DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

10-203 Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering

9211 - 116 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1H9
Tel: 780.492.3598
Fax: 780.492.2200
www.mece.engineering.ualberta.ca

MSc Positions Available –

Studying the Shock Behavior of Materials Using a Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) System

The Position
Dr. James Hogan of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta, in
collaboration with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, NP Aerospace, and Defence Research
and Development Canada, invite applications and queries for a MSc position in the project of
“Development of Advanced Add-On Vehicle Armor: Failure Mechanism Studies, Multi-scale
Modelling & Simulations, and Collaborative Design”, focusing on Investigating the shock behavior
of materials (e.g., ceramics, steels, composites) using advanced diagnostics (e.g., Photon Doppler
Velocimetry, ultra-high-speed imaging). This position will be open to candidates who possess relevant
degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Applicants with expertise and experience in mechanical testing
and signal processing are highly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate(s) will be required to
work independently and must communicate well in English. National and international travel will be
required. This position is available to Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and
international students with a Canadian University Degree (i.e., BSc). It is expected that the successful
candidate will take up the position in Fall 2023. Interested candidates may wish to visit the Hogan group
website at https://sites.ualberta.ca/~jdhogan/index.html to learn about the research team and projects.

The Project
The proposed research project seeks to employ the newly acquired PDV system to explore the shock
behavior (e.g., spall) of different materials that will be used in a hybrid vehicle armor system.
Understanding the shock behavior is important for
mapping material properties and modelling and predicting
system performance because shock waves are often
generated in impact loading, where material properties can
be drastically changed due to the extreme loading
condition. Advanced experimental setups and diagnostic
tools (e.g., Photon Doppler Velocimetry + ultra-high-
speed camera, see figure) will be used to monitor the
material behavior under both laboratory and field testing.
In this project, the student is required to have strong Fig. PDV and Ultra-high-speed camera setup in lab.
hands-on and signal processing skills.
Training and Professional Development Opportunity
The selected candidate will have the opportunity to receive training in the following areas: i) mechanical
testing with use of advanced diagnostics (e.g., cameras) and software, ii) advanced computational and
theoretical modelling of materials, and iii) materials characterisation at nanoFAB. The successful
candidate will have opportunities to participate in national and international conferences, and internships
and workshops. The successful candidate will have opportunities to travel to partner universities (i.e.,
UBC and York) and collaborators’ facilities for testing activities.

Application Procedure
Candidates are asked to submit a complete application package, which includes: i) a detailed curriculum
vitae/ highlighting career achievements, areas of research, a complete list of publications, a complete list
of awards and honours; ii) undergraduate and graduate transcripts (if applicable); iii) English scores; iv)
up to three (3) most recent or most relevant published journal articles; and (v) undergraduate or graduate
school thesis (if applicable).

Interested candidates should send their completed application packages and direct queries to Dr. James
Hogan by email at jdhogan@ualberta.ca. The position(s) will remain open through June 2023.