PhD scholarships: Quantitative plant ecology and conservation management Applications close Monday 6 October 2014 (2015 start)
Fully funded PhD positions are available in the group of Joslin Moore in the area of quantitative plant ecology and conservation management at Monash University (School of Biological Sciences). I am looking for enthusiastic and motivated students with good quantitative skills that are interested in using ecological models to better understand the ecology and management of plant communities and populations. The PhD project will be developed in collaboration with the student based on their research interests and strengths. My research group is focused on using quantitative methods, ecological models and decision analysis to better understand and manage plant communities and populations. We use a combination of field based experiments, observations and modelling to address fundamental questions in plant community ecology as well as developing methods and applications that can be directly implemented by managers. Current projects include grassland response to eutrophication, restoration of native grasslands on the urban fringe, management of invasive willows in alpine Victoria, decision frameworks for targeting invasive species, developing and testing optimal surveillance methods for invasive plants and examining the role of gardening as a pathway for plant invasions. Scholarship details Each PhD stipend is fully-funded for a period of 3 years and is open to both Australian/NZ domestic and international students. The stipends include all course fees plus approximately $25,000 AUD per annum tax-free. Domestic students will be encouraged to apply for an Australian Postgraduate Award, with a top-up scholarship awarded to successful recipients (tax-free 2013 rate of approximately $25,000 AUD, top up of $5000). Monash University and the School of Biological Sciences Monash is a member of the Group of Eight, a coalition of top Australian universities recognized for their excellence in teaching and research. The School of Biological Sciences is a dynamic unit with strengths in both ecology and genetics and the nexus between these disciplines (monash.edu/science/about/schools/biological-sciences/). The University is located in Melbourne, one of the most liveable cities in the world and a cultural and recreational hub. Application process Interested candidates should send a short cover letter (email) outlining their research interests and motivation, together with a CV and academic transcript to [email protected] by Monday 6 October 2014. Applicants must possess a Bachelor's or equivalent degree with first-class Honours, Master of Science or MPhil. Short-listed candidates will be asked for further information and will be interviewed via video conference. Successful candidates will be encouraged to submit an application for a scholarship. The next deadlines for scholarship applications at Monash University are October 31, 2014 (2015 start).
