Roy G Post Scholarship: My Experience & Advice for Success!
Roy G Post Scholarship: My Experience & Advice for Success!
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I am a third year PhD student currently undertaking a PhD in cement chemistry at the University of Sheffield sponsored by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) with technical support from United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL). My research focusses on understanding the cement chemistry in blended Portland cement wasteforms to improve the workability of the grout using non-bespoke powders, thus increasing security in mid-term supply chains.
Back in March 2025, I attended the Waste Management Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, to formally receive my Roy G Post Scholarship. This prestigious scholarship, named after the founder of Waste Management Inc., celebrates students who show excellence within the radioactive waste management field. As well as receiving the internationally recognised award, a very generous financial scholarship is awarded to scholars to support the development of their career within this field.
The scholarship application process considers three main criteria: your contribution to the industry, your extra-curricular commitment, and your personal statement. Having taken my time to chat to some of the judges at the conference, my overarching feeling was that they hold the applicant’s personal statement in very high regard. It is important that the student communicates very explicitly how they wish to pioneer the future of this field, and the gravity of the role that nuclear waste management holds globally, especially in a shift towards net-zero and international decarbonisation. Attending the conferences as a scholar was a very surreal experience. Firstly, as part of your scholarship, the conference will reimburse your flights. I was able to use this as an opportunity to take a short personal holiday the week before the conference to explore Arizona, including activities such as visiting the Grand Canyon, kayaking down Salt Lake River whilst wild mustangs bathed and drank, and hiking through the Arizona desert.
When I arrived at the conference in Phoenix, I had a lot of people recognise me as a scholar from the conference book. I even had companies coming up to me to talk about future employment! The first evening of the conference was a drinks reception and the Roy G Scholar poster session where I was required to present the biggest poster ever (see photo!). I had a lot of insightful conversations with industrial professionals and academics alike. It was fun to pitch my research to both cement specialists and people who knew nothing about cement as I always feel that these are the sort of environments which generate new and exciting ways of thinking.
The scholars were always being pulled aside for individual and group photo opportunities, and by the end of the first evening, I felt like royalty! I had not fully understood how highly regarded I would be at this conference, and I was feeling more motivated than ever to crack on with my research upon my return. The most incredible moment was seeing my name on the scholarship wall, so I had to get a quick snap!
Waste Management Symposium was like no other conference I had attended before. The venue was massive and there must have been around 10 technical tracks, hundreds of posters and thousands of attendees. There was also a huge exhibition hall where companies were demonstrating their cutting-edge technologies and giving away so many freebies. There were stalls for everything from robots controlled by augmented reality to huge lorries parked up to demonstrate state-of-the-art radwaste transportation, to companies demonstrating alternative disposal methods such as deep borehole disposal. There was even a UK pavilion featuring organisations we know and love such as UKNNL, NTS and the NDA.
I cannot recommend applying for this opportunity enough for many reasons! As previously mentioned, scholars receive a very generous cash sum to support your career development and research. So far, this money has enabled me to visit a top engineering University in Saudi Arabia to discuss their future strategy around investment in nuclear power and their procurement options to bring it to life. The scholarship also grasps the attention of many future employers and other stakeholders within the field due to its prestigious reputation.
From experience, I would advise that applicants take their time to build up their portfolio for their application as the selection process is extremely competitive. I had spent the last few years undertaking many extra and co-curricular roles which strengthened my application; these included organising knowledge exchange and networking events for cement encapsulant academics and professionals, attending many site visits and generally nurturing a relationship with industry, being a Trustee at my University’s Student Union, being a PGR representative on Senate, organising charity Balls and other fundraiser events for charities such as Movember, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Coppafeel, and being elected into the role of Vice-President Education at Northumbria Students’ Union. I feel that all of these roles helped me to formulate a well-rounded and comprehensive application.
If anyone is thinking of putting in an application for this year’s scholarships, the deadline is November 1st 2025 and more details including eligibility requirements can be found on the waste management symposium website. I would be happy to provide further information about my experience or my application to support those applying this year. Please contact me through my email amsjoberg1@sheffield.ac.uk to chat further.
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