For forty years, SCI has supported and recognised the excellence of early career scientists, by aiding their studies in the form of an SCI Scholarship.
Since 1985 more than 80 scholarships have been awarded which have not only given the recipients financial assistance, but have enabled them to broaden their network, and strengthen their skills and knowledge. SCI Scholars receive access to publishing and mentoring opportunities and are given a platform to present their work amongst esteemed scientists and industrialists, raising their profile within the scientific community.
We are delighted to announce that Jose Martinez, from Imperial College London, has been awarded an SCI Scholarship of £5,000 over two years to support his PhD project.
In addition to the scholarship, Jose will benefit from publishing opportunities, access to a high-calibre network to help launch his career, and opportunities to present his work and raise his profile within the scientific community.
SCI Scholarships are prestigious and well respected by the industry. The SCI Scholars Fund was established in 1920 by the requests of Rudolph Messel and John Gray, both former presidents and founding members of SCI. SCI believes in nurturing the scientists of the future. Each year, SCI provides scholarships and bursaries to early career scientists including opportunities to attend or present at an international conference.
"I am Jose Martínez, currently pursuing a PhD in Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London. My research focuses on the effect of chemical reagents on the physics of froth flotation, specially assessing how frother chemistry influences froth stability and flotation performance through air recovery measurements. This works also aims to bridge an important gap in understanding the interaction between the froth and pulp phase, contributing to the development of more efficient and sustainable flotation processes.
"I hold both undergraduate and master’s degrees in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Santiago of Chile, where I specialised in flotation process modelling. I graduated first in my class in both degrees and received the highest honours. My academic performance also earned me a merit-based scholarship that fully funded my master’s studies.
Alongside my studies, I worked for several years as the lab manager at the Mineral Concentration Laboratory at the University of Santiago. This experience gave me a strong foundation in experimental modelling and hands-on laboratory work. My undergraduate thesis resulted in a published paper titled “A Method to Predict Water Recovery in Flotation Systems.” During my master’s, I collaborated with leading mining companies in Chile to develop new flotation control technologies. I was involved in both lab-scale validation and field optimisation campaigns, which led to the publication of “A Multivariable Submersible Sensor for Monitoring in Real-Time Industrial Flotation Cells.”
My PhD is fully funded by a competitive and prestigious scholarship from the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), which supports outstanding researchers pursuing advanced studies abroad. As part of my academic development, I will present my work at the International Flotation Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, later this year. The scholarship also enables me to incorporate advanced techniques such as computed tomography and positron emission particle tracking into my research, opening new possibilities for flotation modelling and analysis.
After completing my PhD, I plan to pursue an academic career in mineral processing research, whether in the UK, Chile, or elsewhere. While my expertise lies in froth flotation, I am eager to collaborate across related fields such as comminution, hydrometallurgy, and mining waste management, as well as explore interdisciplinary opportunities beyond mineral processing.
Jose Martínez
Postgraduate Researcher
Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London
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