Postgraduate Research Scholarship Development of Advanced Porous Materials for Hydrogen Storage

1. Background

a. This Scholarship has been established to provide financial assistance to PhD students who are undertaking research in research is on developing porous materials for hydrogen storage and/or hydrogen generation.

b. This project is in partnership with RUX Energy (Lead Partner) and the University of Sydney funded through a Commonwealth Grant (Application Number CRCPXI000101) Project title: Advancing Nanoporous MOF Materials for High Efficiency Hydrogen Storage (the Project).

2. Eligibility

a. The Scholarship is offered subject to the applicant having an unconditional offer of admission or being currently enrolled to study full-time in a PhD within the School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney.

b. Applicants without an unconditional offer of admission may apply and be selected, however, no scholarship offer will be sent until the applicant has an unconditional offer of admission.

c. Applicant must be willing to undertake research in metal organic frameworks and/or other porous materials. This involves organic ligand synthesis, materials characterisation (PXRD, SCXRD, gas adsorption, TGA).

d. Applicants must also hold at least one of the following:
I. an Honours degree (First Class or Second Class Upper) or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or
II. Masters degree with a substantial research component.

e. Applicant must have a background in MOF chemistry and/or synthetic inorganic chemistry working with similar systems.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The successful applicant (the Student) will be awarded the Scholarship on the basis of:

I. academic merit,
II. area of study and/or research proposal,
III. curriculum vitae,
IV. previous research experience and prior research outputs, both listed through CV
V. cover letter that demonstrates the applicant’s suitability to the role.

b. The successful applicant (the Student) will be awarded the Scholarship on the nomination of the relevant research supervisor(s), or their nominated delegate(s).

4. Value

a. The Scholarship will provide a stipend allowance equivalent to the minimum Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend rate (indexed on 1 January each year) for up to 3 years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

b. The PhD recipient encouraged to complete their PhD in 3 years but may apply for an extension of the primary stipend allowance for up to 6 months.

c. Periods of study already undertaken towards the degree prior to the commencement of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum duration of the Scholarship excluding the potential extension period.

d. The Scholarship is for commencement in the relevant research period in which it is offered and cannot be deferred or transferred to another area of research without prior approval.

e. No other amount is payable.

f. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funding.

5. Eligibility for Progression

a. Progression is subject to attending and passing the annual progress evaluation.

6. Leave Arrangements

a. The Scholarship recipient receives up to 20 working days recreation leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued. However, the student will forfeit any unused leave remaining when the Scholarship is terminated or complete. Recreation leave does not attract a leave loading and the supervisor's agreement must be obtained before leave is taken.

b. The Scholarship recipient may take up to 10 working days sick leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued over the tenure of the Scholarship. Students with family responsibilities, caring for sick children or relatives, or experiencing domestic violence, may convert up to five days of their annual sick leave entitlement to carer’s leave on presentation of medical certificate(s). Students taking sick leave must inform their supervisor as soon as practicable.

7. Research Overseas

a. The Scholarship recipient may not normally conduct research overseas within the first six months of award.

b. The recipient is required to follow official advice from the University and Department of Foreign Affairs and Travel in light of travel restrictions due to Covid-19.

c. The Scholarship holder may conduct up to 12 months of their research outside Australia. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) and will only be granted if the research is essential for completion of the degree.

d. In addition, further approval may be required as outlined in the University of Sydney’s Covid-19 Response Plan.

e. All periods of overseas research are cumulative and will be counted towards a student's candidature. Students must remain enrolled full-time at the University and receive approval to count time away.

f. If the recipient is conducting research outside of Australia, the recipient acknowledges that the University of Sydney is not liable for any costs incurred. This includes but is not limited to: cost of travel and transfers (unless stated under section 4 (Value) of this scholarship to amount listed), delays due to travel restrictions or State and/or Federal quarantine requirements on their return to Australia.

8. Suspension

a. The Scholarship recipient cannot suspend their award within their first six months of study, unless a legislative provision applies.

b. The Scholarship recipient may apply for up to 12 months suspension of the Scholarship for any reason during the tenure of the Scholarship. Periods of Scholarship suspension are cumulative and failure to resume study after suspension will result in the award being terminated. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC). Periods of study towards the degree during suspension of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum tenure of the Scholarship.

9. Changes in Enrolment

a. The Scholarship recipient must notify HDRAC, Rux Energy and their supervisor promptly of any planned changes to their enrolment including but not limited to: attendance pattern, suspension, leave of absence, withdrawal, course transfer, and candidature upgrade or downgrade. If the award holder does not provide notice of the changes identified above, the University may require repayment of any overpaid stipend.

10. Termination

a. The Scholarship will be terminated:

I. on resignation or withdrawal of the recipient from their research degree,
II. upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the award,
III. if the recipient ceases to be a full-time student and prior approval has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,
IV. upon the recipient having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,
V. if the recipient receives an alternative primary stipend scholarship. In such circumstances this Scholarship will be terminated in favour of the alternative stipend scholarship where it is of higher value,
VI. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or
VII. if the recipient ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified for this Scholarship, (other than during a period in which the Scholarship has been suspended or during a period of approved leave).

b. The Scholarship may also be terminated by the University before this time if, in the opinion of the University:

I. the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the terms of this offer,
II. the student fails to maintain satisfactory progress, or
III. the student has committed misconduct or other inappropriate conduct.

c. The Scholarship will be suspended throughout the duration of any enquiry/appeal process.

d. Once the Scholarship has been terminated, it will not be reinstated unless due to University error.

11. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the student to repay payments made in connection with the Scholarship. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Code of Conduct for Students and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

b. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the Scholarship period. In addition, by accepting this Scholarship, the student consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this Scholarship being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.

12. Intellectual Property

a. The Student must complete the Student Deed Poll supplied by the University of Sydney.

13. Confidentiality

a. The Student is required to keep all confidential information disclosed by Rux Energy, the University of Sydney or any other participating organisation, confidential and ensure it is not disclosed to a third party without the prior written consent of the University of Sydney, Rux Energy or participating organisation as appropriate, or as required by law.

14. Publications and Acknowledgement

a. Prior to publishing any material, including the Student’s thesis, the Student must:

I. provide a copy of all proposed publication material, together with details of how, when and to whom it is proposed to be published, to each other Party that participated in the Project, at least 60 days prior to the proposed submission date for publication (Approval Period), such approval only to be withheld in accordance with sub-clause 14 (b); and
II. if, during the Approval Period, a Partner reasonably requests that the material not be published or submitted for publication in the form provided, the Student will:

a. where a Partner requests that the material be amended to remove any of their Confidential Information, use all reasonable efforts to amend the proposed publication material to remove all such Confidential Information in which case the requesting party will be deemed to have approved publication or submission of the amended material (or where such removal is not feasible or practical, the parties will work together in good faith to endeavour to limit such amendments to the mutual satisfaction of both parties); and
b. if requested, delay publication of the material or submission of the material for publication for a period not exceeding 90 days to allow appropriate registration of any Registrable IPRs.

b. The Student must acknowledge the support of their scholarship in any media, publications or presentations arising from the research. This must include acknowledgement of the Commonwealth for funding and the Project.

15. Other Conditions

a. The copyright of the Students thesis belongs to the Student.

b. The Student grants a royalty free, unrestricted perpetual licence (including a right to sub-license) to the University of Sydney to use the copyright in their thesis for purposes required in order to comply with this Commonwealth Grant agreement for this project.

c. The Student may include material relating to the conduct and conclusion of the Project in a thesis authored by the Student, which (subject to this clause) will be made publicly available in accordance with the University’s statutes and regulations. In the event a Student thesis contains a Partner’s Confidential Information, the Partner agrees that the Student may submit such thesis on the basis that any such Confidential Information is included in an appendix to the thesis which is restricted from public access for a reasonable period of time agreed by the Partner but not exceeding five (5) years (other than in exceptional circumstances), and that such course of action will be in full satisfaction of any obligations of confidentiality under this agreement in respect of such Confidential Information. For avoidance of doubt, the period of restricted access to an appendix with Confidential Information may exceed five (5) years in exceptional circumstances approved by Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Academic Board.