[Coral-List] PhD Scholarship opportunity on Western Australian coral reefs

[Martial Depczynski]

Hi everyone, please send on through your networks to any promising students seeking an exciting PhD in a remote part of the world.


PhD on "Fish replenishment on NW Australian reefs"
Our research group has received funding to investigate the structure and dynamics of fish recruitment processes in NW Australia. We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic student for this research project which will be administered by the University of Western Australia (UWA) via the Oceans Institute and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Critical to marine ecosystem processes and current indigenous food security and management plans, stable fish populations represent a fundamental part of marine biodiversity and food webs by linking the very bottom of aquatic food chains (i.e. primary productivity) right through to consumption by humans. Currently, we know next to nothing about what, where, when and how fish replenishment processes operate in the NW Australian marine region. The candidate will develop a project that advances our understanding of global patterns and local dynamics of tropical fish replenishment with an emphasis on 1) ecologically important species, and 2) species of indigenous significance. The project provides an exciting and balanced mixture of laboratory and field work components in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Ningaloo Reef areas which directly relate to ecology, conservation and indigenous issues. There is also significant room to develop their own directions and research interests within this area of science.

The candidate for this project will be based at the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Perth located at the Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia, where he/she will work as part of a diverse team of researchers and post-graduate students. A strong academic record, quantitative statistical skills and some experience in field marine ecology will be necessary for the project. Candidates with skills and experience matching the proposed work will be favoured (e.g. experience in fish biology/ecology, fieldwork). Applicants must have excellent spoken and written English skills. Preference will also be given to those who have recently achieved Honours 1 or equivalent, or Masters or equivalent with at least one publication in an internationally peer-reviewed journal.
Australian and New Zealand candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) stipend through UWA ($28,892pa tax-free). APA applications close on the 11/07/2014 at 5pm with a preferred commencement date soon after although this is negotiable. For successful APA applicants, this amount will be supplemented with a generous top-up through this funding scheme (~$10,000pa tax-free) and secured associated research funding (~$15,000pa). International candidates are also welcome; they would need to fulfil all requirements for admission into the UWA PhD Program and apply for and secure an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS). The above top-up and research funding also applies to international candidates. Please visit the UWA Scholarships web page for more information (http://www.scholarships.uwa.edu.au).
Prospective candidates should send a CV with two referee contacts and cover letter, briefly outlining their motivations for pursuing PhD research and interests in this project initially via email to Martial, Monica and Tim by 6th June.
Contacts:
Dr Martial Depczynski (m.depczynski at aims.gov.au<mailto:m.depczynski at aims.gov.au>)
Dr Monica Gagliano (monica.gagliano at uwa.edu.au<mailto:monica.gagliano at uwa.edu.au>)
Dr Tim Langlois (timothy.langlois at uwa.edu.au<mailto:timothy.langlois at uwa.edu.au>)
Cheers
Martial

Martial Depczynski, PhD
Research Scientist, Coral Reef Ecology

Australian Institute of Marine Science
The UWA Oceans Institute (M096),
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009

* +61 08 6369 4025
Ê  +61 08 6488 4585
* m.depczynski at aims.gov.au<mailto:m.depczynski at aims.gov.au>

Link to AIMS Publications list<http://data.aims.gov.au/extpubs/do/extsearch..do?author=depczynski&initials=m>
Link to JCU Publications list<http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/cgi/search/simple?&meta=Depczynski>

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