics, particle physics detectors, Quantum Electro-Dynamics, Quantum Chromo-Dynamics, Electro-Weak Standard Model. Part of the lectures are given in english; a good command of both the French and English languages is required.
• 5 months of research training in a research laboratory. The LPC (Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire) of Clermont is one of the 18 laboratories of the French Institute for Particle Physics of the CNRS (IN2P3). Research is conducted in world-wide Particle Physics facilities, such as CERN (Geneva) or Fermilab (Chicago). For instance, research teams of the laboratory, which regularly host research trainings at the Master and PhD level, are involved in 3 of the four experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, both for instrumental developments of detectors and for the Physics analysis.

Research opportunities:
The Master diploma of the Blaise Pascal University allows holders to apply for any PhD fellowship in High Energy Physics in Europe and in the world (US, Japan). Typically 3 or 4 PhD fellowships are available each year at the Blaise Pascal University for the students having passed the Master of Physics.
Application procedure:
Applications should be sent by mail, before the 1st of May 2010 at the following address:
Michèle Chadelas, secrétariat du Master de Physique,
Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire (LPC), Université Blaise Pascal,
24 Avenue des Landais, 63177 Aubière Cedex.
http://www.univ-bpclermont.fr/FORMATIONS/Master/physique/
and should contain the same documents as for Master admission:

• a filled registration form (available from the web site);
• a statement of purpose;
• a detailed CV (resume);
• a copy of the passport with the photograph;
• detailed transcripts of University grades for the last 3 years of study and the copies of the last diploma obtained (with a certified translation when necessary);
• a recommendation letter from one close professor (confidential, in a sealed envelope);
• a Campus France number (for foreign students), proving that the visa application is under way (2);

(1)The University of Clermont-Ferrand has a tradition dating back to the XIIth century. In the XXth century it was named after the famous Physicist, Mathematician, and Philosopher Blaise Pascal, who was born in Clermont-Ferrand and established the atmospheric pressure in the surrounding mountains. The University counts about 14000 students, including 2000 foreigners.
(2)Campus France is a facility which depends on french embassies or consulates, aimed at helping and centralizing the application for studying in France. http://www.campusfrance.org

University of Edinburgh Business School Leadership Scholarships

Three Leadership Scholarships are awarded to students from any country in the University of Edinburgh Business School. Each scholarship has a value of £10,000.
Eligibility
The scholarships are open to individuals applying for admission onto the full-time MBA or MBA in International Business in September 2010 who have an excellent academic record and who can demonstrate leadership potential.
Although applications for the scholarships should be made before 31 May 2010, the scholarships will only be awarded to applicants who have accepted their offer through payment of the deposit. Applicants who hold full sponsorships are not eligible for the scholarship.
If an applicant is awarded a scholarship, but subsequently declines their offer of admission on the MBA programme, the award of the scholarship will be withdrawn and awarded to another applicant.
Those that apply for a Leadership Scholarship, but are unsuccessful will be automatically considered for a Director’s Scholarship.
Application Procedure
Applicants should submit a 1,000 word essay explaining why they feel that they should be awarded a leadership scholarship, demonstrating their leadership potential, and outlining how the scholarship will benefit them. This essay should accompany their application for the MBA programme.
The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and demonstrated leadership potential. In keeping with our values-led MBA philosophy rooted in the Scottish Enlightenment, we are looking for highly motivated and principled individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant future contributions to their chosen field and the wider community. The decision will be made by a committee consisting of Directors and key staff from Admissions.
If you have already accepted an offer and paid your deposit, you are welcome to apply separately for a scholarship. Please e-mail your application with the title ‘Leadership Scholarship’ in the subject matter to mba@business-school.ed.ac.uk – Please ensure that your full name and contact details as stated in your programme application match those on your scholarship application.
The closing date for applications is 31 May 2010
Selection Procedure
The winners of the scholarships will be announced by the Business School on 1 July 2010. The successful applicants will be invited to attend an awards ceremony early on in the programme.

The University of Edinburgh Business School
7 Bristo Square
Edinburgh
EH8 9AL UK
E-mail: mba@business-school.ed.ac.uk

An award may be withdrawn if a student fails to meet the academic standards set by the University.
For further details go to:
http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/colleges/business-leadership.htm

Tilburg University PhD Positions at the Department of Sociology, Netherlands

2 PhD-students 
(m/f, full-time 4 years or part-time 5 years).
JOB DESCRIPTION 
The main task of the candidates is to carry out theoretical and empirical analyses of the individual level and context level determinants of (project 1) welfare state legitimacy as a multi-dimensional phenomenon, or (project 2) the individual and social effects of income inequality in countries. In addition to their research, candidates will follow taught courses to develop their theoretical and methodological skills, and they will participate as teaching assistants in the sociology courses of the department.
Title of project 1 
“Welfare state legitimacy: cross-national analyses from a multi-dimensional perspective” (Vacancy number 400.10.13). The social legitimacy of the welfare state is mostly measured by the degree to which citizens support government responsibility in regulating and/or providing social benefits and services. However, people will also have opinions and preferences regarding underlying principles of redistributive justice, implementation practices, and outcomes of welfare, which may add to their overall evaluation of the welfare state. This project aims to study welfare legitimacy from a multi-dimensional perspective.
Title of project 2 
“Individual and social effects of income inequality” (Vacancy number 400.10.14) The negative relation between income inequality in countries and the general health status of their citizens is well-studied. The aim of this cross-national project is to look into other possible social and individual consequences of income inequality, using models that are capable of distinguishing between micro and macro explanations, and the possible interrelations between the two.
REQUIREMENTS 
We look for graduated students who: – have completed a master programme in sociology, social policy, or political science, with very good results – have (EU comparative) knowledge of social inequalities and social policies – have knowledge of techniques for the analysis of large-scale survey data, especially also of multi-level analyses – are ambitious and can work independently, and have good analytical skills.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT 
The PhD positions offer a four year full-time contract, or a five year part-time contract (0.8 fte), commencing 1 September 2010. The salary for a full-time contract ranges between € 2042,- and € 2612,- gross a month (UFO scale PhD student).
Applications and Information 
Additional information about Tilburg University and the Department of Sociology can be obtained from:http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/fsw/departments/soc/. Specific information about the vacancies can be obtained from Wim van Oorschot, Professor of Sociology ( w.v.oorschot@uvt.nl ), +31 13 466 2794).
We advice applicants to obtain a copy of the project descriptions from the secretary of the Department of Sociology, Ms Els Kusters ( els.kusters@uvt.nl ).
Application letters, including a cv, a letter of motivation for the most preferred project, and the abstract of the master-thesis should be send only by email, before 15 May to M. van Ieperen, Managing Director, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg, The Netherlands by the address: pz-fsw@uvt.nl. Please refer to the vacancy numbers 400.10.13 or 400.10.14.
Interviews with selected candidates will take place in June 2010, at Tilburg University.
Application Deadline : 15 May 2010
Web Link
http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/fsw/departments/soc/

PhD Proposal, University of Montpellier 2 (France), Biopolymer Soft Matter

Name of the Laboratory : UMR 1208 Ingénierie des Agro-polymères et Technologies Emergentes (IATE), 2, place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 1, FRANCE
PhD. director : Pr. Christian Sanchez (UM2), (PhD co-director: Paul Menut, MCF Montpellier SupAgro)
1-PH.D subject
Title: Soft matter based on biopolymers: solid-liquid transition of gluten, a viscoelastic protein material
Key-words: condensed phase, jamming, SAXS, USAXS, confocal microscopy, FRAP, proteins, solvatation, diffusion, fluorescence, rheology
1. Scientific context and objectives
The composition and structure of gluten from wheat kernel are key parameters governing its viscoelastic properties. The latter allow to process the gluten as materials, such as food and biomaterial matrices. Gluten proteins are to the origin of cohesion, viscoelastic, extensibility/fracture and permeability properties of these materials, especially their resistance to hydration. Gluten proteins can be divided in two major fractions according to their solubility in polar solvents: soluble monomeric gliadins and partly soluble polymeric glutenins. The total amount and size distribution of the polymeric protein fraction have been mainly times correlated to the mechanical properties of materials (bread, pasta, biomaterials).
The structure of supramolecular assemblies between gliadins and glutenins is a subject of discussions and controversy. Like any self-assembled macromolecular system, the thermodynamic equilibrium is based on the balance between, on the one part gliadins-glutenins interactions, on the other hand on their interactions with the solvent. On the caoutchoutic domain of gluten, the effect of hydration on its structure and functionality have never been explored. However, the water content of gluten in this domain allows to consider it like a soft condensed material, stopped or fluid (jamming transition). The determination of a phase diagram in this range of water content is then fundamental in order to control the building of matrices with controlled mechanical or nutritional properties.
The main scientific objective of this project is to establish the relationships between the structure, mechanical properties and diffusional properties of gluten. More specifically, we will determine the influence of gluten protein hydration state on their organisation from the supramolecular to the macroscopic scale, on their rheological properties and on the mobility of colloidal fluorescent probes in the matrix. The study will allow us to establish the conditions leading to the dynamical arrest of the system (protein composition, hydratation state, spatial variation of the correlation length).
2. Methodologies and program
Methodologies:
Different protein systems (variable gliadins/glutenins ratios) will be set to thermodynamic equilibrium at different hydratation levels applying external osmotic pressures, through dialysis against synthetic polymer solutions. The structure of the different systems will be determined using spectroscopic methods such as SAXS and USAXS. The compacity of systems will be indirectly evaluated by confocal microscopy (FRAP method; measurement of diffusion rates of fluorescent probes with known hydrodynamic radius). The obtained data will be compared to direct measurements of interstitial volumes by granulo-polarimetry, which principle is based on the analysis of incoherent transport of polarized light. The functionality of systems will be determined by creep and oscillation rheological measurements.
Program:
Each stage of the program will be preceded by a specific bibliography.
- months 0-12: The Ph.D. student will determine the phase diagrams osmotic pressure-water content of different gliadins/glutenins mixtures, depending on the physico-chemical environment (ionic strength, pH). In parallel, rheological propertie of the different systems will be studied.
- months 13-15: Paper writing on the data obtained
- months 15-19: Development and validation of the confocal microscopic method in FRAP mode, including the search of fluorescent probes, with appropriate sizes, stability and quantic yield, the adjustment of microscope in terms of resolution, signal/noise ratio and gain, as well as image analysis.
- months 20-32: The previous method will be used on the same systems than those studied during the first Ph.D year. Granulo-polarimetric measurements will be carried out. In parallel, the structure of systems will be studied using SAXS and USAXS.
- months 32-36 mois: Ph.D and papers writing
Contact: Pr. C. Sanchez, tel: +33 4 99 61 20 85, mail: Christian.Sanchez@supagro.inra.fr; UMR Ingénierie des Agro-Polymères et Technologies Emergentes (IATE), 2, place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 1, France.

Swiss Government scholarships for Foreign Students

Swiss Government scholarships for university, fine arts and music schools for foreign students for the academic year 2010-2011

The Swiss government awards a range of scholarships to foreign students through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS): university scholarships (Swiss universities and Federal Institutes of Technology), arts scholarships (schools of music and fine arts) and scholarships for universities of applied sciences. These scholarships provide graduates from all disciplines with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies or research in Switzerland at a public funded university or recognised institution.

Please use the drop-down menu below to see whether your country of origin is part of the Swiss government’s scholarship scheme. You will also find the necessary information regarding eligibility criteria and the application procedure.
Further Scholarship Information and Application