Scientific Initiation Studentships - (BL168/2022-IST-ID) (# of pos: 6)

Applications are open for 6 Scientific Initiation Studentships, within the framework of project 1801P.01104.1 (IPFN Science Summer Camp 2022/IPFN), Summer With Science 2022, financed by national funds through the FCT under the Support Special "Summer with Science" funded by FCT

Workplan: Participants will develop research projects from a wide portfolio of project offers (disaggregated below), taking advantage of the exciting and cosmopolitan research environment of the IPFN, in strong interaction with the different research groups and under the supervision of one or more researchers, developing, and practicing, their skills in critical dimensions for scientific research. Full immersion and experience throughout ISSC 2022 in the IPFN research groups will be privileged.

The program takes place over a month, starting with an IPFN presentation session and the first presentation/ice breaker among all participants and supervisors of the research work (30 August 9:30 am). Throughout the program, participants are part of the day-to-day research, participate in group activities and other scientific activities of the IPFN, develop their work in the laboratories and offices of the IPFN, with close supervision guaranteed by researchers identified in the portfolio of offers as well as interaction with other IPFN investigators.

At the end of each week (3, 10, 17, 24, 30 September, 10 am), all participants meet with the responsible ISSC team to present their "lightning round week sumaries" (a short presentation of less than 2 minutes to share the successes of the week) and to participate in workshops/thematic discussion sessions. Topics to be developed in these joint sessions include "Ethics on Science", "Tech Transfer", "Scientific Infrastructures (in PT and in Europe)", "Science Writing", "Science Presentations", being conducted by IPFN researchers eg Doutor Bruno Gonçalves, Prof. MartaFajardo, Prof. Luís Oliveira and Silva. Support material for each of the sessions will be provided in advance. The list of supervisors involved (more than two dozen), project titles and a brief description of the work plan can be found in the portfolio link below). At the end of ISSC 2022, all participants will participate in the final session of project presentation, feedback to the organization, and diploma delivery (30 September).

Research grants involve the development of one of the following research projects:

Project 1

Titulo: Programming of a mobile robot inspired on maintenance needs of nuclear fusion facilities

Objectivo: The objective of this internship is to develop a programam on Raspberry PI to control the vehicle's four motors so that it can execute the desired movement commands for the FORMULAfusion vehicle (https://www.ipfn.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/FORMULAfusion/ ). The vehicle was designed to move in all directions, inspired by the needs of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project, on a smaller scale, but with a transport capacity of up to 250kg.

Orientador: Alberto Vale

Project 2

Title: Long-term survival of plasma-facing components in next-generation fusion reactors

Objective: Next-generation fusion reactors will have diagnostics exposed to unprecedented radiation environments, which may compromise their integrity during the reactor lifetimes. Using state-of-the-art neutronics simulation tools, this internship aims to study the impact of ionising radiation on the long-term performance of plasma-facing components in DEMO, a nuclear fusion reactor that will bridge the gap between ITER and commercial fusion power plants.

Supervisors: Raul Luís and Yohanes Nietiadi

Project 3

Title: Automatic characterization of electromagnetic echoes in nuclear fusion plasmas.

Objective: Data processing and analysis of microwave reflectometry signals obtained in nuclear fusion experiments. Investigation of different models and implementation of algorithms for parametric analysis of density fluctuations in the fusion plasma.

Supervisor: José Vicente

Project 4

Title: Classifying the edge of fusion reactors using machine learning and big data

Objectives: Perform a multi-variate analysis of the edge density in fusion reactors based on a large experimental database from the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak reactor. The inner-edge of the reactor displays a high-density region that depends on several parameters such as power, fuel, current, impurities, etc. Using machine learning techniques such as PCA (principal component analysis) and binary classifiers you will discover which are the most important parameters governing this phenomenon.

Supervisor: Daniel Hachmeister

Project 5

Title: Measuring plasma density using microwave radar and Bayesian statistics

Objectives: In nuclear fusion reactors, the plasma density profile is a critical quantity that needs to be accurately measured. Current data analysis algorithms cannot calculate a generalized density profile being limited to a subset consisting of monotonic profiles. The objective of this work is to apply a generalized approach using a forward model and minimizing a certain cost function to overcome the hurdles of current approaches.

Supervisor: Daniel Hachmeister

Project 6

Título: Modeling non-linear electron dynamics in solids

Objectives: Recently, light from high harmonic generation in solids has been realized in a new regime. Using this light, all-optical mapping of solid bandstructures has emerged as an exciting frontier. This project will build on a quantum/classical model to calculate nonlinear electron motion in solids with the ultimate aim of linking HHG spectra to the fundamental properties of solids. Programming skills in any language and some knowledge or interest in condensed matter or nonlinear optics is ideal.

Supervisor: Gareth Williams

Project 7

Title: Machine-learning to model parenting in pairs Electron-positivity in extreme conditions of laser-plasma interaction

Objectives: The objective of the internship is to train a machine model learning capable of estimating the energy of two positrons created in conditions extremes of laser-plasma interaction. This job does not require any Previous experience in machine learning, once it will be provided tools and a course on Python and the Keras library.

Supervisor: Chiara Badiali and Bertrand Martinez

Project 8

Title: Quantum algorithm to simulate non-linear interaction of waves number plasma

Objectives: Recent advances in quantum computing seem to indicate that this new computational paradigm will lead to the development of algorithms much more efficient in solving certain types of numerical problems, namely in the simulation of plasmas. This project will consist of implementing in Python and Qiskit a quantum algorithm of the variational type to simulate the non-linear interaction between three plasma waves. A "Crash course" in Computação Quântica will be given at the start.

Supervisor: Óscar Amaro

Project 9

Title: Trajectories of particles in extreme electromagnetic and gravitational fields.

Objectives: To use the particle-in-cell code as a general relativity module to characterize the trajectories of photons and massive particles (charged or neutral) around compact objects such as neutral stars or black holes. This project will be an excellent opportunity for one to explore the extensive zoo of possible metric Schwarzschild and Kerr orbits (such as at https://arxiv.org/abs/0802.0459 or https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.00842 ).

Supervisor: Rui Torres

Project 10

Title: Development of optical signal collection and delivery systems in SYLC and/or FLUDS projects

Objectives: Dimensioning and/or testing of small light delivery optical circuits to demonstrate and respective collection of signals for detection. These studies will be inserted in a collaboration with the industry (Sarspec) in the development of applications in liquid chromatography detection (SYLC) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FLUDS).

Supervisor: João Mendanha Dias

Project 11

Title: Optical Modelization of the Eye by Ray Tracing

Objectives: Parametric analysis, by ray tracing software, of the astigmatism correction model of the cornea of the human eye by intra-ocular lenses starting from generic anatomical models.

Supervisor: João Mendanha Dias

Project 12

Title: Measurement of Dielectric Material Properties up to 110 GHz using a Vectorial Network Analizer

Objectives: Based on the existing setup that uses the Free Space method in which the measured quantities are the S parameters (S11 , S21 ) to find er , mr of the material sample.

Supervisor: António Silva

Duration: The research fellowship(s) will have the duration of 1 month. It’s expected to begin in 1st September 2022, the contract is not renewable.

It is mandatory to formalize applications with the submission of the following documents: i) B1 Form – Fellowship application (https://ist-id.pt/concursos/bolsas/ ); ii) Curriculum Vitae; iii) academic degree certificate, where applicable; iv) proof of enrollment at an academic degree course or at a course that does not award an academic degree; v) motivation letter; vi) declaration on honour that the applicant does not exceed with this contract, including the possible renovations, an accumulated period of one year in this type of studentship, continuously or with interruptions, and has not held any other fellowship directly or indirectly funded by FCT.

Applications must be submitted to the email: [email protected]