OPENINGS
Opening: One Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr. Like Li’s research group is looking to hire a postdoctoral research associate immediately for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) - funded project on reactive-particle based high-temperature thermochemical energy storage (see our SETO-22 project for more details). Applicants should have demonstrated expertise in solar (thermochemical) receiver/reactor design and testing, numerical modeling of receivers/reactors is also desired. Research experience with studying of fluid-solid interactions, particle movement and granular flow, solid-state material reduction/oxidation kinetics, and high-temperature radiation transfer is highly desired.
Interested applicants should have strong experimental and analytical skills and demonstrate intellectual independence, should be a team player that is able to collaborate with external members from academia, industry and national labs on reactor design, modeling, and reactor assembly & testing in the lab as well as under a high flux solar furnace, and possess good oral and written communication skills.
If you are interested in this position, please email Prof. Like Li (likeli@me.msstate.edu) the following documents as one combined PDF application.
1. A CV including publications and a list of three references;
2. A statement of interest (less than 2 pages) that explains why you are interested in working with my group on the research topics;
3. A research statement (less than 2 pages) that explains your qualifications for working on the research project.
Openings: Two PhD Student GRAs
There are currently two openings for fully funded PhD students (start in Sumer or Fall 2023)
We are always looking for highly motivated PhD students to join Dr. Like Li’s group (Thermal Fluids & Energy Conversion Group) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) at Mississippi State University. Visiting students and research scholars are also welcome. The focus of our research includes: (1) design, modeling and testing of solar receivers and reactors; (2) CFD-DEM modeling of coupled fluid dynamics and granular flow in high-temperature solar reactors; (3) design and operation of test rigs for high-temperature granular flow properties measurement; (4) micro pore-scale modeling of reactive materials and structures in thermochemical/eletrochemical energy conversion and storage systems; and (5) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for fluid flows and heat mass transfer.
A PhD candidate should have a BS or MS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering or any relevant fields, with outstanding academic records. For modeling focused applicants, a strong background in fluid mechanics and heat transfer with programming experience (using Fortran, C or C++) is preferred. For experiments focused applicants, a strong background in material synthesis and testing, receiver/reactor design and testing is preferred.
Full financial support will be provided with competitive stipends, benefits and tuition waiver. We strive to provide a stimulating, interdisciplinary environment with exciting research topics and excellent colleagues where the candidates can be trained to become outstanding independent researchers, with sufficient freedom to explore their own ideas while working on well-designed projects.
Candidates interested are encouraged to contact Dr. Li at likeli@me.msstate.edu, with the current CV/Resume and the contact information of at least two references. More information about our research can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/msstatemetfsec/.
The Mechanical Engineering (ME) department has strong ties with the High Performance Computing Collaboratory (http://www.hpc.msstate.edu/), Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (http://www.cavs.msstate.edu/) and the Energy Institute (http://www.ei.msstate.edu/) at Mississippi State University. The Department offers an ABET-accredited undergraduate program in mechanical engineering, as well as graduate studies leading to MS and PhD degrees. The ME department has the largest student enrollment (948 undergraduate and 114 graduate students in Fall 2016) among the eight academic departments in the Bagley College of Engineering. The department has 22 faculty members. The ME department is ranked 95th in the latest US News & World Report rankings of engineering graduate programs. In addition, the department is ranked 24th ($12.6 million in total for Fiscal Year 2015) in the National Science Foundation (NSF) research expenditures rankings. More information about the department can be found at http://www.me.msstate.edu/.