Author: WeWorldMedia-admin

PhD/Postdoc positions in Topology Optimization and UHPC Structures

Published: 5 May 2025
Categories: Eng Jobs Academic Keys

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Two positions are available at the AIS Construction lab at McGill University, directed by Prof. Yi Shao. 

Position 1: Structural Optimization of Concrete Structures. This position will be co-supervised by Prof. Glaucio Paulino at Princeton University. This position requires a strong background in mathematics and programming. 

Position 2: Fire resistance and life-cycle assessment of UHPC bridges. This position requires a strong background in concrete structure and lab skills. 

PhD students are expected to start from 2026 Winter/Fall admission. Postdocs are expected to start on a mutually agreed date in the near future. 

Our group fosters a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic environment. Female students or students from a minority group are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Interested candidates, please send your CV and transcript to [email protected]

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Specialized sponge recycles minerals from stormwater for reuse in agriculture and other industries

Published: 5 May 2025
Categories: National Science Foundation

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Funded by multiple grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation, researchers created a functional sponge that can soak up certain pollutants from water and then release them on demand, presenting a reusable and low-cost solution for cleaning storm runoff while simultaneously recovering valuable metals like zinc and copper, as well as phosphate.

Using surface iron oxide nanoparticles specialized for capturing specific contaminants, the sponge collects the minerals and then discharges them only when triggered by changes in pH, and it can be used multiple times. The findings were achieved by researchers at Northwestern University and published in the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science and Technology Water.

“The technology can be used as a universal sorbent or ‘catch-all,’ or it can be tailored to certain groups of contaminants like metals, plastics or nutrients,” says Vinayak Dravid, a research author and Northwestern professor of materials science and engineering. In previous iterations, the sponge material has successfully pulled lead, microplastics and oil from water.

Industrial manufacturing and agriculture, in particular, experience mineral and fertilizer loss due to runoff, leaving valuable nonrenewable resources as pollutants in bodies of water. Those resources include heavy metals like zinc and copper and also phosphate.

Credit: Kelly Matuszewski, Northwestern University

Illustration showing how the sponge nanocomposite material recovers phosphate and metals from

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