Doctoral Programme in Renewable Materials Engineering

The objective of this programme is to boost research excellence and to respond to the growing demand for competent researchers with specialist training who are capable of strengthening innovation and technological advances in R+D+i or industrial sectors related to the development of new, technologically important renewable materials.

The use of biomass as a basic raw material entails a shift from an economy based on the exploitation of non-renewable fossil fuels, with limited reserves or a regeneration cycle that is much slower than the rate of consumption (mining, hydrocarbons, etc.), to a bioeconomy based on the use of natural organic renewable resources, with a balance between regeneration and extraction cycles. To make this shift, major readjustments need to be made to existing technologies, and new approaches must be taken in research, development, and production.

The doctorate is ideally suited to research into the biorefinery process of biomass and new materials from renewable sources, which are being developed by the programme's GMT, BioRP and Biomat research groups.