The highly interdisciplinary project will be executed in collaboration between the Department of Materials Engineering, the Department of Bioscience Engineering, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. The student will benefit from the complementary expertise of the different supervisors. This position leverages the capabilities and experimental facilities of Prof. Bloemen (additive manufacturing via melt electrowriting) and Prof. Mignon (polymer science), bridging to the field of sensors (Prof. Taurino’s core expertise) for plant diagnostics (Prof. Van de Poel).

KU Leuven, established in 1425, ranks number 42 on the Times Higher Education list. According to the Reuters ranking, it is the seventh most innovative university worldwide (number one in Europe, after six American universities).

Project

Sensor development for health has advanced significantly, particularly in wearable electronics that monitor patients' physiological processes in real-time. However, this technology has not yet been applied to plants. As smart farming becomes more prevalent to enhance crop sustainability, we aim to develop a novel real-time wearable sensor to measure leaf transpiration in various crops. Utilizing the latest technologies in electrowriting and microfabrication, we will create new wearable and stretchable sensors designed to detect humidity changes in the leaf's boundary layer. This sensor will enable real-time quantification of leaf transpiration, assess plant physiological behavior, and detect abnormal transpiration patterns for early stress detection. This innovative electronic plant sensor will be a valuable addition to plant diagnostics and smart farming.

The project specifically aims to:

• Utilize melt electrowriting (MEW) technology to create a MEW substrate.
• Optimize polymers for MEW with appropriate hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity.
• Develop methods to integrate humidity-sensitive materials on the MEW substrate.
• Test the functionality of the developed wearable sensor in relevant crops under normal and stressed conditions.

Profile

We are recruiting two highly motivated PhD candidates with a strong interest in sensor development and applied plant sciences. The ideal candidates will meet the following requirements:

• Hold a master’s degree in engineering, bioscience engineering, or equivalent with distinction.
• Be a team player with a critical mind, and have a strong interest in plant physiology, polymer science, additive manufacturing, or microfabrication.
• Possess good interpersonal skills and motivation to work in a multidisciplinary research team.
• Capable of working independently with a focus on experimental accuracy and precision, and innovative thinking.
• Have excellent communication skills for reporting results, both written and oral.
• Be very fluent in English, both spoken and written.

Previous experience as a research assistant or industrial expertise in a relevant domain is a plus. Candidates should be willing to write a PhD fellowship proposal for national funding. We seek enthusiastic PhD candidates who demonstrate a proactive attitude towards developing original sensing concepts.

Offer

We offer a full-time position for one year, extendable to four years upon positive evaluation. Our young and dynamic team will support you in obtaining a PhD degree through comprehensive scientific training at a top-ranked university. You will receive advanced training in material sciences, electrical engineering, sensor development, and agricultural applications. You will participate in a larger multidisciplinary project, receiving supervision from multiple PIs. Opportunities to attend national and international meetings/conferences and to build your own network are available. You are also encouraged to take extra-curricular courses provided by the Arenberg Doctoral School to support your broader (non-)academic training.

Info about a PhD at KU Leuven

Interested?

For more information, please contact Prof. dr. ing. Veerle Bloemen, tel.: +32 16 30 10 95, email: veerle.bloemen@kuleuven.be, or Prof. dr. Irene Taurino, tel.: +32 16 32 01 66, email: irene.taurino@kuleuven.be.

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