Call for applications: Master’s/PhD bursary: Wind Turbine Localisation in the Context of the Just Energy Transition

The Department of Industrial Engineering, together with the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST), is excited to announce a master’s bursary opportunity for an MEng (Engineering Management) or PhD (Engineering Management) study.

The study will focus on the potential for growing South Africa’s participation in the global Wind Turbine Production industry with the aim to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition goals and the global decarbonisation agenda, while also addressing the energy crisis at hand. The student will be required to leverage both quantitative and qualitative techniques to inform a viable strategy for the country’s renewable energy-related industrialisation, with a focus on wind turbine-related production. The student will be able to build on the portfolio of analytical tools developed within the department of industrial engineering, and the knowledge of the wind energy industry within the CST.

Requirements:

We are seeking a student with an excellent academic background that has completed or is in the final year of a four-year undergraduate degree in engineering. The student will need to be eligible to enrol for the MEng (Engineering Management) or PhD (Engineering Management) degree starting January 2024. For more information on admission requirements, applicants are encouraged to consult the industrial engineering department’s website here and the MEng (Engineering Management) brochure, which is available here.

Bursary details:

The master’s bursary amount is R90 000 per year for two years (2024 and 2025). The PhD bursary amount is R110 000 per year for three years (2024 to 2026). Additional funding is also available to cover conference and publication costs. All bursary payments are subject to the student making sufficient progress.

Application process:

Applications should include the candidate’s CV, academic transcript and a maximum 200-word motivation detailing why the applicant should be awarded the bursary. All applications must be sent by the closing date to wouterb@sun.ac.za. Any questions regarding the opportunity can be directed to Prof Wouter Bam (wouterb@sun.ac.za).

The closing date for applications is 31 August 2023.

Should no feedback be received from the University within four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application did not succeed.