PhD Scholarship
Doctoral Scholarship
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Synthesis of plant water-use efficiency from leaf to globe
The University of Western Sydney’s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) is seeking an outstanding PhD candidate to work on a project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in the area of plant water use efficiency (WUE).
The Institute’s research
Plant water use efficiency (WUE), the amount of carbon gained per unit water transpired, is a fundamental determinant of plant and ecosystem function. Controlled by stomatal behaviour, it governs plant productivity, ecosystem hydrology, and vegetation distribution.
The task of the PhD candidate will be to collate major data sets across a wide range of scales, and interpret the data sets with a new model of WUE based on optimal behaviour of stomata. The student will be supervised by Dr Remko Duursma (HIE) and will work in close collaboration with Dr Belinda Medlyn (Macquarie University), Prof Colin Prentice (Macquarie University) and Prof Almut Arneth (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology).
Essential Criteria
The successful applicant should:
- demonstrate excellent academic performance related to the proposed research ;
- hold qualifications and experience equivalent to an Australian First Class Bachelor Honours degree;
- be highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level;
- demonstrate the ability to organise and analyse large diverse datasets, including statistical analyses and visualisation.
The candidate will use R for all analyses, experience with this software package is desirable but not required. The successful candidate is expected to commence the project in Autumn semester.
International applicants must also demonstrate a high level of proficiency in the English language. Please refer to the University’s web site for information about English language requirements at www.uws.edu.au/international/admissions/english_language_requirement.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Tax free stipend of $33,728 per annum and a funded place in the doctoral degree.
- International candidates with a strong track record will receive a fee waiver.
- Funding is also available for project costs and conference travel.
Need more information?
- Applicants should discuss their research aspirations and eligibility with Dr Remko Duursma r.duursma@uws.edu.au or +61 2 4570 1806.
- Contact HDRscholarships@uws.edu.au to discuss enrolment and scholarships.
- To find out more about the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment: http://www.uws.edu.au/hie
How to apply
- Submit an application form and CV by the closing date.
- The application form can be downloaded from the web: www.uws.edu.au/research/scholarships
APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 30 April 2012
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