Fully Funded Ph.D. Position in Indoor Air Quality and Mass Spectrometry
Job Description
The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Lab (www.tianrenwu.com) led by Dr. Tianren Wu at the University of Cincinnati is looking for one highly motivated Ph.D. student to join the group, beginning August 2026.
The student will work on characterizing the performance of the Karsa MION2 chemical ionization technique coupled with an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The student will test different reagent ions for measuring indoor VOCs, PFAS, and highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs). The student will gain an in-depth understanding of chemical ionization mass spectrometers and indoor air chemistry.
Qualifications:
- The candidates must hold an undergraduate degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, chemical engineering, chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, civil engineering, or related fields.
- A master’s degree in relevant fields is highly desirable but not required.
- Previous experience with mass spectrometry, aerosol measurements, or ambient air trace gas analysis is desirable.
- Proficiency with Matlab, or other programming and numeric computing languages, such as IGOR, Python, and R.
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0;
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
Application Documents:
- Resume/Vitae.
- A letter describing the candidate’s qualifications, research experience, and research interests (max. 2 pages).
- A sample of technical writing (e.g. journal publication, thesis, research report, or course project).
- A copy of unofficial transcripts.
- TOFEL/IELTS test results.
Interested candidates could reach out to Dr. Tianren Wu via email for more information. To apply, please combine the application documents into a single PDF file and send it to Dr. Tianren Wu (wutr@ucmail.uc.edu) with the subject line "PhD Student Application_Your Name".
About the IAQ Lab at U Cincinnati
Dr. Tianren Wu is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management at the University of Cincinnati (https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/wutr). His research aims to establish new frontiers in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) research, provide novel fundamental insights into indoor air pollution, human exposure, and health effects, and develop solutions to secure a comfortable and healthy living environment. The Lab focuses on characterizing the fate and transport of indoor air pollutants, improving IAQ sensing technology, and advancing engineering control and mitigation strategies.