Doctoral Fellowship

Doctoral Fellowship
- Development of an integrated system for the analysis of glass and paint layers

Category: Academic Staff & Researchers

1
- Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research
- in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central
- and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

The Faculty of Engineering, Department Applied Physics and Photonics, Research Group Brussels Photonics Teamis looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

The work will focus on the development of a sensor for the characterization of applied glass technologies (bulk materials, glass staining, grisaille painting, enamel coating) in uncorroded historic windows combining non-destructive spectroscopic analysis techniques.

Stained-glass panels represent iconic elements of European cultural heritage, reflecting the technological craftsmanship of different regions and historical periods. Despite advances in stained-glass conservation, research gaps remain in material characterisation, in understanding and mitigating the environmental and human factors driving glass deterioration and in implementing sustainable conservation strategies. The presence of stained glass extends beyond cathedrals, shaping the decoration of parish churches and private buildings. Comprehensive documentation of Europe’s stained-glass heritage remains fragmented and incomplete, leaving many artworks unrecorded and at risk of disappearing without trace.

Fortunately, advances in (imaging) spectroscopy and data processing now offer possibilities before further degradation occurs. Understanding the composition of applied materials is essential for conservators to select the most effective conservation strategies. Existing analysis methods lack the availability of an all-in-one measurement set-up that allows the on-site analysis of all (uncorroded) components of stained-glass windows, providing initial compositional classification of the base glass and insights into the types of silver-staining, enamel coatings and grisaille paints applied. Portable non-invasive techniques are increasingly employed, but benchmarks between non-invasive portable and invasive methods, including the establishment of calibration protocols, remain lacking.

The goal of this PhD project is to establish a standardised, non-invasive measurement protocol that combines UV-Vis-NIR, p-XRF and Raman spectroscopy. The research aims to characterize glass technologies including the bulk materials, glass staining, grisaille painting and potential enamel coatings in uncorroded pieces, ideally integrated within a single analytical workflow.

This position is offered in the framework of the ITN DN Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network with the project acronym ‘Glass-Care’ (DC01) ( https://glasscare.eu ).

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate in photonics to join our team under the supervision of Prof. Wendy Meulebroeck. You are motivated to conduct scientific research and complete a PhD within four years aligning with the goals of the Glass-Care network. You will participate in network-wide training events, summer schools and workshops. You will work closely with researchers at B-PHOT and with international partners during research visits abroad (secondments), present your results at international conferences and build an international network in optics and spectroscopy. You will publish your research results in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. The position also includes, to a limited extent, coordinating and supervising exercises, practical sessions and projects (WPO) for courses offered by the B-PHOT department. The specific assignment will be determined annually in consultation with you and your colleagues. You will also contribute to outreach activities promoting science to the broad audience. You are open-minded, communicative and collegial towards your co-workers. You actively contribute to the department’s general operation and practical or