LIZARD ISLAND DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP 1997

Coral Health and Monitoring Program coral at aoml.noaa.gov
Tue May 28 14:13:44 EDT 1996


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                     LIZARD ISLAND RESEARCH STATION 
                     Great Barrier Reef, Australia 
                  A facility of the Australian Museum 


                 LIZARD ISLAND DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP 1997 

The  Australian  Museum,  in conjunction with  the  Lizard  Island  Reef 
Research  Foundation,  is offering a Fellowship  to  a  PhD  student  to 
support field work on the Great Barrier Reef based at the Lizard  Island 
Research  Station.   The  recipient will  carry  out  significant  field 
studies  in a scientific discipline relevant to coral reefs.  The  first 
annual  Fellowship was awarded in 1984, and applications are now invited 
for the 1997 Fellowship. 

The  Fellowship is intended primarily to pay bench fees  at  the  Lizard 
Island  Research Station for several months field work per year  over  a 
period of up to three years.  It may also be used for travel and freight 
expenses and to purchase research equipment, but it may not be used  for 
living  expenses or salary.  Support will be granted for field  work  at 
Lizard  Island  for a maximum of three years; however, applications  for 
funding for one or two years are acceptable.  The amount granted in  any 
year of the Fellowship will be a maximum of A$6,000.  The project should 
result in a significant contribution to coral reef science and the  data 
from Lizard Island should form an important part of that work. 

The  Lizard  Island  Research Station was established  in  1972  by  the 
Australian  Museum to support research into all aspects of the  biology, 
geology   and   hydrology  of  coral  reef  ecosystems.   Airconditioned 
laboratories,  boats,  diving equipment, running seawater  aquaria,  and 
accommodation  units  are  provided at the Station.   Lizard  Island  is 
situated  in  an  extraordinarily  diverse  marine  ecosystem  which  is 
carefully  managed as part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine  Park.   The 
large size (7 km2) and height (360 m) of Lizard Island and its adjoining 
smaller  islands  and  reefs provides a wide  variety  of  habitats  and 
ensures that field work can proceed in all but the most extreme weather. 
Lizard Island (14o40'S 145o28'E) is located near the middle of the 50 km 
wide  continental shelf: near-by habitats include turbid coastal  reefs, 
mid-shelf  platform  reefs, inter-reef soft-bottoms including  extensive 
Halimeda beds, sheltered lagoons and high-energy ribbon reefs facing the 
Coral  Sea.   Access  to Lizard Island is easy with  many  flights  into 
Cairns  from  international and domestic ports and  daily  flights  from 
Cairns to Lizard Island. 


                          CONDITIONS OF AWARD 

Each  year, the Fellow will be required to make an oral presentation  at 
the  Research Station on his/her research and produce a written progress 
report  including  revised  budget estimates  for  the  coming  year(s). 
Subsequent  funding  depends upon suitable progress.   The  Fellow  must 
lodge a bound copy of his/her thesis in the Station's library.  Any non- 
consumable  equipment  purchased  with  Fellowship  funds  becomes   the 
property of the Research Station when field work has been completed. 


         INFORMATION                       APPLICATIONS 

                                  Six copies of the application 
                                  should be sent to: 
        The Directors 
Lizard Island Research Station           Deputy Director 
            PMB 37                      Australian Museum 
      CAIRNS  QLD  4870                  6 College Street 
          AUSTRALIA                     SYDNEY  NSW  2000 
                                            AUSTRALIA 
Internet: 
  lizard at amss.Austmus.oz.au         Internet: alixB at ama.Austmus.oz.au 
Phone and fax: + 61 (0)70 60-3977 
                                     Phone: + 61 (0)2 320-6224 
                                     Fax: + 61 (0)2 320-6056 


                      CLOSING DATE 1 OCTOBER 1996 

Please see application format, selection criteria and information on costs, 
below. 
APPLICATION FORMAT 

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 
-  Name of applicant 
-  University and Department 
-  Name of supervisor(s) 
-  Project title 
-  Objectives (100 words) 
-  Significance (100 words) 
-Research  plan  (maximum  5  pages): outline  experimental  design  and 
 methodology;  show  sequence of tasks on a yearly  timescale;  indicate 
 work already completed.. 
-Financial  details  (maximum 2 pages): indicate  number  of  years  for 
 which  funding is sought; provide a detailed budget for  each  year  of 
 funding  for  the whole project (not just the Lizard Island component), 
 including  bench fees, travel and other costs (expenditure on equipment 
 exceeding   $200  must  be  detailed);  indicate  which  non-fellowship 
 funding  is  already  guaranteed and how remaining  funding  (including 
 that  for  living  expenses) will be obtained; justify  expenditure  in 
 terms of the research. 

CURRICULUM VITAE 
As well as the usual personal, educational and professional information, 
include:  a  summary  of  academic  record  and  achievements;  list  of 
publications;  date  of enrolment in PhD program, and;  the  name  of  a 
referee who may be contacted regarding the application. 

SUPPORTING LETTER 
A  letter  approving  the  project  from  the  head  of  the  university 
department  where the applicant will be enrolled must be  included  with 
the  application.   Overseas students must also include  a  letter  from 
their supervisor indicating the acceptability of overseas field work  to 
the  program at that particular university, and how closely involved the 
supervisor will be with the project. 

COSTS 

To  assist in preparing budgets, the following costs involved  in  field 
work  at  the Lizard Island Research Station in 1997 are provided.   All 
amounts are in Australian dollars. 

Diving: The Station's regulations require that all scuba dives are  done 
by  at  least two divers; a boat attendant is also required  under  some 
circumstances.  All projects requiring diving should allow for at  least 
one  dedicated assistant, for whom bench fees must be paid.  Contact the 
Research Station for further details. 
Bench  fees:   PhD  students are offered a highly subsidised  bench  fee 
which includes self-catering accommodation, most laboratory and aquarium 
facilities,  use  of  a  small boat, and scuba  tanks  and  weights  for 
qualified divers.  In 1997, the rate will be $29 per day for the student 
and  $25  per  day  for  each assistant.  For visits  of  more  than  28 
consecutive days, the bench fee is reduced by 10% for the entire visit. 
Food  and  freight:  Food must be ordered from Cairns  for  delivery  by 
barge  every  two weeks, or by air.  Food costs are not covered  by  the 
Fellowship.  Air freight from Cairns is expensive at about $3.00 per kg. 
Freight  carried  by the fortnightly barge is $9.00 per grocery  carton- 
sized container.  Freight expenses may be paid from Fellowship funds. 
Travel:  Return airfare between Cairns and Lizard Island is $380.  There 
is no scheduled surface transport. 


SELECTION CRITERIA 

Selection will be based on the following criteria: 
1)  acceptance of the applicant into a PhD program to undertake research 
on a topic related to coral reefs; 
2)  evidence that the applicant has stipend from a scholarship or  other 
source for the duration of the Fellowship; 
3)  significance, quality and innovation of the proposed research  which 
must be on an aspect of coral reefs; 
4) feasibility of the proposed research within the limitations of budget 
and safety regulations; 
5) significant and efficient usage of the Lizard Island Research Station 
during each year of funding; 
6)  evidence  that sufficient funding will be available to complete  the 
project  as planned, or presentation of a contingency plan for  amending 
the project if additional funding does not become available; 
7)  evidence  of  the applicant having relevant research  and  fieldwork 
experience; 
8) the applicant's academic and research record. 





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