The RWTH Aachen - Melbourne Joint PhD Group

Energy-focused research collaboration between Australia and Germany.

Join an energy-focused research collaboration between Australia and Germany.

The RWTH Aachen - University of Melbourne Joint PhD Group (RUM) was established in 2019 with a focus on research looking at the broad theme of energy.  The group includes joint PhD candidates, early career researchers, and senior academics who collaborate on projects ranging from renewables to engine performance.

Joint PhD candidates participating in the RUM Group are a part of a group investigating significant scientific challenges, jointly supervised and mentored by academics from both RWTH Aachen and Melbourne. These candidates spend time researching in both Germany and Australia, have access to facilities and professional development opportunities at both institutions, and benefit from being part of the RUM network.

The opportunity to be a RUM joint PhD candidate has been a life-changing experience.Weiqi Sun RWTH Aachen - Melbourne Joint Training Group candidate
Gazebo in the middle of a grassy field

2023 RWTH Aachen-University of Melbourne Joint PhD Conference

The Joint PhD Group's first conference will be hosted by the University of Melbourne from 12-15 February 2023. The hybrid event will include social activities in Melbourne and presentations from Graduate Researchers, Supervisors, and guests engaged with the RWTH Aachen-University of Melbourne Joint PhD Group. The full schedule of presentations is now available, and guests are invited to register to attend in-person at the University of Melbourne Parkville campus or online.

Learn more and register here

Project spotlight story: Optimising the reuse of decommissioned coal mines

What should we do with coal mines once they’re decommissioned? Australia and Germany are both coal mining intensive countries, and this question continues to be a point of contention for local officials, residents and technical experts. This project aims to use numerical modelling tools to evaluate the best method of backfilling (the process of reusing or replacing the soil used during excavation) open cast coal mines. Using decommissioned coal mines effectively and innovatively will help meet emission-reduction targets and contribute to the fight against climate change.

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Meet our academic lead

Professor Sandra Kentish is the academic lead of the RWTH Aachen-Melbourne (RUM) Joint PhD program. She is Head of the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne. Professor Kentish has broad interests in industrial separations, particularly the use of membrane technology for energy, food and water applications. She was selected as one of Australia's Most Innovative Engineers by Engineers Australia in 2017 and as a Woman of Influence by the Australian Financial Review in 2018.

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Our Partner: RWTH Aachen

RWTH Aachen, or Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, is a German research university renowned for its science and engineering disciplines. The world’s first wind tunnel and particle accelerator were both developed at RWTH Aachen. RWTH Aachen is one of Germany's eleven "Universities of Excellence" - leading universities recognised for their outstanding research capabilities.

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First published on 5 September 2022.

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