Join us
Come and do chemistry that leaves the lab
Come and do chemistry that leaves the lab
We take students, PhD students - and collaborate with groups who work on cycloolefins, catalysis and polymer materials.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Curiosity first, technique second
- Students from year 3 onwards who want a real project, not a formality
- PhD candidates in polymer chemistry, organometallic catalysis or membrane science
- Groups interested in joint projects on cycloolefins, Pd catalysis or gas separation
You do not need to have worked with norbornenes before. Most people who join us haven't. What matters is that you enjoy synthesis and want to understand why a structure behaves the way it does.
WHAT YOU GET
A bench, a project, and a team behind you
- A working labGlovebox and Schlenk lines, autoclaves, HPLC and GPC, and the TIPS RAS equipment for characterization of structure and key polymer properties.
- A supervisor, not a templateEvery newcomer gets a supervisor and a defined project. How that works varies — some people run a piece of a larger project under close guidance, others get more room early on. It depends on the topic, the stage and on you.
- You will present your own workEveryone here presents — at the annual lab seminar first, then at conferences once the results are there. Our students have spoken in St Petersburg, Ekaterinburg and Kazan, and won best-presentation awards.
- Funded projectsOur research is supported by Russian Science Foundation grants — including projects led by younger members of the group, not only the head of the lab.
Open Directions
Where a new person could start
These are the areas where we currently have room for someone new. If none of them fit but the chemistry interests you, contact us anyway.
- Catalysts for vinyl-addition polymerizationDesigning (NHC)Pd and (NHC)Ni catalysts, understanding what makes them active and air-stable.
- Membrane materialsSynthesising polynorbornenes for CO₂ capture and studying structure–property relationships.
- Materials for electronic devicesPreparation of polynorbornenes for anion-exchange membranes and various polymer structures for polyelectrolytes for batteries
- Fuels and lubricant additivesMetathesis routes to synthetic base oils, pour-point depressants and dispersants.
WHAT PEOPLE HERE HAVE DONE
Students who came and what came of it
- Diana attended the conference near Elbrus mountain, won best oral presentation in St Petersburg and co-authored her first paper
- Six PhD theses defended by lab members in the last three years
- Valeriia has taken a best-presentation award twice, in Moscow and Ekaterinburg
- Artyom took the
Presidential scholarship for his effort in the development of functional polynorbornenes
Life in the lab
Long days, and people worth spending them with
Liquid nitrogen arrives every Monday, whatever the weather. The annual lab meeting runs to eighteen talks and ten hours of discussion, and then we go and play archery tag. Our people have eaten hot pot in Chengdu, skied in Siberia and argued about polymerization mechanisms at the foot of Elbrus.
How it works
From first email to first experiment
- Write to usSend a short email describing what you have worked on and what you would like to try. A CV helps, but a couple of honest paragraphs help more.
- Come and see the labWe show you the benches, the glovebox and the instruments, and you meet the people you would work with. No commitment at this point.
- Pick a starting projectWe suggest you a first task that matches your background and gives a visible result within a few months.
Tell us what you would like to work on
A short email is enough to start. We answer everyone, and we are happy to talk even if you are only considering your options.
Contact us 