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CSIRO PhD Top-Up Scholarship - Dark Taxa of Australia - Ecosystem Monitoring Using Megadiverse Flies

National Collections and Marine Infrastructure’s goal is to solve Australia’s greatest challenges by leading Australia’s landmark marine and biodiversity infrastructure and carrying out innovative science.

Key details

Value

$10,000 per annum, plus a learning and development budget of $5,000 over the term of the studentship

Length of Support

3 years

About this scholarship

Knowledge of the highly endemic and megadiverse Australian invertebrate fauna could be highly informative for understanding the community structure of threatened ecosystems. Novel trapping regimes have amassed thousands of specimens representing hundreds of undescribed species of phorid flies. New approaches leveraging AI/ML trait extraction from images and species delimitation with high-throughput DNA barcoding data will be used to circumscribe this vast and unstudied insect group. Effects of seasonality and altitude on community composition can be assess with unprecedented robustness. This approach will complement ecological monitoring and conservation efforts in the Australian Alps.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply you must have (or expect to gain):

first or upper second-class honours or equivalent in a relevant research area;
admission to an Australian University as a PhD student;
hold an appropriate visa to study in Australia (if international)*
be no further than one year (FTE) into a PhD on commencing at CSIRO
hold a primary scholarship; for example, a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or other primary scholarship of similar value
not be in receipt of any other Top-Up Scholarship
a university supervisor who is willing and able to supervise you; and
be available to commence with CSIRO no later than 30 June 2024.

* International applicants must be residing in Australia and have the appropriate immigration approvals to allow them to take up the scholarship.

Eligible Degrees

Doctorate (PhD)

Eligible Study Modes

In person

Eligible Study Fields

Engineering & Mathematics

Sciences

Application process

Quality and relevance of student project: The primary assessment criterion for a CSIRO PhD Top-Up Scholarship is the quality and relevance of the project being proposed. The research must be aligned with the advertised priority research area.
Academic calibre of the student: The quality of the student is also critical to the assessment of a scholarship and candidates must hold (or expect to gain) a relevant first or upper second class honours (or equivalent) degree from a recognised university.
Availability of appropriate university supervision: The relevance of the university supervisor’s research background and their willingness to supervise the student in collaboration with the CSIRO supervisor should also be made clear.

How to apply:

You will be required to:

submit a Resume/CV and Cover Letter (as one document) in the ‘Resume/CV’ field which includes:
- the names and contact details of two previous supervisors or academic/professional referees; and
- a one-page proposal stating how your research interests align with the project aims.
upload your academic results in the ‘Cover Letter’ field.