Opportunities

3 Current projects!

PhD Project Sensory Ecology

PhD Project_Keeping cool

PhD Project_Colour mechanisms

Prospective postdocs and students

I welcome enquiries from prospective postdocs and graduate students. In the School of BioSciences, we have access to a range of resources including advanced microscopy, imaging and molecular lab facilities, constant temperature rooms, and animal housing.

PhD Scholarships

Perhaps the most important first step before starting a PhD is to secure a scholarship to cover tuition and/or living expenses. Both domestic and international students can apply for Graduate Research Scholarships through the University of Melbourne. Additional information, including fee structure, additional scholarships and deadlines is provided here. Other international postgraduate scholarships that would allow you to study at Melbourne may be available within individual countries – it is worth doing a thorough search.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The University has information on a range of Australian Research Council (ARC) funded programs here. The main independent fellowship scheme offered by the ARC is the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA; 3 years). DECRA applications are submitted through the University’s office of Research, Innovation and Commercial Engagement (RIC) in February of each year for funding commencing the following year.

The University of Melbourne also provides for a range of internal grants and fellowships. Key amongst these for postdoctoral candidates is the McKenzie Fellowship, a three-year program. The Faculty of Science also offers schemes for awards, prizes and scholarships; their website is regularly updated with open and upcoming applications.

Both ARC and University of Melbourne postdoctoral fellowships are open to applicants of any nationality and are highly competitive. You can also apply for international postdoctoral fellowships that allow you to spend some or all of your time at the University of Melbourne. These include: FoRST Postdoctoral Fellowships (New Zealand); National Science Foundation Fellowships (USA); NSERC Fellowships (Canada); Marie Curie Fellowships (Europe); Royal Society Fellowships (UK); and Fellowships from the Swedish Research Council, Swiss National Science Foundation, The Research Council of Norway and National Science Foundation South Africa, among others.

Other Resources

There are a number of sites that advertise positions and provide useful information on a range of aspects to do with doing a PhD and life after a PhD, including:

• • Evoldir: the Evolutionary directory provides a current listing of postdocs and academic jobs.
  • Keogh Lab, Student Resources: This site provides a list of links to great advice, skill development and grants available to postgrad students, as well as a list of postdoctoral fellowship schemes in Australia and links to job advertisement webpages.