Postdoc position ‘Electrifying Chemical Production – Responsible Pathways and Material Choices’
At the Science, Technology & Policy Studies group (STEPS) at the University of Twente we have an opening for a 3 year postdoc position in an RRI project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Application deadline is October 23, 2021.
New types of electrochemical processes and electrolysis are expected to enable a transition towards the sustainable production of ‘green’ chemicals based on electricity from renewables. This project will explore possible socio-technical configurations and pathways for selected applications of new electrochemical processes (such as bio-oil upgrading, synthesis of common chemical compounds, wastewater recycling). Furthermore, it will assess the environmental and societal implications of the choice of materials involved, such as electro-catalysts, electrolyser materials and produced compounds, that will be developed in a closely related project. The project takes a long-term perspective by not only scrutinizing present application scenarios and anticipating potential future pathways, but also extending our perspective into the recent past, learning from challenges and failures in preceding innovation trajectories. Further points of attention will be challenges and opportunities for the embedding of the envisaged applications in neighboring sectors, such as the chemical industry, energy generation or wastewater treatment, multi-sector settings and directions for more decentralized processes.
The project aims to develop societally viable and responsible electrochemical processes and applications that can contribute to ‘greening’ the chemical industry in the Netherlands and beyond. For this, the project connects approaches from constructive technology assessment and lifecycle thinking. Moreover, it will be interlinked with ongoing electrochemical research, mutually adjusting research agendas and reflecting on implications for design.
For more information please follow the link: https://www.utwente.nl/en/organisation/careers/!/197/postdoc-pathways-and-material-choices-for-the-responsible-electrification-of-chemical-and-fuel-production