UniSA invites research degree applicants to apply for one of our available projects working in collaboration with our world-class supervisors and industry partners
If you’re interested in studying a research degree at UniSA, browse some of our currently available research projects. New projects are added regularly, if you don’t see a project that interests you, please fill in our Expression of Interest form, and you will be notified when new projects become available.
If you have a question about applying for a research degree at UniSA please visit our step-by-step guide at ‘How to apply’.
If you wish to develop your own project please review our guidelines and contact the Graduate Research Admissions team if you have any questions.
e.g research area, project or supervisor
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Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
Agricultural and veterinary sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Animal production
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Biological sciences
Biological Sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Biochemistry and cell biology
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Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
PhD Project - Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
State-of-the-art food science to address iron deficiency
If you are seeking to advance your career in food science the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded PhD project at our Future Industries Institute in partnership with the University of Melbourne and ANTSO aimed at increasing the nutritional value of bread and addressing iron deficiency.
Approximately 11 million Australian grocery buyers purchase bread each week and spend on average $90M between them. Supermarkets currently account for two-thirds of the bread market while one-third is split between specialty bread shops, deli’s and other stores. Intense competition in the industry requires continuous innovation by bread-making businesses to meet evolving consumer preferences for quality and in anticipation of emerging trends. Bread is currently experiencing a surge in popularity thanks to new options conferring nutrition and wellness benefits such as low glycemic index, high protein and low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (Low FODMAP).
This research project will focus on developing a new type of bread that is high in iron and zinc to address iron deficiency, which is the most common nutritional deficiency in Australia and affects over one million people, primarily young women and children. It is expected that this new product will help address this nutritional deficiency and meet strong consumer demand in national and international markets.
This is an exceptional opportunity to be a part of a research project with leaders in food science with access to undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will be embedded in this high profile and collaborative ARC research project, participating in the design of the experimental plan, the acquisition of data and analysis of the results.
You will focus on developing cutting-edge spectroscopic methods for the high-throughput selection of wheat genotypes, identifying good candidates to improve the nutritional value of bread. Specifically, you will have the exceptional opportunity to undertake experiments at the Australian Synchrotron and collaborate with nationally and internationally recognised leaders on the development of synchrotron techniques in environmental science.
In this project you will also acquire skills in data analysis, through access to a large dataset that will provide you with the opportunity to develop experience in data analytics through image classification and machine learning.
It is expected that the candidate will attend two national and one international conference.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute a state-of-the-art research facility with over $80M of research instrumentation making it a world-class environment for undertaking research.
Our research is world-class with UniSA achieving an Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) ranking of 5 (well above world standard) in Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
As a part of this project you will also undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron based in Victoria, travel permitted.
Supervisory Team
Professor Enzo Lombi – Principal Supervisor
Dr Casey Doolette – Co-Supervisor
Professor Jiuyong Li – Co-Supervisor
Mr Richard Delvin – Living Farm – End-User Advisor
Mrs Lesley Gillespie – Bakers Delight Holdings – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· A Degree in chemistry/biology or associated areas
Desirable:
· A knowledge of spectroscopy and/or data analytics would be advantageous
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide.
Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Tuesday, 5th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Enzo Lombi -
Modulation of NEDD4-2 expression and activity as a cellular mechanism for ameliorating kidney disease
PhD Project: Modulation of NEDD4-2 expression and activity as a cellular mechanism for ameliorating kidney disease
Help prevent and treat chronic kidney disease
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity for a PhD project at the Centre for Cancer Biology based in UniSA’s Bradley Building, investigating a novel treatment for kidney disease with award winning researcher Professor Sharad Kumar, 2020 South Australian Scientist of the Year.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects around 10% of the global population with a growing burden on patients and healthcare systems due to an increasing incidence of drivers such as diabetes and hypertension. The insidious nature of CKD often prevents a diagnosis in early stages leading to irreversible tissue damage and end stage renal disease (ESRD). There exists a significant unmet need towards advancing our understanding of renal disease, to uncover novel molecular targets for prevention and the potential treatment of CKD.
Our recent work with NEDD4-2 (NEDD4L), a ubiquitin ligase, has provided an exciting new advancement in this direction. We have identified that several essential kidney proteins are NEDD4-2 substrates; these include sodium ion channels (ENaC and NCC) and proteins involved in signalling pathways causing fibrosis. Further evidence of its importance in renal health comes from the fact that mutations in NEDD4L are associated with hypertension and juvenile nephronopthisis, whereas reduced NEDD4L expression occurs in diabetic nephropathy. We therefore hypothesise that the reduced activity or expression of this enzyme, is a highly significant risk factor and driver for CKD.
This innovative research project with real-world impact aims to address this critical gap in the treatment of CKD and will lead to breakthrough knowledge and potentially novel treatments for CKD.
What you’ll do
Building on our existing research you will investigate the mechanism linking the reduced expression or function of NEDD4-2 with renal damage and disease progression, and establish if NEDD4-2 re-expression after the onset of nephropathy delays CKD.
You will explore whether increasing the activity of this enzyme can prevent kidney disease progression utilising different molecular approaches. This will involve establishing novel transgenic mouse models with inducible NEDD4-2 overexpression as well as augmenting NEDD4-2 activity to ameliorate nephropathy by modulating its regulatory proteins. You will use several state-of-the-art techniques, through which you will acquire several key techniques in molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology.
You will join a thriving research environment and be supervised by Professor Sharad Kumar 2020 South Australian Scientist of the Year; and senior researchers in his team who will support you to undertake your research under broad direction. You will coordinate and manage all aspects of your project including, project planning, performing experiments, data analysis and preparation of publications and reports.
As a key member of our research team, you will participate in planning sessions, offer new ideas on research directions, review relevant sources of information and acquire experience in research activities such as routine laboratory management skills, data mining, reporting and compliance with a safe and ethical working environment. You will also contribute to the dissemination of new knowledge by drafting reports, abstracts and scientific papers, and attend seminars, and conferences both nationally and internationally, travel permitted.
This is an exceptional research project that may lead to key discoveries, high impact publications, presentations, patents and world-class recognition, and prepare you for a career in cellular therapies.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) in UniSA’s Bradley Building, a $245M health and research facility that provides a world-class research environment.
Researchers at the CCB have a unified vision to work with collaborators, partners and the community to find causes and cures via breakthrough discoveries, translating these into new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat chronic diseases.
Translation of new discoveries into clinical practice is strengthened by our partnership with SA Pathology, the establishment of the ACRF Cancer Genomics Facility and the co-location of many related laboratories within a single centre. You will also have access to a dynamic research community as a part of Adelaide Biomed City, with close proximity to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI – South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Sharad Kumar (Principal Supervisor)
- Dr Sonia Shah
- Dr Jantina Manning (Co-Supervisor)
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the project’s selection criteria:
- Laboratory experience in molecular and cellular biology;
- Experience and willingness to use animal models of disease to address human health related aims.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 15 October 2021 [ACDT].Principal Supervisor: Professor Sharad Kumar -
Understanding how lymphatic vessel identity is programmed during development and disease
PhD Project: Understanding how lymphatic vessel identity is programmed during development and disease
Innovate and create new therapeutics
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has a unique research degree project currently open for applications based in the Lymphatic Development Laboratory at the Centre for Cancer Biology, an alliance between UniSA and SA Pathology. This PhD project will investigate how lymphatic vessel identity is programmed by transcription factors – molecular switches that bind to DNA and turn genes on and off.
Lymphatic vessels are a crucial component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels are important for controlling tissue fluid homeostasis, directing immune cell traffic and absorbing dietary fats.
Abnormalities in the growth, development and function of lymphatic vessels underlie human disorders including vascular malformations, lymphoedema, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The aim of this project is to understand how lymphatic vessels are built during development and how defects in this process cause human disease.
A range of cutting edge genomic, proteomic, molecular and cell biology techniques will be employed to dissect how transcription factors work together to control lymphatic vessel identity, and how this process goes wrong in human diseases including cancer and lymphoedema.
With lymphatic vessel dysfunction affecting the lives of millions worldwide, this project will give you the expert knowledge to meet our goal of generating new therapeutics for the treatment of lymphatic disease.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will work with a senior postdoctoral fellow to train in experimental techniques relating to molecular, cell and developmental biology, as well as data analysis. You will be mentored to develop your writing and presentation skills, contribute to the preparation of research publications, and have the opportunity to undertake additional training in partner laboratories.
You will participate in local, national and international conferences in the fields of cell, developmental and vascular biology, and have the chance to be part of the Centre for Cancer Biology’s vibrant PhD student community and mentoring program for early career researchers.
Upon completion of the research project, you will hold extensive expertise across a broad range of molecular, cell and developmental biology techniques, and high-level knowledge in the field of lymphatic vascular biology, with a specific focus on how defects in lymphatic vascular development result in lymphatic vascular disease.
Where you’ll be based
The Lymphatic Development Laboratory is based at the Centre for Cancer Biology, located within the state-of-the-art Adelaide BioMed City precinct. It is internationally recognised in the field of vascular biology research because of its seminal contributions to understanding the crucial roles of lymphatic vessels during development and disease.
You will have access to the ACRF Cancer Genomics Facility which specialises in cutting edge genomics technologies, and the Detmold Imaging Facility which houses advanced confocal and super-resolution imaging capabilities.
The Lymphatic Development Laboratory team has strong collaborative links nationally and internationally with experts in genetics, transcription factor biology and lymphatic disease.
Who you are
Expertise in developmental biology and the willingness to work with animal models (mice) is preferred.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Natasha Harvey (Principal Supervisor)
- Professor Hamish Scott
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City East Campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 15 October 2021 [ACDT].Principal Supervisor: Professor Natasha Harvey
Bioinformatics and computational biology
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Enhanced bioinformatics and machine learning for improved risk stratification and outcome prediction in chronic myeloid leukaemia
Masters by Research or PhD Project: Enhanced bioinformatics and machine learning for improved risk stratification and outcome prediction in chronic myeloid leukaemia
Advance science to help the lives of those living with cancer
Are you seeking to advance your career in the biomedical industry? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has a research degree project available with real-world impact based in the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) Cancer Genomics Facility at the Centre for Cancer Biology, an alliance between UniSA and SA Pathology.
This project aims to improve outcomes for patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia by using enhanced bioinformatic techniques to identify mutations that drive treatment failure.
Approximately 20% of patients are resistant to drug treatment and fail therapy. Recent research has revealed that drug resistance and treatment failure are associated with the acquisition of mutations in key cancer-related genes. Some of these are complex and require specialised techniques and skills for their detection that involve specific algorithms coupled with high-performance computing.
Patients with gene mutations may benefit from treatment with more potent drugs. However, these drugs have toxic effects, including cardiovascular disease and death. There are currently no reliable biomarkers at diagnosis to identify patients destined to fail therapy and who may benefit from more potent, but more toxic drug therapy.
This project will use our existing genomic data to bioinformatically detect the range of mutation types that lead to drug resistance. There are currently no solutions to find the complete array of complex genomic events that impact response to therapy. Statistical analyses will correlate mutational events with various patient outcome measures to establish their predictive value.
We aim to challenge the current model by developing innovative and cost-effective genomic diagnostic tools that could be based solely on RNA sequencing that will enhance the prediction of treatment response. A risk-adapted approach to therapy is clearly preferable, enabling low-risk patients to be treated with relatively low cost and less toxic drugs; and reserving the more potent drugs for patients at high risk of disease resistance and progression.
With more than 5,000 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia on therapy in Australia, you will be a part of a research project that makes a real difference to people’s lives by limiting people’s exposure to potent drugs, resulting in substantial benefits for the health care system and reduced patient comorbidities.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will undertake an analysis of genomic data using established tools, drawing from research in computer science, statistics, mathematical modelling and machine learning.
You will test and optimise existing computational tools and/or pipelines, and help to develop new tools where appropriate methods are lacking. You will write code using various programming languages to automate data processing, extract information and make inferences, visualise data, and carry out dynamic simulations and pattern analysis.
This project will enable you to contribute to the advancement of medical and biological science, particularly in relation to the identification of patients with leukaemia who are at risk of treatment failure and death. The research will lead to biomarker discovery that could predict response to therapy and guide drug use and development.
As a part of this project, you will also have the opportunity to present your research findings at national and international conferences, and contribute to outreach activities such as workshop and bioinformatics training activities.
You will participate in research meetings, seminars and workshops, and have the opportunity to present your research findings to peers and supervisors on a regular basis. You will benefit from participating in and being exposed to a diverse range of bioinformatic projects presented by experts in the field and have the chance to network with researchers locally and nationally.
You will develop skills such as artificial intelligence, interactive visualisation, big data processing, programming and effective communication, which are in high demand in many sectors worldwide.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) Cancer Genomics Facility at the Centre for Cancer Biology, which carries out a world-class program of innovative research.
The ACRF Cancer Genomics Facility provides access to state-of-the-art genomics research equipment, computing technology and bioinformatics expertise to the Adelaide BioMed Precinct and wider research community. The equipment consists of several dedicated servers as well as access to federally funded cloud computing resources.
Our multidisciplinary group focuses on applied bioinformatics of high throughput experiments, ranging from analysis of RNA-seq data, to the search for disease-associated point and structural mutations of the human genome.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Susan Branford (Principal Supervisor)
- Dr Andreas Schreiber
- Dr Chung Kok (SAHMRI)
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 1 October 2021 [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Susan Branford -
Integrative analyses of omics data for complex traits and diseases
PhD Project: Integrative analyses of omics data for complex traits and diseases
Work with big data to improve lives
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is seeking applications for an exceptional research degree project based at our Australian Centre for Precision Health (ACPreH), investigating the development of novel methods that can integrate multi-omics data to better understand the role of the genome and transcriptome in the phenotypic variance of complex disease.
The genomic era provides an unprecedented opportunity to shed light on the underlying genetic basis of complex diseases. However, there is a substantial proportion of phenotypic variance that is not explained by the variants in the genome. In fact, genetic risk prediction based on whole-genome information is not accurate enough to be applied in clinical care.
One plausible reason is that the genome is only part of the mechanism underlying the phenotypes of a complex disease, and multi-omics effects may also contribute to the combined effects of genomics and transcriptomics (gene expression) on phenotypes. Currently, the relationship between genome and transcriptome at the whole-genome level, and how this relationship is associated with complex disease phenotypes, is largely unknown. Moreover, the genomic and transcriptomic effects on phenotypes can be modulated by the environment, which is often difficult to jointly model using existing methods.
The method to be explored in this project involves fitting multi-omics kernel matrices simultaneously to partition their contributions to the phenotypic variance, as well as an advanced non-additive model, to estimate genome-by-environment and transcriptome-by-environment interactions.
Applying the proposed methods to a wide range of real datasets in this project will enable you to expand knowledge and understanding of aetiologies – a critical need in our fight against complex disease.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will access many genotype and phenotype datasets, as well as world-class HPC facilities.
You will have the opportunity to attend conferences and workshops to collaborate with national and international scientists, and disseminate the results from the project. You may be able to attend industry significant events such as GeneMappers, a national conference in human quantitative genetics, and the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting, which is one of the biggest human genetic conferences in the world, travel permitted.
In this cutting-edge project the successful candidate will also be able to present their research at relevant scientific conferences and build their profile as a researcher.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health (ACPreH), located at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in the heart of Adelaide.
You will be surrounded by scientists who are actively working with large-scale biobank data, with the opportunity to collaborate with experts in transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epi-genomics and microbiomes.
You will also have access to genotype, phenotype and RNA-Seq gene expression data through international collaborations and consortia.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Hong Lee - Principal Supervisor
Professor Elina Hypponen-Hedger
Associate Professor Thuc Le
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the?eligibility criteria?for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Experience in computer programming or software, with the ability to communicate with databases and handle large data files.
- A developing record of research achievement as demonstrated by publications, conference papers and other research activities.
- High-level verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present information effectively and clearly to a wide audience (including writing for publication).
- Demonstrated experience and ability to work collaboratively as part of a diverse and multi-disciplinary research team, as well as independently.
Applicants who can also demonstrate the following will be highly regarded:
- Knowledge and understanding of statistical genetics
- Experience in using programs related to genome-wide association studies, genomic prediction and estimating genetic variance/covariance
- Experience with coding using program languages (R, C or Fortran)
- Experience with statistical analysis of quantitative or statistical genetic models for complex traits
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Hong Lee
Ecology
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Genetics
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Plant Biology
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Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
PhD Project - Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
State-of-the-art food science to address iron deficiency
If you are seeking to advance your career in food science the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded PhD project at our Future Industries Institute in partnership with the University of Melbourne and ANTSO aimed at increasing the nutritional value of bread and addressing iron deficiency.
Approximately 11 million Australian grocery buyers purchase bread each week and spend on average $90M between them. Supermarkets currently account for two-thirds of the bread market while one-third is split between specialty bread shops, deli’s and other stores. Intense competition in the industry requires continuous innovation by bread-making businesses to meet evolving consumer preferences for quality and in anticipation of emerging trends. Bread is currently experiencing a surge in popularity thanks to new options conferring nutrition and wellness benefits such as low glycemic index, high protein and low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (Low FODMAP).
This research project will focus on developing a new type of bread that is high in iron and zinc to address iron deficiency, which is the most common nutritional deficiency in Australia and affects over one million people, primarily young women and children. It is expected that this new product will help address this nutritional deficiency and meet strong consumer demand in national and international markets.
This is an exceptional opportunity to be a part of a research project with leaders in food science with access to undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will be embedded in this high profile and collaborative ARC research project, participating in the design of the experimental plan, the acquisition of data and analysis of the results.
You will focus on developing cutting-edge spectroscopic methods for the high-throughput selection of wheat genotypes, identifying good candidates to improve the nutritional value of bread. Specifically, you will have the exceptional opportunity to undertake experiments at the Australian Synchrotron and collaborate with nationally and internationally recognised leaders on the development of synchrotron techniques in environmental science.
In this project you will also acquire skills in data analysis, through access to a large dataset that will provide you with the opportunity to develop experience in data analytics through image classification and machine learning.
It is expected that the candidate will attend two national and one international conference.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute a state-of-the-art research facility with over $80M of research instrumentation making it a world-class environment for undertaking research.
Our research is world-class with UniSA achieving an Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) ranking of 5 (well above world standard) in Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
As a part of this project you will also undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron based in Victoria, travel permitted.
Supervisory Team
Professor Enzo Lombi – Principal Supervisor
Dr Casey Doolette – Co-Supervisor
Professor Jiuyong Li – Co-Supervisor
Mr Richard Delvin – Living Farm – End-User Advisor
Mrs Lesley Gillespie – Bakers Delight Holdings – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· A Degree in chemistry/biology or associated areas
Desirable:
· A knowledge of spectroscopy and/or data analytics would be advantageous
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide.
Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Tuesday, 5th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Enzo Lombi
Other biological sciences
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
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Biomedical and clinical sciences
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Biomedical engineering
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
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Why are small babies at risk of hypertension in adulthood? The role of oxygen and glucose in utero on blood pressure regulation
PhD or Masters by Research Project: Why are small babies at risk of hypertension in adulthood? The role of oxygen and glucose in utero on blood pressure regulation
Improve the heart health of our very youngest now and in the future
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available a research degree project based in our Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration, which aims to determine if changes in either oxygen and/or glucose have greater roles in changing the function of the systems that regulate blood pressure in the fetus.
The fetus is remarkable in that it has the innate ability to grow and develop in an environment with comparatively less supply than the mother of two key fuels: oxygen and glucose. However, physiological changes in oxygen and glucose in the mother and/or fetus do occur during a normal pregnancy.
These albeit brief fetal feasts and famines are normal with oxygen saturation and glucose in the fetus ranging from a famine (fetal growth restriction, maternal undernutrition, living at high altitude, heart disease, preeclampsia) to a feast (gestational diabetes, overnutrition, obesity), respectively. There are also pathological decreases in oxygen and glucose that occur when placental function is reduced, or the mother has less nutrition. These decreases cause the fetus to reduce its growth rate resulting in a low birth weight.
It is known that in adulthood, these individuals that were born small have an increased risk of hypertension. Hypertension is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, Australia’s number one killer.
This research project is important, as altered development of systems that regulate blood pressure in the womb will stay with the individual for life and be the underlying causes of hypertension in adulthood. Knowing which regulatory mechanism to target will improve therapies for hypertension in the future.
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will perform blood pressure studies in the sheep fetus and participate in surgery, post-operative care, blood pressure studies and tissue collection.
You will have the opportunity to use real-time PCR, and Western blotting to study gene and protein expression in vessels as well as immunohistochemistry. LC/MS-MS assays will be used to measure fetal plasma hormones involved in blood pressure regulation including cortisol and noradrenaline.
You will have the opportunity to participate with national and international collaborators and, if appropriate, travel to collaborators’ laboratories in Australia or overseas, travel permitted.
In this project, you will also write manuscripts for submission in scientific journals with the support of your supervisors, and potentially attend local, national and international conferences to present your work, travel permitted.
You will be supported by an international network of scientists and clinicians with expertise that spans many facets of fetal and cardiovascular physiology. The team has a strong history of grant funding for innovative projects that push the boundaries - we were the first to use cardiac MRI to measure blood flow in fetal vessels and to develop a pig model of an artificial placenta.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration and linked to our projects funded by and NHMRC, with the unique opportunity of working with a large animal model of pregnancy.
With access to an established laboratory with all the required equipment for analysis (real-time PCR, Western blotting, LC/MS-MS, histology), you will be trained by a team of experts in each of these procedures using well developed Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group SOPs (https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/Health-Research/Research/Early-Origins-of-Adult-Health-Research-Group/).
UniSA partners with SAHMRI in the Preclinical Imaging and Research laboratories where the animal studies will be performed. You will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support your studies.
Supervisory Team
Professor Janna Morrison - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Michael Wiese
Dr Jack Darby
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into either a Masters by Research or PhD. Additionally, applicants who can demonstrate experience participating in studies that involve the pregnant ewe and her fetus will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Sunday, 3 October, 2021Principal Supervisor: Professor Janna Morrison
Clinical Sciences
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Developing artificial intelligence to improve assessment accuracy and remote screening of musculoskeletal deformities of the foot
PhD Project - Developing artificial intelligence to improve assessment accuracy and remote screening of musculoskeletal deformities of the foot
Advance technological innovations in foot assessment
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is seeking applications for an exceptional research degree project based at our IIMPACT in Health research concentration, that seeks to explore the use of a digital assessment method to replace the traditional visual assessment of foot posture for flat feet and hallux valgus.
The digital assessment method will incorporate computer visual recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) through a mobile app, which will then be validated against current clinical assessment methods. It is anticipated that the app will deliver greater accuracy and repeatability, compared to the human eye, improving reliability and reducing subjectivity between assessors.
This approach may reduce man-hours required to assess foot posture and promote disease surveillance to track potentially progressive and irreversible deformities through self-monitoring or telehealth.
This is the opportunity to develop a novel technology, the first of its kind, and one that will lead to better clinical outcomes through an advanced assessment tool.
What you’ll do
This project will involve the development of a foot image database and the development and refinement of a clinical app, as well as validation of the app against expert clinicians’ assessments.
During this project, the successful candidate will undertake data collection, mostly at UniSA’s Podiatry Clinic. To broaden your participant group, it is anticipated that pop-up testing sites will also be used at allied health conferences and local community health sites.
In this project you will acquire skills in developing a project proposal, project management, academic writing, the preparation of manuscripts for peer review, and presenting your findings with academic rigor. You will specifically develop knowledge in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance clinical practice.
In this project you will also have the opportunity to broaden your professional network with industry and develop your teaching skills within UniSA’s podiatry degree.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s IIMPACT in Health research concentration, which brings together internationally renowned research groups intent on understanding and solving real-world problems, and fast-tracking discoveries to bring about effective and sustainable improvements in health outcomes.
You will have access to equipment and space for data collection at the University’s Clinic Trials Facility and the City East Podiatry Clinic, and join a supportive and dynamic learning environment.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Shylie Mackintosh – Principal Supervisor
Dr Ryan Causby – Co-Supervisor
Professor Hylton Menz – La Trobe University – Associate Supervisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Podiatrist eligible for registration in Australia
· Experience in App development
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East Campus in the east of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Tuesday, 5th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Shylie Mackintosh
Medical biotechnology
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Conquering antimicrobial resistant Gram-negative bacteria to address unmet clinical needs Innovate treatments for wound infections
PhD Project: Conquering antimicrobial resistant Gram-negative bacteria to address unmet clinical needs
Innovate treatments for wound infections
Are you seeking to advance your career in the biomedical industry? The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise - has available a unique research degree project based at the Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation (CPI) in our Adelaide Biofilm Test Facility. This project will develop novel, effective anti-infective nano-medicines for the treatment of lung and wound infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria.
This is a research project with real-world impact, as lung and wound infections are a major cause of death worldwide and are increasingly challenging to treat due to the emergence of bacteria that have become resistant to all currently available antibiotics.
There is a growing world-wide need to address antibiotic resistant bacteria and in this project you will gain the expert knowledge to meet that demand, and lead the development of new medicines.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will:
- Advance drug delivery/formulation science for real-life applications.
- Deepen their understanding of the pathophysiology associated with lung and wound infections.
- Undertake advanced cell-culture and microbiological techniques, including imaging techniques.
- Use pre-clinical models for the evaluation of antimicrobial efficacies.
With access to state-of-the-art equipment to manufacture and characterise pharmaceutical preparations, you will be a part of an established microbiological testing facility with a track record in successful industry and academic projects.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at the Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation (CPI) at UniSA’s Adelaide Biofilm Test Facility. Supervised by an experienced team of researchers and clinical advisers with expertise in research commercialisation and industry engagement, you will be exposed to a stimulating, inter-disciplinary environment that will equip you with a broad range of skills highly sought after in the biomedical industry.
Who you are
You must be familiar with lipid-based drug delivery, microbiological methods and biofilm methodologies. Basic microscopy handling will be highly regarded.
Supervisory Team
Dr Nicky Thomas - Principal Supervisor
Professor Clive Prestidge
Dr Paul Joyce
Professor Paul Reynolds (Adelaide University & Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH)? Director Lung Research Laboratory)
Professor Robert Fitridge (Adelaide University & TQEH, Vascular Surgery)
Associate Professor David Shaw (SA Health Infectious Disease Specialist, Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH))
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Familiarity with lipid-based drug delivery
- Familiarity with microbiological methods
- Familiarity with biofilm methodologies
- Basic microscopy handling
- Some experience with bioanalytical assays (plate readers etc)
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Nicky Thomas -
Development of a safe biomaterial-based therapy for obesity
PhD Project: Development of a safe biomaterial-based therapy for obesity
Help people tackle obesity and prevent avoidable chronic disease
At the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise - we currently have the opportunity for a PhD research project focussed on an obesity therapeutic within our Nanostructure and Drug Delivery Group based in the newly-established Denise Bradley Building. Located in the heart of Adelaide's Bio-Med City precinct, you will be a part of a thriving research community and have access to over $247M worth of cutting-edge research infrastructure, and to over 350 biomedical experts who share the facilities, all of whom are dedicated to overcoming human disease.
Obesity is a metabolic disorder that is linked with several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and some cancers. Recent estimates suggest that almost two-thirds of the Australian population is overweight or obese, making obesity the second-leading risk factor for chronic disease and death, after smoking tobacco. Despite the demand for treatment approaches, current therapies are riddled with side effects and have proven largely ineffective in promoting long term weight deficits. Subsequently, there is an increasing urgency for safe, inexpensive and highly effective anti-obesity therapeutics that promote metabolic health in order to reduce the prevalence of this disease.
In this industry partnered project, you will be a part of ground-breaking research to develop an anti-obesity therapeutic that can be taken towards clinical and commercial translation. Apply now for this exceptional project based in a world-class research environment at a university ranked No. 1 in Australia for Research Impact and Engagement (Excellence in Research for Australia 2018).
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will engineer an innovative anti-obesity therapeutic comprised of safe, food-grade biomaterials that actively restrict fat absorption, while also promoting a diverse microbial environment. The project will employ a multi-disciplinary approach across multiple research groups from the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide. The successful applicant will develop key industry skills in pharmaceutical formulation development and characterisation, colloid and interface science analytics and biological evaluation techniques.
Be a part of a project to combat obesity, where you will be exposed to a range of research skills that are fundamental to the fields of pharmaceutical science, colloid and interface science, and microbiology. You will perform all experimental tasks related to the project, which includes lab-based experimentation and animal testing. You may also have the opportunity to regularly travel to the Australian Synchrotron on short-term visits, as well as to multiple interstate and international conferences, travel permitted. Additionally, this project provides the opportunity for you to undertake a short-term industry placement with a key industry partner to gain valuable experience in industry-linked research.
The acquired industry-relevant skills in pharmaceutical manufacturing and evaluation will help you advance your career in medical therapeutics research.
Supervisory Team
Dr Paul Joyce - Principal Supervisor
Professor Clive Prestidge
Dr Hannah Wardill (Adelaide Medical School)
Dr Andrew Clulow (ANSTO)
Mr George Kokkins (Pharmako Biotechnologies)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- An undergraduate degree in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical sciences, materials science, or related discipline
Applicants who are also able to demonstrate the following will be highly regarded:
- High level written and verbal communication skills
- A demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative environment
- Capacity to meet deadlines and manage competing demands to meet project milestones
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Paul Joyce
Medical physiology
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Why are small babies at risk of hypertension in adulthood? The role of oxygen and glucose in utero on blood pressure regulation
PhD or Masters by Research Project: Why are small babies at risk of hypertension in adulthood? The role of oxygen and glucose in utero on blood pressure regulation
Improve the heart health of our very youngest now and in the future
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available a research degree project based in our Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration, which aims to determine if changes in either oxygen and/or glucose have greater roles in changing the function of the systems that regulate blood pressure in the fetus.
The fetus is remarkable in that it has the innate ability to grow and develop in an environment with comparatively less supply than the mother of two key fuels: oxygen and glucose. However, physiological changes in oxygen and glucose in the mother and/or fetus do occur during a normal pregnancy.
These albeit brief fetal feasts and famines are normal with oxygen saturation and glucose in the fetus ranging from a famine (fetal growth restriction, maternal undernutrition, living at high altitude, heart disease, preeclampsia) to a feast (gestational diabetes, overnutrition, obesity), respectively. There are also pathological decreases in oxygen and glucose that occur when placental function is reduced, or the mother has less nutrition. These decreases cause the fetus to reduce its growth rate resulting in a low birth weight.
It is known that in adulthood, these individuals that were born small have an increased risk of hypertension. Hypertension is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, Australia’s number one killer.
This research project is important, as altered development of systems that regulate blood pressure in the womb will stay with the individual for life and be the underlying causes of hypertension in adulthood. Knowing which regulatory mechanism to target will improve therapies for hypertension in the future.
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will perform blood pressure studies in the sheep fetus and participate in surgery, post-operative care, blood pressure studies and tissue collection.
You will have the opportunity to use real-time PCR, and Western blotting to study gene and protein expression in vessels as well as immunohistochemistry. LC/MS-MS assays will be used to measure fetal plasma hormones involved in blood pressure regulation including cortisol and noradrenaline.
You will have the opportunity to participate with national and international collaborators and, if appropriate, travel to collaborators’ laboratories in Australia or overseas, travel permitted.
In this project, you will also write manuscripts for submission in scientific journals with the support of your supervisors, and potentially attend local, national and international conferences to present your work, travel permitted.
You will be supported by an international network of scientists and clinicians with expertise that spans many facets of fetal and cardiovascular physiology. The team has a strong history of grant funding for innovative projects that push the boundaries - we were the first to use cardiac MRI to measure blood flow in fetal vessels and to develop a pig model of an artificial placenta.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration and linked to our projects funded by and NHMRC, with the unique opportunity of working with a large animal model of pregnancy.
With access to an established laboratory with all the required equipment for analysis (real-time PCR, Western blotting, LC/MS-MS, histology), you will be trained by a team of experts in each of these procedures using well developed Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group SOPs (https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/Health-Research/Research/Early-Origins-of-Adult-Health-Research-Group/).
UniSA partners with SAHMRI in the Preclinical Imaging and Research laboratories where the animal studies will be performed. You will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support your studies.
Supervisory Team
Professor Janna Morrison - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Michael Wiese
Dr Jack Darby
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into either a Masters by Research or PhD. Additionally, applicants who can demonstrate experience participating in studies that involve the pregnant ewe and her fetus will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Sunday, 3 October, 2021Principal Supervisor: Professor Janna Morrison
Neurosciences
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Building your best day for dementia prevention - longitudinal trajectories of dementia risk Join the fight against dementia
PhD Project: Building your best day for dementia prevention - longitudinal trajectories of dementia risk
Join the fight against dementia
Advance your career in health research at the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – where the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity Research Centre (ARENA) is offering an exciting opportunity for a PhD project aimed at preventing dementia, funded by the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) and Hospital Research Foundation.
Dementia has the unenviable claim of being Australia's second leading cause of death. How people use their time and what they eat, can increase or decrease their future dementia risk. This study will be the first to consider the inter-dependencies of modifiable dementia risk factors, which may be responsible for up to 50% of late life dementia cases. Using our holistic modelling approach we will generate new knowledge on modifiable factors and rapidly translate this knowledge into customisable tools and novel personalised interventions, aimed at achieving dementia prevention.
In this project you will be a part of the ACTIVate study which runs within ARENA, mentored by experts in the field as well as being a part of an innovative research team. Throughout the project you will also have the opportunity to develop your network with other ACTIVate investigators across Australia, located at fellow research centres at the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of Newcastle, and from across the world at the University of Illinois (USA).
This is a research project with real impact, the ACTIVate study works directly with many end-users including the Hospital Research Foundation, clinicians, older adults, councils, and peak industry bodies such as Dementia Australia. Our research findings are rapidly translated into practice and you will be a part of a project that makes a real difference to people’s lives.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will develop a research program around dementia - one of the most prevalent and significant conditions of the 21st century. Currently, approximately 500,000 people live with dementia in Australia and without a significant medical development, this number is projected to reach 1.1 million by 2050. Given the increase in the number of individuals living past 65 years, the future growth of the aged care sector is also projected to increase significantly over the short and medium term. Candidates graduating from this program will be entering a sector experiencing demand, with many opportunities in either research or industry.
In this project you will develop a deep understanding of dementia and its risk factors and acquire translatable clinical research and translation skills to advance your career. Throughout your research degree you will develop strong science communication skills by engaging with the media and through outreach activities with our partners including local councils, Dementia Australia and Radio Adelaide.
Supervisory Team
Dr Ashleigh Smith - Principal Supervisor
Dr Dot Dumuid
Professor Frini Karayanid (University of Newcastle)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Ashleigh Smith -
Treatment for Post-Stroke Depression: Identifying neuroimaging markers of therapeutic response
Masters by Research project: Treatment for Post-Stroke Depression: Identifying neuroimaging markers of therapeutic response
Stroke is a global leading cause of permanent disability. It is estimated that there are 80 million stroke survivors globally, with more than half likely to experience post-stroke depression. Post-stroke depression is under recognised and poorly treated, with incredibly negative consequences for recovery, activities of daily living, self-efficacy, and mortality. Current pharmacology management is hampered by several side-effects and poor treatment adherence. We need better solutions to this problem. Identifying new treatments for post-stroke depression would be a significant breakthrough for stroke survivors, their families and the wider health system.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe and promising treatment that increases brain activity with electromagnetic pulses. By changing neural activity in the brain, it can improve depression. However, translating this therapy to people who have experienced stroke is challenging. Most notably, stroke changes brain structure, dampening the ability of rTMS to modify neural activity. Our preliminary work suggests the clinical response to rTMS for post-stroke depression might be influenced by brain biomarkers and this information could guide clinical treatments. Therefore, we see a need to evaluate neuroimaging biomarkers of post-stroke depression and response to rTMS treatment. To address this problem, we will use multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to investigate brain structure and function using state-of-the-art imaging sequences and analysis.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders.
Supervisory Team
Dr Brenton Hordacre – Principal Supervisor
Dr Anson Chau
Professor Susan Hillier
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Thursday, 30th of September 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Brenton Hordacre
Nutrition and dietetics
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Oncology & carcinogenesis
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Enhancing therapy of acute myeloid leukaemia by predicting drivers of relapse
PhD Project: Enhancing therapy of acute myeloid leukaemia by predicting drivers of relapse
Lead the future on personalised leukemia treatment
Be a part of research project with impact at the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – based in the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) and the Molecular Therapeutics Laboratory (MTL). We are offering an exceptional opportunity for a PhD in an NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) research project, aimed at developing personalised and targeted therapies to suppress the relapse of acute myeloid leukaemia.
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) kills 75% of patients and leads to about 900 Australian deaths each year. Standard chemotherapy treatment has not changed since the mid-1980s highlighting the need for new therapies. Most patients initially respond to the standard therapy, forcing the disease into remission, however relapse is common and often aggressive and difficult to clinically manage, which is one of the main reasons for poor clinical outcome.
In this project you will be a part of world-leading research in a laboratory aiming to solve this problem by developing a system whereby the mechanisms driving disease relapse can be identified prior to it occurring. This research allows patients to be pre-emptively treated with therapies specifically targeting those mechanisms.
What you’ll do
In this research project you will use highly advanced pre-clinical models of AML, that faithfully recapitulate a patient’s disease. Using this model we will examine the patient’s AML at diagnosis to determine the trajectory of the disease in response to standard chemotherapeutics. From this you will be able to identify the relapse-driving mutations and correlate this with the mutations that drove relapse in the patient. With this information, we will design new targeted therapeutic approaches predicted to be effective against these mutations, and using our advanced pre-clinical models test the efficacy of this approach in curing AML.
As a part of this project you will develop skills in a wide range of experimental techniques including: molecular biology and cellular biology, primary cell culture of AML cells and mesenchymal stem cells, in vitro immunophenotyping and viability assays, next generation sequencing, variant curation, and gene expression analysis of primary patient material for patient stratification. You will learn how to grow the humanized bones in mice for xenotransplantation studies and define disease progression in both patients and in the xenotransplantation model. You will also perform pre-clinical evaluations of tarted therapies to prevent patient relapse and improve patient outcomes.
As a part of this NHMRC project, you will have the opportunity to present at conferences and publish in elite scientific journals.
Successful outcomes in these studies will establish a powerful system to predict the evolutionary trajectory of disease relapse in AML patients treated with standard induction chemotherapeutics, and guide the use of new clinical therapeutic approaches to pre-emptively target these clones to substantially improve patient outcome.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) a medical research institute which carries out a world-class program of innovative research, making breakthrough discoveries in the causes of cancer, and translating these discoveries into new ways to prevent and treat this group of diseases.
Specifically, you will be a part of the CCB’s Molecular Therapeutics Laboratory (MTL) that specialises in examining the regulation of cell signalling pathways; to both determine how defects in this contribute to cancer and other diseases, and to develop agents to target these pathways to improve human health. The MTL is a successful research lab with a strong track record in grant funding, having secured over $15M in research funding over the past five years.
The MTL is headed by Professor Stuart Pitson a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow and comprises of 23 members including other senior research fellows, senior and junior research assistants, and a combination of PhD and Honours students. This is a chance to be a part of a dynamic research environment and a part of wider research community.
Supervisory Team
Professor Stuart Pitson - Principal Supervisor
Dr Jason Powell
Associate Professor David Ross
Associate Professor Daniel Thomas
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Professor Stuart Pitson
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
- Medication-related hospital admissions in adults with mental health conditions
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Optimising treatment of haematological malignancies through the development of evidence-based dose individualisation strategies
PhD Project: Optimising treatment of haematological malignancies through the development of evidence-based dose individualisation strategies
Improving the treatment of blood cancer
At the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – we currently have available a research project that will take a multi-disciplinary approach to improve the treatment of blood cancers. The project will be based within UniSA’s Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre (QUMPRC), an internationally recognised multi-disciplinary research centre focussed on using novel methods to improve the safety and effectiveness of medicines, and their translation to improvements in healthcare. This unique project is partnered with SA Pharmacy, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), and industry-standard bioanalytical experts within Agilex Biolabs.
This project specifically focusses on addressing transplant rejection in the treatment of blood cancer. Bone marrow transplantation, using stem cells donated to the recipient from another person, is a valuable treatment option for many blood cancers. A successful transplant can result in a beneficial immune response of the donor immune cells against the tumour cells of the recipient. However, this immune response can also result in significant activity against normal recipient cells. This graft-vs-host disease contributes substantially to transplant-related morbidity and mortality, with an overall incidence of 30-60% and a mortality rate of ~50%. As a strategy to prevent graft-vs-host disease, anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is administered prior to transplantation. Appropriate treatment requires sufficient ATG exposure to prevent graft-vs-host disease, whilst still allowing the graft-vs-tumour effect, however current dosing strategies struggle to achieve this delicate balance between intended and unintended effects in many patients.
What you’ll do
In this project you will identify and evaluate optimal ATG dosing strategies to address this unmet medical need. This is a multi-disciplinary project encompassing aspects across the spectrum of activities related to dose individualisation. Specifically, during this project, you will develop industry-relevant skills in pharmacokinetic modelling and simulation, bioanalytical methods, and clinical trial conduct. The outcomes of this research will provide evidence-based improvements in ATG use and will inform clinical management guidelines.
This industry and end-user partnered project will provide you with the unique opportunity to undertake research at the interface of clinical practice and industry. You will gain valuable experience through short-term placements with clinical and industry partners during your candidature. These key placements will provide the opportunity to gain the expertise required for the successful conduct of the project, whilst also providing a solid foundation of skills that will be readily translatable to a future career in a clinical, academic or industry setting.
You will also have the opportunity to present research findings at national and international scientific conferences, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre (QUMPRC) which brings together experts from medicine safety and pharmacovigilance, digital health, pharmacy practice, evidence translation and medicine policy. We work with consumers, health professionals and organisations, ensuring the advanced technologies and methods developed within the centre, find their way into policy and practice to improve patient lives.
Supervisory Team
Dr Stephanie Reuter Lange - Principal Supervisor
Dr Paul Joyce
Mr Philip Selby (Central Local Adelaide Health Network)
Dr Kurt Sales (Agilex Biolabs Pty Ltd)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the project selection criteria:
- An undergraduate degree in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, or related discipline, with a basic understanding of pharmacokinetics
- Highly proficient in software applications, such as Microsoft Office suite. Skills in data analysis software packages, such as R or similar
- High level organisational skills to manage competing demands and meet project timelines
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Thursday, 30 September 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Stephanie Reuter Lange -
Targeting AXL for the treatment of cancer
PhD Project - Targeting AXL for the treatment of cancer
Make a real difference to those living with cancer
Are you seeking to advance your career in cancer treatment? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has a dynamic research degree project available at our Drug Discovery and Development research group. This PhD project aims to develop new treatment against cancer, using established structure-based design and medicinal chemistry.
A protein called AXL is a Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTK) belonging to the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MER) subfamily. Overexpression of the AXL protein has been associated with poor prognosis in different cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme, breast and lung cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia.
Moreover, it has been demonstrated that abnormal activation of AXL signalling is one prominent mechanism by which tumour cells undergo epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and develop drug resistance to both targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Despite being implicated across the spectrum of cancer hallmarks, AXL is just starting to emerge as a distinct anticancer target.
More recently, several findings suggested that AXL has an immunosuppressive role in cancer – AXL signalling can dampen the anti-tumour immune response and help cancer cells avoid host immune surveillance. This has generated further excitement in the potential for anti-AXL therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
With the development of AXL inhibitors becoming the centre of pharmaceutical interest, this project will provide you with the expertise to expand broader understanding of AXL for important therapeutic treatment worldwide.
What you’ll do
In this PhD program, you will cover all the essential elements of modern medicinal chemistry, including computer-aided drug design, chemical synthesis, structure-activity relationship analysis, and identification and optimisation of drug candidates.
You will participate in the University’s seminars and have the chance to network, present your research findings and return to the laboratory with new ideas.
As Professor Shudong Wang has extensive contacts in the pharmaceutical sector and her research programs have attracted considerable interest from companies, you will also have the opportunity to participate in an industry-funded internship. This will allow you to broaden your understanding of drug development processes including intellectual property (IP) protection, drug regulation and commercialisation which will be beneficial to your future career.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Drug Discovery and Development research group where Professor Wang leads a multi-disciplinary team of more than 25 post-doctoral researchers and PhD students. While a new drug usually takes more than ten years in development before reaching shelves, her group speeds up this process and makes new medicines available sooner.
The group’s laboratory has state-of-the-art facilities for you to carry out all aspects of your project including drug synthesis, and biological and animal pharmacology work.
The facilities include:
· on-site AVENCE III 500MHz-NMR, LC-MS-MS, HPLCs, three automated microwave stations, and auto-purification systems for chemistry,
· envision multi-mode reader, FACSVerse flow cytometer and Western blotting system for biology, and
· an on-site state-of-the-art animal facility for pharmacology and anticancer therapy assessments.
Supervisory Team
Professor Shudong Wang – Principal Supervisor
Dr Aik Goh – Co-Supervisor
Dr Mingfeng Yu – Co-Supervisor
Dr Matt Sykes – Co-Supervisor
Dr Theodosia Teo – Co-Supervisor
Dr Jacquelyn Wade – Aucentra Therapeutics Pty Ltd – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Essential organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry
· Ability to conduct research as evidenced by the publication(s) in the peer-reviewed international journal(s).
· Proficiency in the uses of chemistry software such as ChemDraw and TopSpin, and of online database like SciFinder and PubMed.
Desirable:
· Experience in research record keeping
· Good computer literacy skills
· Knowledge and hands-on experience in the preparation of heterocyclic molecules using parallel and microwave-aided synthesis, and in their characterisation using techniques such as NMR, MS and HPLC
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 1st October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Shudong Wang -
Targeting ovarian cancer with nanoparticle drug carriers using G protein-coupled receptors as molecular entry sites
PhD Project: Targeting ovarian cancer with nanoparticle drug carriers using G protein-coupled receptors as molecular entry sites
Help fight ovarian cancer
Are you interested in advancing your career in cancer research and the biopharma industry? The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity for a PhD project seeking to investigate a novel treatment for ovarian cancer using nanoparticles to deliver targeted anticancer drugs in partnership with FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts North-western Switzerland, and the University Hospital Basel, University of Basel a top 100 University (Times Higher Education 2021).
There are over 240,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed globally per year, and currently there is no effective screening strategy in place to systematically detect ovarian cancer at the early stages. Therefore, approximately 80% of all patients are diagnosed with advanced stage III or IV cancers leading to an all-over low survival rate of less than 50%.
Current treatments for ovarian cancer include cytoreduction by abdominal surgery combined with chemotherapy. However, women often experience severe adverse effects with chemotherapy and sadly a high mortality rate with existing treatments.
Our research is focussed on finding a more effective treatment, based on our recent research findings that revealed overexpressed g-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in ovarian cancer tissues.
We are seeking to develop a new treatment paradigm using GPCRs as molecular entry points, to specifically deliver novel anti-cancer drugs into ovarian cancer cells with engineered nanoparticles. We hypothesise that ovarian cancer is susceptible to engineered drug carriers delivering anti-cancer drugs, using overexpressed GPCRs as molecular entry sites, and pH responsive nanoparticles that will provide higher intracellular drug release rates and concentrations.
This is an exceptional opportunity to undertake research with real-world impact and advance your career in biopharma and anticancer treatments, and make a difference to people’s lives.
What you’ll do
In this PhD project you will explore the development of a new treatment paradigm using GPCRs as molecular entry points, to specifically deliver anti-cancer drugs into ovarian cancer cells with engineered nanoparticles.
You will specifically be involved in:
- Designing novel polymer-based, biodegradable and easy to synthesise, pH responsive drug carriers for GPCR mediated delivery and endosomal drug release.
- Evaluating the response of various human ovarian cancer cell lines to drug loaded nanoparticles using advanced 3D spheroid cultures as in vitro models, to demonstrate nanoparticle uptake and cell killing.
- Investigating the potential treatment in murine xenograft models (subcutaneous and intra-peritoneal), to obtain proof of concept for our anti-tumour strategy.
As a part of this project, you will join a highly experienced research team specialising in combining genome wide gene expression analysis, biochemistry and receptor biology, endosome cell biology, chemistry, polymer science, drug formulation, drug discovery and oncology.
You may also have the opportunity to undertake a research internship in Switzerland alongside our international collaborators Prof. Eric Kuebler (FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts North-western Switzerland) and Prof. Med. Viola Heinzelmann (Womens Clinic and Gynaecological Oncology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel), to trial the nanoparticle system using a unique library of ovarian cancer patient samples, travel permitted. The University of Basel is a top 100 institution (Times Higher Education 2021) and is located in one of the worlds major pharmaceutical development hubs, home to Roche and Novartis.
Visiting national and international conferences will be strongly encouraged, travel permitted.
You will be based
Your experimental work will be carried out at UniSA’s Denise Bradley Building which is co-located within the Adelaide BioMed City precinct along with the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), which offers unique opportunities for collaboration in a thriving research hub.
Supervisory Team
- Dr Hugo Albrecht (Principal Supervisor)
- Professor Sanjay Garg
- Associate Professor Anton Blencowe
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 1 October 2021 [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Hugo Albrecht
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Why are small babies at risk of hypertension in adulthood? The role of oxygen and glucose in utero on blood pressure regulation
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Built environment and design
Built environment and design
Building
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Data-driven building design solutions for reducing construction and demolition waste
PhD Project - Data-driven building design solutions for reducing construction and demolition waste
Designing a better construction industry of the future
If you are seeking to advance your career in construction, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exciting opportunity to apply for an industry partnered PhD project with Sarah Constructions through UniSA’s Australian Research Centre of Immersive Virtual Environments, Scarce Resources and Circular Economy, and Industrial AI Research Centre.
The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of non-renewable resources and as economies continue to grow, this consumption is set to grow at an increasing rate. Currently the industry consumes 32% of the world’s resources and produces 40% of waste entering landfill. Imagine then, if most construction and demolition waste could be eliminated – with no need to segregate, transport, recycle and dispose of waste. In this project we seek to address this challenge, through developing a tool for better building design decisions, informed by analysing and mapping large data sets of construction waste and building designs.
This industry-led research project will contribute to two current priorities in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry; of reducing construction and demolition waste, and the digitalisation of the industry. You will collaborate closely with our industry partners on this real-world problem and help define the practices of the construction industry of now and the future.
What you’ll do
In this research project you will help industry adopt an emerging “designing out waste” approach in Australia, by avoiding developing waste in the first place, through improved building design decision making. Specifically, you will be involved in the development, verification and validation of a Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based decision support tool, designed to assist building designers in adopting C&D waste minimisation practices throughout the design process. The proposed tool will use historical data from previous building projects to assist designers in the development of building design solutions for future buildings, that lead to waste minimisation at the later stages of the building lifecycle. You will use leading-edge data visualisation and analysis methods including content analysis, association rule learning via Apriori Algorithm and software such as Revit and Nvivo.
During this project you will develop simulations to help identify the most impactful building design decisions for reducing waste and inform design guidelines and regulations. It is also expected that the proposed research, will help identify information gaps hindering effective building design decisions and opportunities for addressing those gaps, as well as enhancing collaboration between designers, builders and materials suppliers.
In this project you will acquire industry relevant knowledge and develop qualitative and quantitative research skills, including learning to conduct data collection via case studies, focus groups and interviews.
Where you’ll be based
You will join a multi-disciplinary team emerging from across multiple UniSA research centres, the Australian Research Centre of Immersive Virtual Environments, Scarce Resources and Circular Economy, and Industrial AI. Our facilities include state-of-the art equipment for conducting computational visualisation and analysis of building and urban environments through virtual and augmented realities.
Supervisory Team
Dr Jorge Ochoa Paniagua – Principal Supervisor
Professor Ning Gu – Co-Supervisor
AsPr Rameez Rameezdeen – Co-Supervisor
Dr Wolfgang Mayer – Co-Supervisor
Dr Robert Doe – Co-Supervisor
Mr Alex Willshire -Sarah Constructions – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East Campus in the east of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 30th September [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Jorge Ochoa Paniagua
Design
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Designing data for immersive cultural experiences and events
PhD Project: Designing data for immersive cultural experiences and events
A unique opportunity to transform visitor cultural experiences
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is currently offering an exciting research degree project based at MOD. - UniSA’s museum of discovery - in collaboration with our industry partners Questacon and Jumpgate. This project aims to explore and develop research on innovative museology and other forms of cultural experiences such as public art, musical and theatrical performances.
In this industry partnered project you will have the opportunity to investigate creative and novel ways that data can be interpreted, and play a significant role in the broader MOD. experience from both the perspective of the visitor and the museum curator. We are particularly interested in thinking about visitor engagement with data, and the forms this can take to allow for immersive and interactive cultural experiences.
MOD. will provide a living museum space for the development of your practice-based research experiments, which can be tested and evaluated in the public domain.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will undertake project-based research, in-situ at MOD. and have access to other University facilities and research infrastructure such as printing and library databases.
As a part of this project you may undertake interstate travel to venues such as Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre Canberra, and Scienceworks Melbourne, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
UniSA’s museum of discovery, MOD., will be the site of inquiry for your research, and will use your findings in practice. MOD. will provide access to live exhibitions and design processes, as well as links to a computational thinking project to provide datasets to high schools. Additionally, you will have access to real audiences for participation in your research.
In this exciting industry partnered project you will be mentored by experts from UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments, and engage with industry sector partners at a state, national and international level.
Who you are
You will need to provide evidence, such as a portfolio of work or website, of some form of industry or creative practice in design, creative industries, fine art, HCI, data visualisation, exhibition/museum or interaction design.
Skills or knowledge of programming for interactivity, data visualisation, data analytics, interaction or games design software will be highly regarded.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Ian Gwilt (Principal Supervisor)
- Dr Kristin Alford
- Dr Andrew Cunningham
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West Campus the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 8 October 2021 [ACDT].Principal Supervisor: Professor Ian Gwilt
Urban and regional planning
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Data-driven building design solutions for reducing construction and demolition waste
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Chemical sciences
Chemical sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Analytical chemistry
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Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
PhD Project: Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
Advance a new technology to save animals
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available for application a research degree project that will investigate the development of a novel non-lethal bait technology, based on the principle of conditioned-taste aversion for introduced predators.
Foxes, feral cats and wild dogs are responsible for the extinction of numerous native Australian species and endangering countless others. This results in a significant decline in biodiversity with downstream impacts to the environment, indigenous culture and nature-based tourism valued at more than $40M per year. Similarly, these introduced predators cause significant economic losses to the agricultural industry at more than $28M per year.
The most widely used broad scale tactic for the control of these invasive predators is poison baiting, however this is resource intensive, resulting in off-target poisoning and environmental contamination. Several recent studies have also shown that poison baiting is a driver for evolutionary adaptation leading to control-resistant predators.
This project seeks to address the urgent real-world need for innovative technologies to protect native animal populations and livestock. It is hoped that the development of a new non-lethal bait technology will result in the predator experiencing a non-lethal illness following the consumption of a food item that mimics the smell of a particular animal, and conditions the predator to avoid that animal. Ultimately, this technology could be used to condition introduced predators to avoid eating livestock and selective native animal populations.
What you’ll do
Activities the successful candidate will undertake as part of this project include:
- Head-space gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the detection and identification of animal volatile odour profiles.
- Extraction and isolation processes for volatile odours.
- Preparation of emulsion formulations for controlled odour release.
- Development of edible gel emulsion baits.
- Stability testing and odour release of baits.
- Testing the baits in the field for aversion of foxes in Canberra and South Australia.
- In this project, you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing and analysis, and regularly host undergraduate vacation scholarship students, giving you the opportunity to develop your own supervisory skills.
You will also have the opportunity to present and communicate your findings at regular research group meetings, attend national and international conferences, and participate in field trials, travel permitted.
In this project, you will also be able to build your professional networks and have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate teaching to develop your communication and teaching skills.
Where you’ll be based
You will be a part of a multidisciplinary research team from across the Applied Chemistry and Translational Biomaterials group based in UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, and the Surface Interactions and Soft Matter (SISM) group based in the Future Industries Institute at UniSA.
Who you are
You must hold an undergraduate degree in Science (with a major in chemistry highly regarded) and have hands-on practical laboratory experience.
At the completion of the project, you will have further developed your skills in analytical, formulation and physical chemistry; conservation and ecological principles; land management practices; and field trial experience.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Anton Blencowe - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
Dr Todd Gillam
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a University of South Australia living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Hold an undergraduate degree in science
- Hands-on practical laboratory experience
- Applicants who are also able to demonstrate a major in chemistry will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe -
Detecting chemical biomarkers of human activity using wastewater-based epidemiology
PhD Project: Detecting chemical biomarkers of human activity using wastewater-based epidemiology
Transform the way we monitor and test substance use
If you are seeking to advance your career in chemistry and are interested in population health the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique research degree project in the Population Health Chemistry (PHC) research group in our Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration. This project will develop new analytical methods for detecting compounds of emerging concern and biomarkers of human activity in water using state-of-the-art analytical procedures.
The use of illicit psychoactive substances in Australia is widespread, however we do not currently have a robust detection method to monitor the consumption of some of these substances using wastewater analysis.
Demonstrating the extent and relative scale of substance use provides insight into the potential for harm in terms of health outcomes, substance abuse, addiction, violent behaviour and criminal activity. Drug metabolism and the excretion of harmful substances into wastewater can be used to determine population-scale exposure to these compounds. This is vitally important since psychoactive substances have many adverse health outcomes, including fatalities.
Since population figures are dynamic, this project will investigate the potential for several metabolites to serve as population normalisation biomarkers.
There is a growing need globally to tackle substance use, and in this project you will use state-of-the-art equipment to address this ongoing issue, innovating the way we detect biomarkers in wastewater.
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will undertake analytical procedures relating to liquid-liquid and solid phase extraction, measure trace chemicals in complex media and use high-end equipment such as triple quadrupole and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Day-to-day project activities will be centred around a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory environment, providing you with the opportunity to develop a unique yet transferable skillset in analytical chemistry.
A key part of the project will involve data triangulation with other resources, allowing you to critically evaluate and match complementary information.
Additionally, during this industry partnered project, you will learn how to prepare scientific papers and public reports and have the opportunity to engage with government officials at a policy-making level.
You will be encouraged and supported to present your work at national and international conferences, as well as participate and present at local, university-hosted seminars and development workshops. You may also be able to travel interstate to spend time with our research partners (travel permitted).
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in the Population Health Chemistry (PHC) research group in UniSA’s Health and Biomedical Innovation research concentration. Consisting of three academics, two analytical chemists and two technical staff, the group has a dedicated laboratory with access to a range of liquid-chromatograph/tandem mass spectrometers.
Existing research collaborations with the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences and Forensic Science SA will provide another level of intellectual exchange with interstate peers and other researchers, while international networks within the broader field of wastewater-based epidemiology give opportunities for an enriching learning experience.
State-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities between these various research groups will allow for seamless exchanges and method sharing. PHC and the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences are also equal partners in the Australian Criminal and Intelligence Commission (ACIC) funded National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. And as a part of this project, you will have the opportunity to travel interstate and meet with ACIC delegates and researchers on a regular basis, travel permitted.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Cobus Gerber - Principal Supervisor
Dr Bradley Simpson
Professor Jason White
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants who can also demonstrate the following will be higher regrarded:
- Previous experience in analytical method development involving liquid (or gas) chromatography/mass spectrometry
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Thursday, 30 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Cobus Gerber
Inorganic chemistry
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A fibre-optic system for real-time, in-vivo measurement of the metabolic status of tissues
Masters by Research or PhD Project: A fibre-optic system for real-time, in-vivo measurement of the metabolic status of tissues
Help develop an innovative and non-invasive cancer diagnostic tool
Are you interested in advancing your career in cancer research and the biomedical device industry? The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity for a PhD project seeking to develop a new cost effective, non-invasive and transportable tool for cancer diagnostics.
Cancer treatment and diagnosis is highly invasive and often requires the movement of people or tissues to locations of expertise. For people who live in regional areas this often causes additional distress, during an already distressing time.
We are seeking to explore a non-invasive, low cost and easily transportable fibre optic system with the ability to measure three key indicators of a cancer’s metabolic health. Specifically, this technology offers the advantage of being able to obtain a ‘snapshot’ of a cancer without the need for an invasive biopsy. This knowledge could then be used by clinicians to make rapid decisions on prognosis, as well as enabling the monitoring of treatment non-invasively.
What you’ll do
In this project you will investigate the development of this novel diagnostic across three stages:
- The development of new sensors which can measure key indicators of metabolism; pH and reactive oxygen species - Specifically, you will begin by synthesising a series of metal based complexes which have the ability to sense ROS or pH - these are well established sensing groups which include, although are not limited to, piperdine for pH, N3 for peroxynitrite and anthracene for singlet oxygen. These will then be attached via linker groups to a metal ligand and evaluated for capacity to sense each metabolite in solution, and under various cellular conditions.
- The incorporation of these sensors into an established fibre optic system for REDOX - Successful complexes will then be attached to a fibre optic cable through silyl or amide linker groups; each different complex will be designed so it can be attached to the fibre, to allow for multiple sensors to be combined in one system. These will then be evaluated in solution to ensure that correct signals are obtained.
- Validation in a range of metabolically altered tissues - The final stage will be the validation of the fibre optic sensors on sheep tissues and brain organoids. This will be followed by evaluating interventions and controlling the metabolic environment of the organoids.
This is a hands-on, problem-based approach to cancer diagnosis, bringing together the disciplines of chemistry, physics, fetal biology, organoid development and cancer, thereby offering a unique learning environment.
Specific skills you will acquire throughout the length of this project will include; experience in organic and inorganic synthesis and a range of analytical methods such as NMR, MS and HPLC during the initial phase. Spectroscopy, including both UV-Vis and Fluorescence during the validation stage. Knowledge of the theory of photonic devices during the development of the fibre optic system with all of its necessary fibre couplers, CW lasers (at multiple wavelengths), optical breadboard, photodiodes and optical shutters. As well as experience in biology and the metabolism of tissues during validation.
In addition to these discipline specific technical skills, you will have the opportunity to develop excellent communication skills in a research environment through regular group presentations, teaching, and conferences (in person and virtually); including the 2022 International Conference of Bioinorganic Chemistry in Adelaide, chaired by the Chief Supervisor Professor Sally Plush.
With access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment, as well as a supportive research team you may also have access to a range of academic and industry placements during your candidature. You will join a team of researchers who are internationally connected with industry and life sciences and diagnostic corporations such as PerkinElmer.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Bradley Building home to our key Clinical & Health Sciences research concentrations, which investigate diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart and cardiovascular disease and a range of related therapies and a base for research into population health, radiotherapy and genomics. You will be a part of Associate Professor Sally Plush’s Bioinorganic and Imaging Chemistry Research Group.
You will also have access to the Laser Physics and Photonic Devices Laboratories (LPPDL) at UniSA’s Mawson Lakes campus. The LPPDL brings together experimental physics, theoretical modelling, and engineering with an aim to develop new types of photonic based sensors, lasers, advanced materials, and manufacturing processes with a focus on producing prototypes. The lab has a track record of working with industry and applying advanced photonics concepts to addressing industry challenges.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Sally Plush - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Shahraam Afshar Vahid
Dr Wen Qi Zhang
Professor Janna Morrison
Dr Guillermo Gomez
Dr Shane Hickey
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the?eligibility criteria?for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Sunday, 3 October, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Sally Plush
Macromolecular and materials chemistry
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Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
PhD Project: Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
Advance a new technology to save animals
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available for application a research degree project that will investigate the development of a novel non-lethal bait technology, based on the principle of conditioned-taste aversion for introduced predators.
Foxes, feral cats and wild dogs are responsible for the extinction of numerous native Australian species and endangering countless others. This results in a significant decline in biodiversity with downstream impacts to the environment, indigenous culture and nature-based tourism valued at more than $40M per year. Similarly, these introduced predators cause significant economic losses to the agricultural industry at more than $28M per year.
The most widely used broad scale tactic for the control of these invasive predators is poison baiting, however this is resource intensive, resulting in off-target poisoning and environmental contamination. Several recent studies have also shown that poison baiting is a driver for evolutionary adaptation leading to control-resistant predators.
This project seeks to address the urgent real-world need for innovative technologies to protect native animal populations and livestock. It is hoped that the development of a new non-lethal bait technology will result in the predator experiencing a non-lethal illness following the consumption of a food item that mimics the smell of a particular animal, and conditions the predator to avoid that animal. Ultimately, this technology could be used to condition introduced predators to avoid eating livestock and selective native animal populations.
What you’ll do
Activities the successful candidate will undertake as part of this project include:
- Head-space gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the detection and identification of animal volatile odour profiles.
- Extraction and isolation processes for volatile odours.
- Preparation of emulsion formulations for controlled odour release.
- Development of edible gel emulsion baits.
- Stability testing and odour release of baits.
- Testing the baits in the field for aversion of foxes in Canberra and South Australia.
- In this project, you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing and analysis, and regularly host undergraduate vacation scholarship students, giving you the opportunity to develop your own supervisory skills.
You will also have the opportunity to present and communicate your findings at regular research group meetings, attend national and international conferences, and participate in field trials, travel permitted.
In this project, you will also be able to build your professional networks and have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate teaching to develop your communication and teaching skills.
Where you’ll be based
You will be a part of a multidisciplinary research team from across the Applied Chemistry and Translational Biomaterials group based in UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, and the Surface Interactions and Soft Matter (SISM) group based in the Future Industries Institute at UniSA.
Who you are
You must hold an undergraduate degree in Science (with a major in chemistry highly regarded) and have hands-on practical laboratory experience.
At the completion of the project, you will have further developed your skills in analytical, formulation and physical chemistry; conservation and ecological principles; land management practices; and field trial experience.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Anton Blencowe - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
Dr Todd Gillam
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a University of South Australia living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Hold an undergraduate degree in science
- Hands-on practical laboratory experience
- Applicants who are also able to demonstrate a major in chemistry will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe
Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry
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Targeting AXL for the treatment of cancer
PhD Project - Targeting AXL for the treatment of cancer
Make a real difference to those living with cancer
Are you seeking to advance your career in cancer treatment? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has a dynamic research degree project available at our Drug Discovery and Development research group. This PhD project aims to develop new treatment against cancer, using established structure-based design and medicinal chemistry.
A protein called AXL is a Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTK) belonging to the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MER) subfamily. Overexpression of the AXL protein has been associated with poor prognosis in different cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme, breast and lung cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia.
Moreover, it has been demonstrated that abnormal activation of AXL signalling is one prominent mechanism by which tumour cells undergo epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and develop drug resistance to both targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Despite being implicated across the spectrum of cancer hallmarks, AXL is just starting to emerge as a distinct anticancer target.
More recently, several findings suggested that AXL has an immunosuppressive role in cancer – AXL signalling can dampen the anti-tumour immune response and help cancer cells avoid host immune surveillance. This has generated further excitement in the potential for anti-AXL therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
With the development of AXL inhibitors becoming the centre of pharmaceutical interest, this project will provide you with the expertise to expand broader understanding of AXL for important therapeutic treatment worldwide.
What you’ll do
In this PhD program, you will cover all the essential elements of modern medicinal chemistry, including computer-aided drug design, chemical synthesis, structure-activity relationship analysis, and identification and optimisation of drug candidates.
You will participate in the University’s seminars and have the chance to network, present your research findings and return to the laboratory with new ideas.
As Professor Shudong Wang has extensive contacts in the pharmaceutical sector and her research programs have attracted considerable interest from companies, you will also have the opportunity to participate in an industry-funded internship. This will allow you to broaden your understanding of drug development processes including intellectual property (IP) protection, drug regulation and commercialisation which will be beneficial to your future career.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Drug Discovery and Development research group where Professor Wang leads a multi-disciplinary team of more than 25 post-doctoral researchers and PhD students. While a new drug usually takes more than ten years in development before reaching shelves, her group speeds up this process and makes new medicines available sooner.
The group’s laboratory has state-of-the-art facilities for you to carry out all aspects of your project including drug synthesis, and biological and animal pharmacology work.
The facilities include:
· on-site AVENCE III 500MHz-NMR, LC-MS-MS, HPLCs, three automated microwave stations, and auto-purification systems for chemistry,
· envision multi-mode reader, FACSVerse flow cytometer and Western blotting system for biology, and
· an on-site state-of-the-art animal facility for pharmacology and anticancer therapy assessments.
Supervisory Team
Professor Shudong Wang – Principal Supervisor
Dr Aik Goh – Co-Supervisor
Dr Mingfeng Yu – Co-Supervisor
Dr Matt Sykes – Co-Supervisor
Dr Theodosia Teo – Co-Supervisor
Dr Jacquelyn Wade – Aucentra Therapeutics Pty Ltd – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Essential organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry
· Ability to conduct research as evidenced by the publication(s) in the peer-reviewed international journal(s).
· Proficiency in the uses of chemistry software such as ChemDraw and TopSpin, and of online database like SciFinder and PubMed.
Desirable:
· Experience in research record keeping
· Good computer literacy skills
· Knowledge and hands-on experience in the preparation of heterocyclic molecules using parallel and microwave-aided synthesis, and in their characterisation using techniques such as NMR, MS and HPLC
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 1st October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Shudong Wang
Physical chemistry
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Application of synthetic and biopolymers in selective recovery of minerals
PhD project: Application of synthetic and biopolymers in selective recovery of minerals
This study is concerned with exploiting the full potential of new chemistry to enhance selectivity and recovery in flotation. The project will be primarily undertaken by the project PhD student, with support from a postdoctoral research associate. The student will investigate the ability of novel designed reagents (synthetic and bio-based) in preventing or enhancing bubble-surface attachment, the fundamental colloidal process of mineral flotation. The project will focus on the use of dewetting studies using bubble-surface collisions, and single bubble flotation studies, in combination with characterisation of adsorbed reagent layers using atomic force microscopy. The information gained will give insight into how and why the new reagents affect the fundamental steps of bubble-particle attachment, and therefore flotation depression or recovery.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants currently residing in Australia are also invited to apply.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or equivalent.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship (provided by the funding agency, the Australian Research Council) of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant as well as additional funding for conference travel and for collaborative visits to the other project nodes as agreed with your principal supervisor.
A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Supervisory Team
- Professor David Beattie – Principal Supervisor
- Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
- Professor George Franks (Melbourne University)
- Professor San Thang (Monash University)
- Associate Professor Chunxia Zhao (University of Queensland)
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Friday 8 October 2021.Principal Supervisor: Professor David Beattie -
Development of bio-polymer collectors for selective flotation of specific minerals
PhD project: Development of bio-polymer collectors for selective flotation of specific minerals
This project aims to develop biomolecule-based collectors for selective flotation of specific minerals. The project will be conducted in two nodes. At the University of Queensland, peptide polymers will be synthesised for the project. At UniSA, the selective adsorption of the biomolecules on target surfaces (model or real minerals) will be systematically studied using techniques of physical and colloid chemistry, such as quartz crystal microbalance and infrared spectroscopy. The effect of different parameters including pH, salt on selective adsorption will be investigated. The resultant design, testing and deployment of these new biomolecules will enhance selectivity in flotation for the recovery of important metal-containing minerals.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants currently residing in Australia are also invited to apply.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or equivalent.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship (provided by the funding agency, the Australian Research Council) of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant as well as additional funding for conference travel and for collaborative visits to the other project nodes as agreed with your principal supervisor. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Supervisory Team
- Professor David Beattie – Principal Supervisor
- Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Friday 8 October 2021.Principal Supervisor: Professor David Beattie -
Integration of in-stream and particle size measurements in flotation
PhD project - Integration of in-stream and particle size measurements in flotation
This HDR project is concerned with the measurement of particle size in mineral processing streams, using novel fluid flow systems, and in-line detection of slurry characteristics using light scattering/obscuration and ultrasonic techniques. Mineral processing is heavily dependent on particle size, in almost all methods of separation and concentration. Flotation recovery relies on both the size of the particles (optimally between 10 and 50 microns), and the liberation of the particles (whether each particle is solely one mineral). Treatment of tailings is dependent on the size of the waste particles, with smaller particles being less likely to undergo rapid settling. And lastly, particle size, and thus available surface area, will critically influence leaching rate in material for hydrometallurgical extraction.
In spite of this importance, there are few straightforward methods to provide real time measurement of particle size and particle size distributions directly in mineral processing streams. This project will involve the development of a slurry handling/fluid flow device that will sample mineral suspensions, and the use of a combination of light scattering/obscuration (and potentially the use of ultrasonics) to determine the range of particle sizes. This sensor will be integrated with a sensing platform (Pulp Chemistry Monitor, developed and commercialised by Magotteaux), to give combined size/pulp chemistry information, which can be used a means of advanced process control to optimise flotation.
Applicants are required to have Degree in Chemistry, Physics, Material Science, Chemical Engineering or other relevant disciplines. Applicants are required to have experience in particle sizing or sensor development.
Additionally, applicants with MSc in one of the disciplines listed above will be highly regarded.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
· Degree in Chemistry, Physics, Material Science, Chemical Engineering or other relevant disciplines.
· Experience in particle sizing or sensor development
· MSc in one of the disciplines listed above (highly regarded, but not essential)
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our - Mawson Lakes in the north of Adelaide.
Financial Support
An ARC funded living allowance scholarship of $28.597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students .
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant as well as additional funding for conference travel and for collaborative visits to the other project nodes as agreed with your principal supervisor.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Marta Krasowska – Principal Supervisor
Professor David Beattie – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Bronwyn Hajek – Co-Supervisor
Professor William Skinner – Co-Supervisor
Dr Chris Greet – Industry Advisor, Magotteaux
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications will remain open until the position is filled. You are encouraged to apply early to ensure your application is considered.Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Marta Krasowska -
Wetting, spreading, and adhesion of oils on composite mineral surfaces
PhD project - Wetting, spreading, and adhesion of oils on composite mineral surfaces
This study seeks to understand the mechanism involved in oils wetting and spreading across patchy/heterogeneous surfaces so that oils can be used to enhance the contact area for bubble attachment on composite mineral particles. This work will help make coarse particle flotation more robust. The major technique to be used in the project is droplet rise/collision studies against planar surfaces, using high speed video-microscopy to probe the timescale of droplet attachment, droplet spreading kinetics, and extent of spreading across heterogeneous surfaces. The surfaces to be interrogated will include model heterogeneous surfaces, with two or more surface types, patterned onto solid materials using microfabrication methodologies. The surfaces to be studied will also include macroscopic composite mineral surfaces that have been sectioned, characterised with QEM-Scan, and composed of target mineral phases representative of gangue and value minerals. The Project will also involve an exploration of different oils, and different wetting agents (oil wetting agents – at least two – one, with high affinity for the value phase to cause rapid spreading over exposed value regions, and one for the gangue phases to encourage more extensive spreading). In addition to this core experimental platform, complementary techniques for the characterisation of adsorption from non-aqueous mixtures will be used to determine the affinity of wetting agents for both target mineral phases (value and gangue). This will include the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and Raman spectroscopy.
Applicants are required to have MSc in Chemistry and experience in working with any of these techniques: QCM, FTIR/Raman spectroscopy, AFM, image processing. Additionally, applicants with publication(s) in good journals will be highly regarded.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants who are currently onshore in Australia.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
· MSc in Chemistry
· Experience in working with any of these techniques: QCM, FTIR/Raman spectroscopy, AFM, image processing
· Publication(s) in good journals (highly regarded, but not essential)
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our - Mawson Lakes in the north of Adelaide.
Financial Support
An ARC funded living allowance scholarship of $28.597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students .
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant as well as additional funding for conference travel and for collaborative visits to the other project nodes as agreed with your principal supervisor.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Marta Krasowska – Principal Supervisor
Professor David Beattie – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Bronwyn Hajek – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Anton Blencowe – Co-Supervisor
Professor Erica Wanless - Associate Supervisor
Essential Dates: Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Closing date:Applications close at 11.30, Monday 8th November [ACST]Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
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Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
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Commerce, management, tourism and services
Commerce, management, tourism and services
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Accounting, auditing and accountability
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Accountability and governance implications of blockchain use in Australia
Master or PhD Project: Accountability and governance implications of blockchain use in Australia
Assess the impact of new technology on business
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available a research degree project connected to the Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion, and Centre for Enterprise Dynamics in Global Economies, to explore how blockchain technology is developing and impacting business in Australia.
Blockchain is a significant emerging technology. However, current research in accounting has predominantly focused on the theoretical and conceptual mapping of how blockchain systems can transform accounting and auditing practice. Far less is known about the actual application of blockchain technology in business, and the implications for accountability and governance.
This project will gather empirical data on blockchain adoption and generate case studies highlighting how business processes are transforming. Importantly, it will explore how accountability has (or has not) changed as a result of technological innovation and examine the implications for organisational governance.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will conduct a mixed method study of blockchain in Australia. You will undertake semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation with several companies to understand blockchain processes in real-life applications.
You will predominantly study in South Australia where several blockchain start-ups are based, and you may also travel to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to meet with other blockchain start-ups and corporate offices, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA with access to multidisciplinary research experts and technology from our Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion, and Centre for Enterprise Dynamics in Global Economies research centres. These centres focus on building sustainable and inclusive futures, as well as growing capacity to initiate and sustain strategic innovation and enterprise.
You will work in shared student offices with other research degree students, enabling you to build a strong peer network and community of scholars, and have access to modern computing facilities, research seminars and conference opportunities
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Dr Sanjaya Kuruppu
Co supervisors:
Professor Christine Helliar
Dr Dinithi Dissanayake
Dr Anisha Fernando
Prof. Yunchuan Sun from Beijing Normal University
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or a PhD.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Project-specific Essential Selection Criteria:
· Capacity to work collaboratively in teams.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr Sanjaya Kuruppu -
Disability not inability - The management control implications of workers living with intellectual disability
PhD Project: Disability not inability - The management control implications of workers living with intellectual disability
Research to make a real difference
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is now seeking applications for a research degree project with real-world impact, that will provide foundational insights into the management control implications of employing people living with an intellectual disability.
Beyond arguments relating to social justice, social inclusion and equal opportunity, the employment of individuals with an intellectual disability can be justified on rational economic and productivity grounds. Lower absenteeism, lower employee turnover, greater creativity, increased productivity, enhanced innovative capacity, and higher quality work, are all reasons that have been cited in favour of employing persons living with intellectual disability.
It is therefore likely that industry as well as public sector and not-for-profit organisations, are likely to have a high degree of interest in this research. However, the employment of persons living with intellectual disability calls into question the extent to which management control systems are or should be modified to accommodate such workers. In addition to its practical ramifications, this is a novel question in management control research and one which the project will directly seek to address.
As equity in our employment sector continues to emerge as a leading organisational priority, this project will provide you with the skillset to create a set of principles of best practice for employers and prospective employers to recruit and employ people with intellectual disability.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will conduct interviews with policymakers and practitioners in the intellectual disability area within South Australia, as well as practicing managers of organisations that employ people living with an intellectual disability.
You will also read, understand and interpret academic literature and organisational policies, and have the opportunity to travel to conferences to present papers on the project.
This project will be a foundational study that will identify opportunities for open employment in many industries and sectors where people living with an intellectual disability are able to contribute and add value.
Supervisory Team
Dr Basil Tucker - Principal Supervisor
Professor Ian Goodwin-Smith
Associate Professor Caroline Ellison
Dr Damien Wallace
Professor Richard Bruggemann (Disability advocate SA State Recipient Senior Australian of the Year 2021)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Thursday, 30 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Basil Tucker -
Sustainability Reporting in the Manufacturing Corporations in Bangladesh
Master or PhD Project: Sustainability Reporting in the Manufacturing Corporations in Bangladesh
Help develop a world in which social and economic development is sustainable and inclusive of all
If you are seeking to advance your career in social inclusion and in developing the sustainability policy of the future, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique opportunity to apply for a Masters or PhD project at our Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion exploring manufacturing sustainability in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to sustainability issues. According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), in 2020, the performance of Bangladesh on environmental sustainability was rated as poor; ranked one hundred sixty-two among one hundred eighty countries.
Additionally, the Human Rights Risk Index also reported that Bangladesh is among the top 30 worst performing countries in terms of human rights violations. This highlights the serious shortcomings of manufacturing corporations addressing sustainability issues.
Consequently, human rights organisations, global trade unions, buyer associations, and NGOs constantly exert pressure on manufacturing corporations to discharge accountability towards a wider range of stakeholders. Especially, as the relationship between supplier-firms and buyer-firms depend on product quality, price and corporate social responsibility (CSR) compliance. Buyer-firms can put considerable pressure on corporations for CSR compliance and reporting. However, currently these obligations are minimal, and the increased level of sustainability reporting is typically about ensuring legitimacy rather than representing a serious effort to do better.
To address global sustainability concerns, the United Nations has developed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) providing a new framework to undertake sustainability reporting. In this project you will measure corporate sustainability reporting in manufacturing corporations in Bangladesh using these indicators.
This project will provide important insights into the contribution of the private sector to economic, environmental and social prosperity, in one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, and whether the UN SDGs are a more accessible framework to understand and report on sustainability performance in Bangladesh.
This research project with impact, will also provide a framework for improving private sector engagement in the context of national development challenges.
What you’ll do
In this project you will undertake a mixed method study of sustainability reporting of manufacturing organisations in Bangladesh. This will primarily involve a survey of manufacturing firms and a content analysis of annual corporate and sustainability reports. Throughout this project, you will conduct semi-structured interviews with key corporate managers, to gain further insight into the ways that companies are reporting on the UN SDGs.
You will acquire advanced problem-solving skills and a capacity to undertake independent research, as well as strong written and oral communication skills. Specifically, the successful candidate will gain skills in research software such as NVivo (for the qualitative element of the study) and SPSS (for the quantitative element).
The student will have access to discipline leaders in the area of sustainability accounting and reporting at the Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion. As well as access to external guest speakers, speaking on issues of sustainability reporting, who may also provide professional development opportunities relevant to your study.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion that specialises in providing a trans-disciplinary approach to delivering meaningful research to inform innovative, evidence-based solutions for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
You will be a part of a thriving and supportive research community, with the opportunity to build a network with fellow research degree students at UniSA Business, enabling you to share the research journey together.
You will be mentored by our engaged researchers and provided with access to research seminars and conferences, travel permitted.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Dr Sanjaya Kuruppu
Co supervisors:
Dr Dinithi Dissanayake
Dr Wei Qian
Assoc Prof Mia Rahim from the University of New England.
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or a PhD.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Project-specific Essential Selection Criteria:
· Demonstrated capacity to work in research teams
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr Sanjaya Kuruppu
Business Systems in Context
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Human resources and industrial relations
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Organisational antecedents of corporate volunteering
PhD Project: Organisational antecedents of corporate volunteering
Help organisations achieve excellence
If you are seeking to advance your career in workplace and employee performance and wellbeing, and are interested in helping organisations better engage with their community and employees, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique opportunity to apply for a PhD by Research project at our Centre for Workplace Excellence exploring motivations for volunteering.
This project aims to address the challenge of motivating employees to engage in corporate volunteering and will investigate how the underlying social and psychological processes vary with different types of corporate volunteering and in different corporate cultural settings.
Your project will deliver real-world impact and help organisations better engage with the community and their employees.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will investigate what motivates employees to engage in corporate volunteering and the underlying social and psychological processes. You will specifically explore what motivates different types of corporate volunteering and the impact of different corporate cultural settings.
As a part of your project, you will undertake data analysis and fieldwork, and present your findings in research papers. You will acquire industry relevant data analysis, writing and presentation skills. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to network with researchers in this field through participation at conferences, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Centre for Workplace Excellence, where we make it our business to give organisations the knowledge to empower them and achieve excellence in organisational productivity and employee wellbeing. We are home to many experienced and engaged researchers and a community of research students working on cutting-edge projects to improve workplace and employee performance and wellbeing.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Dr Xin Deng
Co supervisors:
Dr Frank Huo
Associate Professor Connie Zheng
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the project-specific essential selection criteria:
· Hold a Master by research degree.
· Strong quantitative skills
Applicants must meet the project-specific desirable selection criteria:
· Publications in quality research journals.
· Experience in conducting fieldwork.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 10 October 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr Xin Deng
Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Other commerce, management, tourism and services
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Accountability and governance implications of blockchain use in Australia
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Creative arts and writing
Creative arts and writing
Creative and professional writing
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Exploring narratives of climate change: Writing through the Anthropocene
Masters by Research or PhD Project: Exploring narratives of climate change: Writing through the Anthropocene
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique opportunity for a PhD or Masters by Research project at our Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3) investigating one of the defining challenges of our lifetime - climate change - and the way it is communicated in our world.
In your project you will explore the ways that bodies and their environments relate to each other. You will investigate how this constructs what we understand of bodies, writing concepts and practices.
The successful candidate will become a part of UniSA’s Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre, with access to our world-class researchers who explore creativity and the environment and a network of writers and literary experts, that will help you build your profile as a writer or scholar.
What you’ll do
In consultation with your supervisor you will develop your own research proposal, using either a creative practice research, literary studies or environmental humanities approach, to explore the impact of an environment – natural, built or cultural – on writers, their corporeality, and their literary craft.
Upon completion of the research project, the candidate will possess sophisticated research and communication skills, be able to articulate an argument clearly, and will have a publication record in creative and/or critical writing.
Throughout the project you will be encouraged to present your creative and critical work at conferences and readings, locally and/or interstate, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3) an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research centre undertaking high quality collaborative research into culture and creativity. CP3 focuses on the people who make and participate in art, media and culture, on how products are made and valued, and on the spaces and communities in which this creative ecosystem takes place.
Supervisory Team
- Dr Jessica White (Principal Supervisor)
- Professor Simon Biggs
- Professor Craig Batty
- Dr Ben Stubbs
- Dr Amelia Walker
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or a PhD. Additionally, applicants will, in consultation with the proposed supervisors, develop a research proposal describing their research focus, how they will address how they will undertake the study, and the anticipated outcomes of the study. This proposal should be approximately 2500 words. The applicant should also prepare a portfolio of creative/professional work.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Magill Campus in the east of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Friday 1 October 2021 [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Jessica White
Visual Arts
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Contemporary Art (MF &MH Joyner Scholarship in Fine Arts)
Masters by Research or PhD Project: Contemporary Art (MF &MH Joyner Scholarship in Fine Arts)
Develop the highest level of skill and critical thinking in your chosen visual arts medium
Students undertaking the Contemporary Art Research Degree program undertake creative arts practice-based research investigating an aspect of contemporary art practice of their own choosing, as agreed with their supervisory team. The research is required to produce outcomes of novel value and import not only to the candidate, but to the broader visual arts research community.
Positions available
The prestigious MF & MH Joyner Scholarships in Fine Arts will be awarded to the most meritorious applicant for a PhD as selected by a panel of experts, including representatives from both the University of South Australia and Flinders University. This scholarship includes a living allowance 10% above standard support rates, valued at $31,739 per annum for 2022. Specific conditions and entry and selection requirements of the Joyner Scholarship can be found here. We strongly recommend that you read this document prior to applying.
Additionally, the University is pleased to be able to offer two additional positions to applicants to either the Masters by Research or PhD programs. These positions include a fee waiver and reasonable research expenses.
What you will do
The outcomes of your program of creative practice-based research could include a body of creative work taking the form of an exhibition, a performance or program of performances, recorded or digital works or publication(s). The candidate will also produce an exegesis of around 25,000 words that articulates the creative arts and theoretical context of the research, the methods employed in the research, the outcomes and key insights gained during the program of research.
The candidate will be encouraged to present the interim results of their research in exhibitions and at conferences in Australia and internationally, which may require some travel, where possible. Support is available for costs associated with travel where the candidate is presenting the outcomes of their research in a public context, such as an exhibition, conference or similar.
At the completion of the program of research candidates will possess the highest level of skill and critical thought in their chosen visual arts medium and be equipped to contribute creative outcomes of a world-class standard that are of interest and value to other similarly equipped visual arts practitioners, as well as other experts and the general public.
Candidates will be supported in their research in the form of access to outstanding facilities for art-making and scholarly inquiry. Candidates can also apply for funding to support the presentation of the interim outcomes of their research in exhibitions and at conferences in Australia and internationally, as well as costs associated with fieldwork they may need to undertake.
Where you’ll be based
Research degree students at UniSA: Creative enjoy access to some of the best facilities and research supervision available in an Australian art school environment, supporting a wide range of practices and media forms in the visual arts, including but not limited to, painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation, photography, video, performance art, digital and new media and emerging artistic forms. Depending on their research focus, candidates will have access to the facilities and resources associated with our two Research Centres - the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments and the Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3). Students are provided with studio facilities, access to our well-equipped state of the art workshops as well as a dedicated gallery for HDR related activities.
Applications are welcome from individuals seeking to undertake Research Degree study in both part-time and full-time modes for two of the three opportunities. We especially welcome applications, for all the opportunities, from first-nation artists and from artists from/with diverse backgrounds. We welcome proposals engaging interdisciplinary research topics.
Potential Supervisors
Your supervisory team will be confirmed, as appropriate to the specific research approach, drawn from the group of experts below.
- Professor Simon Biggs
- Dr Jaye Early
- Dr Matt Huppatz
- Dr Stephen Atkinson
- Dr Ruth Fazakerley
- Mr Christian Lock
- Ms Gabriella Bisetto
One position available, open to domestic applicants only
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $31,739 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students.
Eligibility
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Additional Masters by Research or PhD Projects
Two positions available, open to domestic and onshore international applicants
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Where an international applicant holds an external scholarship or sponsorship a full or partial fee waiver may apply in some circumstances for exceptional applicants. Other international applicants will be required to pay full tuition fees of approximately $32,600 per annum (2021 rates).
Eligibility
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants, and international applicants onshore in Australia.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time or part-time, and to be based at our City West Campus in the heart of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will be required to study full-time.
Selection Criteria
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or a PhD.
Additionally, applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Honours degree (or equivalent qualification with research component) in visual arts practice in the excellent range.
- A portfolio of creative works providing evidence of an emerging or established visual arts practice.
- Examples of critical/reflective/theoretical written work.
- A research proposal outlining the background, concerns, aims and objectives, context and methodological approach of the proposed program of research and an indicative bibliography (2000-2500 words). A template for proposals can be provided.
- Honours H1.
- A record of visual arts exhibitions at national or world-class venues.
- Examples of published writing.
- Experience in organising and/or curating visual arts exhibitions and events.
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Monday 15 November 2021 [ACDT].Principal Supervisor: Professor Simon Biggs
Other creative arts and writing
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Exploring narratives of climate change: Writing through the Anthropocene
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Earth sciences
Earth sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Geochemistry
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Economics
Economics
Applied Economics
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The Trade Finance Gap: Causes, Consequences and Implications for Economic Development
PhD Project: The Trade Finance Gap: Causes, Consequences and Implications for Economic Development
Trade finance is credit that financial institutions offer to firms to facilitate cross country transactions of goods and services. It involves loans and guarantees from banks that underpin imports and exports – through either directly providing funding or though unfunded guarantees to the exporter on behalf of the importer. International trade does not generally take place without trade finance. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report that around 80% of international trade transactions require some form of financial credit or guarantee. In dollar terms, the WTO reports that in 2018 there was an estimated $18 trillion in global trade flows, as such, there needs to be a trade finance market worth around $14 trillion. There exists however, a trade finance gap – an unmet demand for trade finance – where trade cannot take place because there are not sufficient trade finance arrangements offered by financial institutions. This has been especially acute since the global financial crisis. This project seeks to uncover the key causes and consequences of constraints in global trade finance (and the trade finance gap) and the implications for economic development and policy.
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will be part of the Market Values and Inclusion research (MVI) concentration. You’ll work with academics that have high levels of expertise, and who have published widely in global financial policy, international economics, and economic development. Your thesis will be produced through conducting basic and applied research in the first instance, with a view to developing themes to the project that will have high potential for end user engagement.
In this project you’ll develop high level skills in economic analysis as well as statistical analysis of economic and development issues, alongside being well prepared to engage in projects that are of global importance and that are consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You’ll also be trained in writing papers for publication in high quality international journals in economic development and financial policy.
Travel permitted, the successful applicant would be expected to undertake travel to present his/her work where required.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Associate Professor Tony Cavoli
Co supervisors:
Associate Professor Rajabrata Banerjee
Dr Ilke Onur
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from domestic applicants only.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Tony Cavoli
Econometrics
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Value of Solar Forecasts
PhD Project: Value of Solar Forecasts
Numerous methods have been developed during the last decade to forecast the solar resource and the generation of solar renewables. These forecasts can be deterministic, also called point forecasts, when they provide a single value to predict the future energy production. But they can also be probabilistic, when they give the probability associated to the future level of production. The quality of solar forecasts is assessed by comparing predictions with measured solar data. However, this methodology does not consider the added value of the forecasts for a particular user’s applications.
The aim of this PhD is to bring new knowledge about how to assess the quality of solar forecasts by taking into account their added value for specific applications. For instance, the financial return generated by a solar system is commonly a non-linear function of the expected future production. In an ARENA project, prospective supervisors Boland and Kay, along with colleagues, showed how improvements in forecasting lowered the frequency control and ancillary services fees for solar farms. This research needs extension to wider applications. The results of the PhD are essential to define which characteristics of a forecast need to be improved, in order to be of increased value, rather than simply to be evaluated as to how closely they match the observed data.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time. Additionally, applications from students studying externally will also be considered.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Where an international applicant holds an external scholarship or sponsorship a full or partial fee waiver may apply in some circumstances for exceptional applicants. Other international applicants will be required to pay full tuition fees of approximately $37,800 per annum (2021 rates).
Supervisory Team
- Professor John Boland – Principal Supervisor
- Dr Merlinde Kay (University of New South Wales)
- Professor Mathieu David (Universite de La Reunion)
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 19 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr John Boland
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The Trade Finance Gap: Causes, Consequences and Implications for Economic Development
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Education
Education
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Education policy, sociology and philosophy
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Education systems
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Supporting young children’s multilingual literacies during learning and engagement in early childhood
PhD Project: Supporting young children’s multilingual literacies during learning and engagement in early childhood
Help young multilingual children thrive
Are you seeking to advance your career in early childhood development? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has a unique research degree project available based at our Centre for Research on Educational and Social Inclusion, fostering young children’s multilingual learning literacies in their home language and English as an additional language (EAL).
Despite there being around 30% of Australias population speaking home languages other than in/addition to English – with an increasing number of EAL children with potential to develop multilingual literacies if appropriately supported – early years multilingual literacies research is scant; and there is limited support for EAL children’s multilingual literacies learning in early childhood settings.
This project will investigate EAL children’s multilingual literacies practices and develop strategies which will foster learning and engagement in their home languages, as well as English. Findings will be synthesised into a pedagogic framework that supports educators to promote EAL children’s multilingual literacies.
The project will primarily involve observations and interviews in children’s early childhood settings with educators, children and families. It will investigate practices which promote multilingual children’s funds of knowledge while combatting subtractive bilingualism, where learning a second language means losing the first. We will explore what needs to happen so that young multilingual learners are seen as assets who can mentor and educate their peers and community members, showing others what it entails to belong and thrive as a multilingual literate person and community member.
Anticipated outcomes include developing new knowledge about supporting childrens multilingual literacies learning and engagement in educational, home and community contexts; innovations on child-voiced research methods that engage with multilingual childrens voices; and enhanced educators capacity for supporting children’s multilingual literacies learning and engagement.
With a clear gap in research around early years multilingual literacies, this project will spotlight a key area of childhood development and give you the expertise to implement important strategies which will support children on their path to success.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will:
· Develop a literature review on young childrens multilingualism and related pedagogic practices in early childhood settings to generate specific research questions.
· Develop a research design around these questions.
· Submit applications to UniSA for ethics clearance and to TAFE SA for research approval.
· Recruit preschools and participants (children, educators, families) in line with the studys approved ethics protocols.
· Collect data in preschool settings to observe children, educators and families in situations sampled to fit the studys purpose; and interview educators about their practices for supporting multilingual children in their settings.
· Use the NVivo program to upload, store, transcribe and code data using thematic analysis and inductive coding to triangulate data (supervisors will provide training on this program).
You will also be able to travel to conferences and co-author research in journal articles, conference presentations and briefing papers. You will also have the opportunity to build relationships with partners to maximise the translation of your research into practice.
Where you’ll be based
You will be situated in UniSA’s Centre for Research on Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI), a world-class centre that brings together complimentary methodologies and expertise from a range of educational and social disciplines. You will benefit significantly from working alongside world-class researchers in an environment that provides strong support for research degree students.
You will also have the opportunity to:
· participate in a vibrant high-quality research culture
· collaborate with leading international scholars
· expand your research and professional network
· access high-level research support and opportunities
· engage in CRESIs seminar program
· promote your research outcomes through the CRESI website and other media
· build your research capacity and impact.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor: Prof Pauline Harris
Co supervisor: Dr Amy Farndale
Nahid Mehraein, Manager, Child Care Network & Creche Services, TAFE SA (Industry advisor)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the project-specific essential selection criteria:
· At least 3 years experience in working in early childhood settings as a qualified early childhood teacher.
· Background (e.g., course studies) in research design and methods
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our Magill campus in the north of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Professor Pauline Harris
Specialist studies in education
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AI Learning Lab
PhD Project: AI LearningLab
Preparing students for a future with AI
If you are seeking to advance your career in education and are interested in developing the educational technologies of the future, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique opportunity to apply for several PhD projects at our Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L).
Our future society will be dominated by artificial intelligence (AI), advanced technology and automation. It is therefore imperative that our next generation citizens and workforce will be AI and technology savvy to continue to make a difference.
At C3L we are developing an AI curriculum – AI LearningLab - to help schools prepare our students for this future; to learn with AI, to develop AI, and to learn to critically engage in ethical discussions on AI to own their future. This research project focusses on how schools accept and embrace AI technology as a part of the learning experience and explore how students and AI can solve complex problems together.
The AI LearningLab challenges how we approach teaching and learning with AI for a technology dominated future.
What you’ll do
This project presents a unique opportunity to join our research team and develop an AI LearningLab for schools that provides students with a safe place to explore and learn with AI.
The candidate will be embedded in existing dedicated research projects addressing the four key areas in this research program. The successful applicant with work with the supervisory team to determine their main research focus:
- How students accept and work together with AI and advanced technology to solve problems that require more than human capability alone;
- How student learning and human-machine collaboration can be augmented with AI and learning analytics based on real time feedback;
- What requirements, policies, criteria and infrastructure needs to be in place to govern the AI LearningLab as a safe place for schools and students to learn with AI; and
- What teacher professional development and community learning should the AI LearningLab offer, to collectively expand the AI curriculum (lessons and resources) and support teaching and learning with AI in schools.
In this industry engaged project, you will also collaborate with a number of global and local technology companies to develop the AI LearningLab and collaborate with schools, implementing AI in teaching and learning practices and influence and action an AI research agenda for education.
You will be a part of an innovative research team and have the opportunity to engage and co-lead in research publication in top journals and share your knowledge at relevant events and conferences.
The collaborative nature of C3L's research principles will ensure that you will develop entrepreneurial skills that will advance your academic or professional career.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L) where we focus on the complex relationship between human and artificial cognition, how it changes society, knowledge processes, and teaching and learning. C3L uses complexity science methodologies, promotes the uptake of applied research, engages with the community and government agencies (healthcare, education, defence, cultural) and industry.
Our thriving research culture with state-of-the-art infrastructure, creates an environment of research excellence supportive of opportunities for innovation, invention, mentoring and collegiality. C3L offers a collaborative team environment with a mix of interdisciplinary researchers with expertise in computer science, education, psychology, data science and engineering, and a mix of senior and early career researchers to provide support and mentorship.
C3L has expertise in a range of methodological approaches at the intersection of learning analytics, technology and learning sciences, and is home to 7 of the top 12 cited scholars in learning analytics.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Associate Professor Maarten de Laat
Co supervisors:
Dr Srecko Joksimovic
Dr Rebecca Marrone
Industry Partners: Intel, meldCX, [24]7.ai, Comunet
Note: the appropriate end user will be determined with the supervisory team.
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Project-specific Essential Selection Criteria:
- A background in gender studies, social work, sociology/social science, anthropology, critical or social psychology or public health.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West Campus in Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 3 October 2021.Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Maarten de Laat
Other Education
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Supporting young children’s multilingual literacies during learning and engagement in early childhood
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Engineering
Engineering
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Chemical Engineering
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Civil Engineering
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Evaluation of reinforced pavement system for mitigating pavement damage on expansive soil
PhD Project - Evaluation of reinforced pavement system for mitigating pavement damage on expansive soil
More than 20% of Australian land surface are expansive clay. The tiny plates of these clay minerals attract water molecules during winter rain and hydrated cations between them to cause expansion or swell. In dry summer, these soils shrink volumetrically due to a lack of water molecules and hydrated cations. These cyclic movements due to seasonal variation of moisture content are inevitable, which lead to considerable damage in pavement structures as a form of longitudinal cracks. The pavement structures in Adelaide may be the most vulnerable due to widespread natural deposits of the most expansive soils in Australia and its semi-arid climate (AS 2870 2011). However, engineers are well aware of this problem for many years, and they, traditionally, handled this by resurfacing, rebuilding pavement layers or lime treating subgrade layers. There are different practices exist for rebuilding pavement layers and lime treating subgrade layers in different states of Australia, and fundamental understanding of the mechanics of these practices are not well studied (Gibbons and Cowan 2018).
Reinforced Pavements has been extensively used for increasing the lifespan of pavement or reducing base course thickness, was extensively studied as basal reinforcement of pavements to mitigate of longitudinal cracks in expansive soil in many locations of Texas (Zornberg et al. 2008). However, the learning from Australian practice is mostly experienced-based and, therefore, this proposal attempt to understand the mechanism of reinforced pavement in Australian expansive soils to reduce long term cost in pavement systems and develop documentation so that the knowledge can be stored, shared and incrementally develop with new opportunity and challenges.
What you’ll do
This proposal has a consortium of UniSA, city councils and industries to investigate the use of soil reinforcement to tackle longitudinal pavement crack in expansive soils. To have a better understanding, this project proposes a systematic study involving laboratory and field-scale investigation.
The work in the project will have an excellent balance between numerical and laboratory works and the candidate will have the opportunity to develop a diverse set of skills upon completion of the project. The laboratory work will include advanced triaxial testing, characterisation of expansive soils, including the use of state of the art soil water characteristics curve device, large scale soil column test with regular monitoring and related numerical modelling. Some of the outputs from the project will be presented as interactive maps developed using GIS platform.
Alongside this many other soft skills like teamwork, problem-solving, work ethics and time management will be developed.
The candidate will have opportunities to learn how to use the advanced testing devices for triaxial, simple shear, direct shear, etc.
Where you’ll be based
The supervision team has more than 12 years of experience in pavement research. The primary supervisor, Md Mizanur Rahman, is leading a large geotechnical research group. He established world-class laboratory facilities to support geotechnical research activities through a series of internal, public & industry and nationally competitive grants totalling approximately $4.3M. These equipment and facilities include multiple stress & strain control triaxial testing equipment, static and dynamic simple shear, reinforced pavement testing facilities e.g. pull-out, high precision temperature control indoor, many field instrumentations etc. The primary supervisor, Md Mizanur Rahman, has national leadership on pavement research which includes the development of DesignPave software, an Australian national pavement design software for CMAA for free distribution.
Dr Rajibul Karim, a senior lecturer in UniSA, has around +75 refereed papers in soil mechanics and is a reviewer of many prestigious international journals. He has secured more than $0.75M over the last 4 years. He also is an active member of the member professional society and has existing collaborative relationships with institutions in USA and UK.
The team has an excellent mentoring history. In the last 5 years, the 6 students have completed their PhD, and 5 of them are working in reputed geotechnical firms (Coffey, CMW geoscience, DBD Environment) making valuable contributions to the industry. One PhD graduate joined UniSA STEM as a full-time academic. 4 of the current PhD students have already secured employment in the industry. The team has also supported 3 post-doc research associates to continue their research career since 2015.
The current research team comprises academics and students from different gender and cultural, language and ethnic background (from 7 different countries).
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor MD Mizanur Rahman – Principal Supervisor
Dr Rajibul Karim – Co-Supervisor
Dr Khoi Nguyen – Co-Supervisor
Mr Peter Levett – Industry End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Monday 4th October [ACST]Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Md Mizanur Rahman -
Reactive soil movement under current and future climate, and their influence on geotechnical structures
PhD Project - Reactive soil movement under current and future climate, and their influence on geotechnical structures
Prepare our built environment to weather the climate challenge
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a unique opportunity for a PhD project investigating one of the defining challenges of our lifetime - climate change - and the way in which it is affecting soil movement and our built environment.
Changes in climate are already having an impact on the behaviour of geotechnical structures in many different countries. Depending on the type of structure, local soil type, local climate and expected future changes, the impact can be different in different scenarios.
In Australia, climate change has already been attributed to reduced rainfall and increased temperatures in the south-east and there is the likelihood of even greater changes in the future. The impact of this type of change will be significant in Australia, as approximately 30% of all surface soils can be classified as reactive (or expansive), where they generate significant ground movement due to moisture content changes. For instance, typical ground movement due to moisture cycles between summer and winter can exert large additional stresses on structures built on such soils. Additionally, the presence of vegetation near a structure can further intensify the problem.
Overall, records show that buildings in Australia, constructed before 1981, have experienced over $1.46B in damages due to soil movement. These problems are expected to worsen due to continued climate change. To ensure structures designed and built today last well into the future, or at least serve for desired design life (commonly 50 or 100 years), it is crucial to understand how ground movement is likely to change, and how these changes may influence the behaviour of structures built on them.
This project will explore the effect of climate change on ground movement due to soil-vegetation-atmospheric boundary interaction, and its influence on geotechnical structures. This research will pave the way towards the design of safer, sustainable and more resilient geotechnical structures.
What you’ll do
In this project, you will explore the impact of climate change on ground movement due to the soil-vegetation-atmospheric boundary interaction, and its influence on geotechnical structures.
You will have the opportunity to develop a diverse set of skills through the project, as it will involve a mixture of numerical and laboratory work. The laboratory work will include advanced triaxial testing, characterisation of expansive soils (using a state of the art soil water characteristics curve device), large scale soil column test with regular monitoring, and related numerical modelling.
You will join the Geotechnical Research Group, an innovative and supportive research team comprising of senior researchers and other PhD students. Predominantly based at UniSA, you may also have the opportunity for a placement with one of our industry or end-user partners, and attend domestic and international conferences, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Geotechnical Research Group an innovative and industry partnered research team that has shown tremendous growth over the past four years, making valuable contributions to the geotechnical community in both industry and academia. The Geotechnical Research Group lead investigations into different geotechnical challenges and collaborate with more than 35 local, national and international organisations.
Supervisory Team
Dr Rajibul Karim – Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Md. Mizanur Rahman – Co-Supervisor
Dr Khoi Nguyen – Co-Supervisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time or part-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 28th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Rajibul Karim -
Simulating a system combining fluids and solids to assess the failure potential of a geo-structure
PhD Project - Simulating a system combining fluids and solids to assess the failure potential of a geo-structure
Lead a new way in soil assessment
Are you interested in advancing your career in Civil/Geotechnical engineering? The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exciting opportunity for a PhD project seeking to investigate new ways of assessing soil stability.
Geo-structure failure often involves the reduction of the shear strength of soil, due to the generation of excess pore water pressure.
Soil failure assessment, considering critical state soil mechanics, have recently attracted the attention of many geotechnical researchers. However, such approaches often face challenges such as the inability to capture soil fabric, which can play a significant role in the observed behaviour of soil.
Due to these limitations, practitioners have been arguing over the reliability of conventional failure assessments, and the discrete element method (DEM) has become popular, as it can capture soil fabric. However, DEM has numerical limitations, such as the lack of an appropriate contact model and boundary conditions.
Most DEM studies also ignore the physical characteristics of liquids between the particles and estimate pore water pressure by conventional formulations. Some may argue these pore water pressure estimations do not reflect the testing condition, which has led to some studies coupling fluid dynamics with DEM. In this type of assessment, an idealised fluid body is adopted, and the pressure generated between the fluid and the particles is measured. This technique is imperfect and introduces the resistance of particles in the fluid environment, referred to as ‘drag coefficient’. There have been many proposed formulations of drag coefficient based on the velocities of the fluid and particle, and these formulations are different in every different contact model.
This research project seeks to develop an optimised soil assessment method, using open-source DEM code, to develop numerical simulations showing the qualitative behaviour of soil and pore water pressure, via existing contact mechanisms and boundary conditions.
What you’ll do
In this project the successful candidate will learn and use numerical programs for discrete element method (DEM) and fluid dynamics to develop an optimised soil assessment. You will perform a series of triaxial and simple shear tests to validate your results from your numerical analysis.
It will involve the investigation of micro-structures, through laboratory tests using SEM and/or CTScan.
With access to state-of-the-art equipment you will gain experience in both numerical programming and advanced laboratory testing. You will join an innovative research environment at UniSA, and have the opportunity to develop your research network through conferences, travel permitted.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA’s Geotechnical Research Team in ScaRCE and be a part of a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment. With more than 35 local, national and international partners, we are connected to the geotechnical community in industry and academia.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Md. Mizanur Rahman – Principal Supervisor
Dr Khoi Nguyen – Co-Supervisor
Dr Rajibul Karim – Co-Supervisor
Dr Abu Rabbi – CMW Geoscienes – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Monday, 1st November [ACST}.
Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Md Mizanur Rahman -
Use of precast concrete piles reinforced with GFRP to underpin jetties
PhD Project - Use of precast concrete piles reinforced with GFRP to underpin jetties
Innovating Australia’s future infrastructure
UniSA in collaboration with three industry partners, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), Keller Group and Inconmat Australia, is leading a research project aimed at finding a cost-effective, durable and environmentally friendly solution to replace deteriorating timber piles in our coastal jetties.
There are more than 70 jetties along the South Australian coastline. These jetties are predominately made up of timber and many have deteriorated over the years. Current practice to rectify this problem is to underpin timber piles with steel piles, which is not an ideal solution as steel is also vulnerable to corrosion in marine environments and steel piles are commonly imported from overseas. Additionally, the costs associated with transportation of these steel piles, as well as the extra cost required for regular inspection and maintenance during their lifetime, significantly increases the rehabilitation and construction cost of jetties.
This is an exceptional project, which takes research from the laboratory to real-life practice with extensive collaboration with multiple industry partners to tackle an ongoing real-world problem. It is anticipated that the outcome of this research will have a significant impact on the retrofitting of many old jetties and the construction of new jetties, not only within South Australia, but also nationwide.
This PhD project has been allocated the prestigious William T. Southcott Scholarship which has been established as a result of a bequest from Mr William T. Southcott. The scholarship will be offered to outstanding students to undertake a PhD in the field of practical engineering at the University of South Australia. This scholarship including a living allowance 10% above standard support rates, valued at $32,000 per annum with a one off amount of $3,000 for research costs such as conferences, overseas study, and minor expenses.
What you’ll do
In this PhD project you will study the behaviour of precast concrete piles reinforced with Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) through laboratory tests, computer modelling and the in-situ driving of large-scale piles at a South Australian beach to monitor their short-term and long-term performance.
Collaborating with our industry partners, you will be a part of project team that visits jetty structures around South Australia to better investigate the ongoing problem. Throughout the project you will monitor the test piles, visiting the test site, undertake laboratory testing and further assist our industry partners to develop an innovative practical design. In this industry-led project you will also be co-located with our industry partners during the length of the project.
The successful candidate will undertake an economic and environmental cost benefit life-cycle analysis to assess the suitability of the proposed system to be considered by authorities, asset owners and construction managers.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Scarce Resources and Circular Economy (ScaRCE) brings together experts from across renewable technologies and materials engineering to develop solutions for the future. We seek to address the major challenges for society at the interface of the natural and built environments on all scales.
Supervisory Team
Dr Reza Hassanli – Principal Supervisor
Professor Yan Zhuge – Co-Supervisor
Dr Jorge Ochoa Paniagua – Co-Supervisor
Spiros Dimas - Manager of Marine Assets – End User Advisor
Peter Kingston – Stage manager at Keller – End User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $32,000 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional one off amount of $3,000 will be available to use towards research costs such as conferences, overseas study and minor development.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants onshore in Australia and New Zealand. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Applicants will be assessed on the basis of their resume as well as a short essay outlining their vision for the proposed research and its potential benefits to industry.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 14th October [ACST]Principal Supervisor: Dr Reza Hassanli -
Verification of the stress grade of Australian softwood through alternative testing methods
PhD Project - Verification of the stress grade of Australian softwood through alternative testing methods
Be a part of a research project that will innovate Australia’s timber industry
Australia’s plantation softwood industry produces predominantly structural timber, used for construction that is valued at more than $1.2B per annum and contributes to the economic development of regional areas. UniSA in partnership with the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) has provided a fully funded research project aimed at characterising the softwood grades of timber to reduce business costs associated with grade verification.
This industry-led PhD project provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate with the timber industry, including over 14 timber mills and peak industry bodies such as the Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), and Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA). This project will set you up with expert knowledge for a career in the timber industry.
What you’ll do
In this PhD project you will collaborate with the research team and technical staff of the NIFPI project ‘Characterising Softwood Sawn Products in Australia’ and be trained to become a timber researcher of the future.
Through extensive laboratory testing you will help establish the physical and mechanical properties of timber samples collected from 14 mills across the country by investigating the possibility of using alternative testing methods for verification of Machine Graded Pine (MGP) by timber producers.
Verification of grade is a requirement of the production of machine graded softwood and the current costs of verification to producers is substantial, estimated to be around $1.8M per year for the industry. Current verifications are conducted according to AS/NZS 4490, that uses a traditional testing philosophy, which was appropriate when the standard was first developed. We are investigating opportunities for cheaper alternative methods of verification.
The current standard allows alternative methods of verification, provided it can be established that the result equals the standard method. To help timber producers wishing to reduce the verification costs by using validated alternative testing methods, they need to know the factors to modify in the alternative test to make it equivalent to the standard test result. Up until now, there hasn’t been any research conducted on a national scale, to establish the relationship between alternative and standard test results. Through this project we aim to establish a suite of relationships between alternative and standard test results for the range of grades in the NIFPI study (MGP 10, 12 and 15). It will reduce compliance costs of batch verification of timber producers whilst maintaining equivalent confidence in the verification result.
During this project you may also have the opportunity to travel to timber and forestry conferences to present research findings and potentially secure an industry placement towards end of the candidature.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at the timber testing facility located at UniSA’s Mawson Lakes campus and UniSA’s Scarce Resources and Circular Economy research concentration, where you will have access to state-of-the-art equipment in an industry recognised facility.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Rameez Rameezdeen – Principal Supervisor
Professor Yan Zhuge – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Xing Ma – Co-Supervisor
Dr Geoff Boughton – TimberED Services Pty Ltd – End-User Advisor
Dr. Jon Shanks – Director, TimberED Services Pty Ltd – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Willingness to work in a laboratory environment including testing of timber samples
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Wednesday, 6th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Rameez Rameezdeen
Communications engineering
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Next generation MIMO LEO satellite networks
PhD Project - Next generation MIMO LEO satellite networks
Create new communications technologies for use in space
Are you seeking to advance your career in the space industry? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has an exciting research degree project available based at our renowned Institute for Telecommunications Research. This PhD project aims to develop novel communications technologies to achieve a resilient communications architecture between satellites flying in formation, ground networks and users.
Multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) and cooperative communications have facilitated some great developments in terrestrial communication systems, including 5G mobile communications.
This research project aims to explore parallels of these technologies for small satellite missions, to securely task space missions for near real-time operations, and enable an efficient network of active space sensors to facilitate distributed and centralised data processing, and the dissemination of processed and raw payload data back to a ground-network.
This project will focus on identifying levels of achievable performance gains through coordination among terminals. This may involve frequency, phase, or timing synchronisation (such as in transmit beamforming), as well as data communications among local satellite clusters for joint signal processing (such as in receive beamforming). One extreme scenario to be explored is when all terminals are perfectly synchronised and connected such that a group of terminals can essentially be viewed as if a ‘single’ super-terminal.
In this project you will seek to determine the level of coordination – the degree to which the carriers can be synchronised among the terminals – subject to a constraint on resources and practical limitations.
With the space industry emerging as a clear area of growth and strategic priority for Australia, this project will enable you to undertake fundamental research in low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will investigate novel communication technologies to achieve a resilient architecture for different scenarios, such as a space-to-ground link and inter-satellite communications for satellites flying in formation.
You will have access to high-end communications equipment for conducting research in satellite communications, and may also have the opportunity to intern at the Defence Science and Technology Group.
It is expected that you will contribute to the publication and presentation of research articles at conferences and in journals.
Upon completion of the project, you will:
· attain knowledge on foundation and recent advances in low earth orbit satellite communications
· acquire extensive experiences in undertaking independent research in satellite communications
· obtain experience in using numerical computing/simulation packages (e.g. Matlab) to solve practical communications problems
· develop the ability to work independently and cooperatively in a diverse research team.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Institute for Telecommunications Research which has traditionally been recognised among the best satellite communications research groups in Australia. You will be supervised by a team of experienced academics including researchers from The Defence Science and Technology Group.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Terence Chan – Principal Supervisor
Dr Khoa Nguyen – Co-Supervisor
Dr Debabrata Karmokar – Co-Supervisor
Balachander Ramamurthy – DST Group Edinburgh – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants.
The Defence Science and Technology Group have provided a living allowance top-up at a minimum rate of $7,500 to domestic applicants only. This amount is negotiable, and where the applicant is very highly qualified and has appropriate experience this may increase up to $20,000. Therefore, the overall living allowance package is from $36,097 to $48,597.
The project also has generous funds to support travel and conference attendance for domestic students, travel permitted.
A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 1st October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Terence Chan
Electronics, sensors and digital hardware
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Microgrid protection and control
Masters by Research or PhD Project: Microgrid protection and control
DC microgrids and hybrid AC-DC microgrids have emerged as scalable and efficient ways of connecting renewable energy resources to local DC loads, but hurdles currently remain to their mainstream adoption. For DC microgrids, one of the challenges is protection from faults. In an AC system, current crosses zero periodically, allowing zero-point quenching to occur, i.e., contacts opening when current crosses zero. In a DC or a hybrid AC-DC system, there is no such opportunity. Advances in low-voltage DC (LVDC) protection using solid-state circuit breakers, hybrid circuit breakers, Z-source circuit breakers and solid-state transformers are showing promising results, but fault discrimination and speed of isolation remain limited. Moreover, the demand for protection is moving into the megawatt power range.
Contribution to the research area requires synergistic application of rigorous physics-based modeling, clever circuit design, controller design, signal processing and even machine learning. Thus, supervision will come from a team of PhD-qualified academic supervisors and industry experts with diverse expertise.
In the first phase of the project, the HDR student will work with the supervisory team to work on the design of a SiC-based protection device. In the second phase, the student will work with the supervisory team to help design a suite of algorithms for fault detection, fault isolation and microgrid control.
The research degree candidate will be working with passionate and experienced academics and industry experts conducting research in the intersection of semiconductor physics, power electronics, control and signal processing. Besides career mentorship, the HDR candidate will be making productive connections with the increasingly important -- in view of the 2021 Global Semiconductor Shortage -- semiconductor sector. The HDR candidate will have access to the electronics labs in Building SCT, and the Laser Physics and Photonics Devices Laboratory if necessary. Depending on the candidate's progress, the candidate may be placed in an internship with CVX Semiconductor. The HDR candidate will enjoy opportunities to participate in outreach activities, e.g., Three Minute Thesis competitions, and thereby build a brand for themselves over time.
Research activities will range from literature review, design, circuit analysis and design, mathematical analysis, algorithm design, software/hardware implementation, troubleshooting to meetings and discussions with industry partners. Regularly, there will be presentations and demonstrations for academic as well as industry stakeholders. Research work may lead to internship at CVX Semiconductor.
At least once per year, the HDR candidate is expected to publish in and present at a relevant and reputable conference. The candidate will work closely with fellow HDR candidates, academic supervisors and industry supervisors to achieve the goal of producing enough outcomes to publish at least one journal article per year.
Depending on the candidate's research progress, the candidate has the option to work as a teaching assistant on paid contracts. This will enrich the candidate's exposure to different work environments and help build the candidate's communication and employment skills.
Female HDR candidates are encouraged to engage with the Women in STEM club.
The research project is intellectually stimulating and rewarding. It is multidisciplinary, requiring skills in the areas of semiconductor physics, power electronics, control and signal processing. This explains the diverse academic backgrounds of the supervisory panel. As such, the HDR candidate will be trained in the intersection of these areas. The HDR candidate will acquire strategic planning skills, circuit analysis and design skills, mathematical analysis skills, algorithmic design skills, hands-on skills in software/hardware development, troubleshooting skills, writing skills, presentation skills as well as soft skills for maintaining productive relationships with various stakeholders.
The HDR student will be allocated a desktop computer and funding to attend a conference per year. Besides a well-stocked digital library, the candidate will have access to well-equipped computing and electronics laboratories.
Depending on the candidate's progress, research work may lead to internship at CVX Semiconductor at Lot 14. In terms of employment outcomes, the proposed project will cultivate the highly desired engineering skills to meet the job market demand created by the 2021 Global Semiconductor Shortage, the increasing electrification of transportation, and the ever-growing renewable energy sector. The research degree candidate will have developed a highly sought-after skill set in the semiconductor, electronics and power industries upon completing their study. A candidate interested in an academic career will have acquired the necessary academic background and aptitude to join the tertiary education industry.
The research degree student has the option to pursue the proposed research either full-time or part-time, and either on campus or off campus. The student is however encouraged to pursue their research full-time on campus in order to take advantage of the provided training, resources and facilities and so that they can graduate with enough research outcomes that lead them to the next stage of their career.
Supervisory Team
- Dr Yee Wei Law (Principal Supervisor)
- Associate Professor Shahraam Afshar Vahid
- Dr David Whaley
- Dr Cindy Wing Shan Tam (CVX Semiconductor)
- Dr Chi Wah Kok (CVX Semiconductor)
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Where an international applicant holds an external scholarship or sponsorship a full or partial fee waiver may apply in some circumstances for exceptional applicants. Other international applicants will be required to pay full tuition fees of approximately $37,800 per annum (2021 rates).
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research or PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study either full-time or part-time, and be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Sunday 3 October 2021 [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Yee Wei Law
Engineering practice and education
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Maritime engineering
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Data driven dynamic requirements engineering for smart naval vessel acquisition
PhD Project - Data driven dynamic requirements engineering for smart naval vessel acquisition
Improve cost efficiencies in Australia’s defence industry
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has an exceptional research degree project available for application in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Group’s Maritime Division. This significant project will contribute to Australia’s strategic goal of future proofing our smart vessel acquisition program, ensuring greater return on value for taxpayer money spent on our military vessels.
Military vessel acquisition and sustainment projects consume billions of taxpayer dollars annually. This project will seek to improve the value for money and operational effectiveness of these vessels, through the accurate estimation of their operational requirements at the outset of the acquisition process.
It has been observed that there is often a difference between predicted and actual operational vessel profiles, suggesting that in many cases the vessel design acquired and built, was not optimal. However, formal methods for comparing conceptual and actual operational profiles is currently lacking. Operational data can be large, complicated, and discontinuous, with the quality of information dependent on appropriate parameters being recorded, thus impacting the ability to inform improved processes.
Additionally, new or unconventional systems engineering principles need to be explored to enable in-service design information to play a role in the requirements development process and help manage the dynamic state of requirements through the vessels life.
In this project you will investigate these discrepancies between conceptual and actual operational profiles, to help produce more accurate usage profiles in the requirements development process, and aid the understanding of the nature of dynamic requirements.
With the growing importance of Australia’s sovereign defence capability, this project will provide you with the expertise to assist Australia’s defence industry deliver a future proofed maritime vessel program.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will:
· Collect and analyse operational data.
· Identify operational areas of significance for improved vessel performance and flexibility.
· Research novel requirements development processes for ship acquisition and upgrades, considering the dynamic nature of requirements and using systems engineering principles.
Where you’ll be based
This project may require visits to specific naval bases.
Supervisory Team
Dr Mahmoud Efatmaneshnik – Principal Supervisor
Professor Markus Stumptner – Co-Supervisor
Dr Kieran Pringle – Defence Science Technology (DSTG) – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 30th September [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Mahmoud Efatmaneshnik
Materials engineering
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Materials for a hydrogen economy – a computational approach
PhD Project - Materials for a hydrogen economy – a computational approach
As we move towards a hydrogen economy, there are many challenged faced by the materials science community to capture, transport and store this volatile and small molecule. This project will utilize atomic-scale simulations to examine the behavior of hydrogen inside alloy systems such as steels and titanium. Experimentally, we know that hydrogen concentrates at defects such as grain boundaries, and in this project we will utilize computational methods to examine the transport and preferred location of hydrogen within the microstructure. The effect of different solute species on the diffusivity of hydrogen will also be studied, with a particular emphasis on the chemically complex interfaces that we see in real life.
Eligibility & Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Masters or honours degree in engineering, physics, mathematics or similar
- Willingness to be co-supervised by an expert in computational materials science at the University of Nantes, and ability to live in France in the latter half of the PhD project
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide, before transferring to the Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes for the second half of the program.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. A UniSA funded living allowance scholarship of $28,597 is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Additional funds will be made available for conference attendance and travel.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Nikki Stanford - Principal Supervisor
- Dr Reza Mahjoub
- Professor Drew Evans
- Professor Isabelle Braems ( Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes)
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications will remain open until 11:30pm Tuesday 19 October 2021 (ACDT).Principal Supervisor: Professor Nikki Stanford
Manufacturing engineering
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Evaluation of reinforced pavement system for mitigating pavement damage on expansive soil
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Environmental sciences
Environmental sciences
Ecological applications
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Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
PhD Project: Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
Advance a new technology to save animals
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available for application a research degree project that will investigate the development of a novel non-lethal bait technology, based on the principle of conditioned-taste aversion for introduced predators.
Foxes, feral cats and wild dogs are responsible for the extinction of numerous native Australian species and endangering countless others. This results in a significant decline in biodiversity with downstream impacts to the environment, indigenous culture and nature-based tourism valued at more than $40M per year. Similarly, these introduced predators cause significant economic losses to the agricultural industry at more than $28M per year.
The most widely used broad scale tactic for the control of these invasive predators is poison baiting, however this is resource intensive, resulting in off-target poisoning and environmental contamination. Several recent studies have also shown that poison baiting is a driver for evolutionary adaptation leading to control-resistant predators.
This project seeks to address the urgent real-world need for innovative technologies to protect native animal populations and livestock. It is hoped that the development of a new non-lethal bait technology will result in the predator experiencing a non-lethal illness following the consumption of a food item that mimics the smell of a particular animal, and conditions the predator to avoid that animal. Ultimately, this technology could be used to condition introduced predators to avoid eating livestock and selective native animal populations.
What you’ll do
Activities the successful candidate will undertake as part of this project include:
- Head-space gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the detection and identification of animal volatile odour profiles.
- Extraction and isolation processes for volatile odours.
- Preparation of emulsion formulations for controlled odour release.
- Development of edible gel emulsion baits.
- Stability testing and odour release of baits.
- Testing the baits in the field for aversion of foxes in Canberra and South Australia.
- In this project, you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing and analysis, and regularly host undergraduate vacation scholarship students, giving you the opportunity to develop your own supervisory skills.
You will also have the opportunity to present and communicate your findings at regular research group meetings, attend national and international conferences, and participate in field trials, travel permitted.
In this project, you will also be able to build your professional networks and have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate teaching to develop your communication and teaching skills.
Where you’ll be based
You will be a part of a multidisciplinary research team from across the Applied Chemistry and Translational Biomaterials group based in UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, and the Surface Interactions and Soft Matter (SISM) group based in the Future Industries Institute at UniSA.
Who you are
You must hold an undergraduate degree in Science (with a major in chemistry highly regarded) and have hands-on practical laboratory experience.
At the completion of the project, you will have further developed your skills in analytical, formulation and physical chemistry; conservation and ecological principles; land management practices; and field trial experience.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Anton Blencowe - Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Marta Krasowska
Dr Todd Gillam
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a University of South Australia living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Hold an undergraduate degree in science
- Hands-on practical laboratory experience
- Applicants who are also able to demonstrate a major in chemistry will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe
Environmental Biotechnology
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Environmental Management
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Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
PhD Project - Developing high throughput spectroscopic methods for screening plant genotypes
State-of-the-art food science to address iron deficiency
If you are seeking to advance your career in food science the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded PhD project at our Future Industries Institute in partnership with the University of Melbourne and ANTSO aimed at increasing the nutritional value of bread and addressing iron deficiency.
Approximately 11 million Australian grocery buyers purchase bread each week and spend on average $90M between them. Supermarkets currently account for two-thirds of the bread market while one-third is split between specialty bread shops, deli’s and other stores. Intense competition in the industry requires continuous innovation by bread-making businesses to meet evolving consumer preferences for quality and in anticipation of emerging trends. Bread is currently experiencing a surge in popularity thanks to new options conferring nutrition and wellness benefits such as low glycemic index, high protein and low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (Low FODMAP).
This research project will focus on developing a new type of bread that is high in iron and zinc to address iron deficiency, which is the most common nutritional deficiency in Australia and affects over one million people, primarily young women and children. It is expected that this new product will help address this nutritional deficiency and meet strong consumer demand in national and international markets.
This is an exceptional opportunity to be a part of a research project with leaders in food science with access to undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will be embedded in this high profile and collaborative ARC research project, participating in the design of the experimental plan, the acquisition of data and analysis of the results.
You will focus on developing cutting-edge spectroscopic methods for the high-throughput selection of wheat genotypes, identifying good candidates to improve the nutritional value of bread. Specifically, you will have the exceptional opportunity to undertake experiments at the Australian Synchrotron and collaborate with nationally and internationally recognised leaders on the development of synchrotron techniques in environmental science.
In this project you will also acquire skills in data analysis, through access to a large dataset that will provide you with the opportunity to develop experience in data analytics through image classification and machine learning.
It is expected that the candidate will attend two national and one international conference.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute a state-of-the-art research facility with over $80M of research instrumentation making it a world-class environment for undertaking research.
Our research is world-class with UniSA achieving an Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) ranking of 5 (well above world standard) in Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
As a part of this project you will also undertake experiments at ANTSO’s Australian Synchrotron based in Victoria, travel permitted.
Supervisory Team
Professor Enzo Lombi – Principal Supervisor
Dr Casey Doolette – Co-Supervisor
Professor Jiuyong Li – Co-Supervisor
Mr Richard Delvin – Living Farm – End-User Advisor
Mrs Lesley Gillespie – Bakers Delight Holdings – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· A Degree in chemistry/biology or associated areas
Desirable:
· A knowledge of spectroscopy and/or data analytics would be advantageous
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide.
Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Tuesday, 5th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Professor Enzo Lombi
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Bettering the devil – Innovative strategies to protect livestock and native animals from introduced predators
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Health sciences
Health sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Allied Health and Rehabilitation Science
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Treatment for Post-Stroke Depression: Identifying neuroimaging markers of therapeutic response
Masters by Research project: Treatment for Post-Stroke Depression: Identifying neuroimaging markers of therapeutic response
Stroke is a global leading cause of permanent disability. It is estimated that there are 80 million stroke survivors globally, with more than half likely to experience post-stroke depression. Post-stroke depression is under recognised and poorly treated, with incredibly negative consequences for recovery, activities of daily living, self-efficacy, and mortality. Current pharmacology management is hampered by several side-effects and poor treatment adherence. We need better solutions to this problem. Identifying new treatments for post-stroke depression would be a significant breakthrough for stroke survivors, their families and the wider health system.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe and promising treatment that increases brain activity with electromagnetic pulses. By changing neural activity in the brain, it can improve depression. However, translating this therapy to people who have experienced stroke is challenging. Most notably, stroke changes brain structure, dampening the ability of rTMS to modify neural activity. Our preliminary work suggests the clinical response to rTMS for post-stroke depression might be influenced by brain biomarkers and this information could guide clinical treatments. Therefore, we see a need to evaluate neuroimaging biomarkers of post-stroke depression and response to rTMS treatment. To address this problem, we will use multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to investigate brain structure and function using state-of-the-art imaging sequences and analysis.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City West campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders.
Supervisory Team
Dr Brenton Hordacre – Principal Supervisor
Dr Anson Chau
Professor Susan Hillier
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Thursday, 30th of September 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Brenton Hordacre
Epidemiology
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Empirical allocation of time
PhD Project: Empirical allocation of time
Innovate nutritional diets with a new formula
The Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) based at the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity to apply for a research degree project that approaches the concept of time use and diet from a novel perspective.
The way we use our time and what we eat have profound effects on our health and wellbeing. In the past, most analysis has focussed on individual aspects of time use (such as sleep), diet (such as fruit and vegetables) and individual health outcomes (such as depression).
Both time use and diet consist of parts or domains which add up to a total – the time we spend on sleep, sitting and physical activity must add up to 24 hours a day; and the percentage of energy drawn from fats, carbohydrates and protein must add up to 100%. If we change one part, there must be an equal and opposite compensatory change in the other parts, therefore we can only talk about activity and diet compositions as a whole. Furthermore, time use and diet are linked. For example, people who go to bed late are more likely to eat energy-dense snacks, and less likely to have breakfast. People with serotonergic or dopaminergic diets will have different levels of physical activity.
In this research project, you will look at interactions between time use and diet, as well as a wide range of health and wellbeing outcomes, including cardio-metabolic health, obesity, mental health, cognition and academic performance. The challenge of this project is to identify ‘Goldilocks days’ and ‘Goldilocks diets’ – time-use and dietary mixes which have just the right amount of each component for optimal wellbeing.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will view time-use and dietary data through a compositional lens, which will impact the way we collect, analyse and construe data, as well as how we design interventions. You will help us mine this rich vein of research. As a part of the project, you will undertake training in data collection, compositional and accelerometry data analysis, and data cleaning and curation.
You will also have the opportunity to attend conferences, develop a valuable professional network, and achieve certification in compositional data analysis through a globally recognised online course. It is expected that the research will be written up in papers for publication.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based within UniSA’s Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research centre, which investigates the role exercise, nutrition and other lifestyle activities play in improving clinical and health outcomes.
ARENA’s research focus ‘Healthy lives through healthy living’ centres around the grand challenge of tackling the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases, and also focuses on exercise, nutrition, preventative health and other lifestyle behaviours across the lifespan.
You will also gain access to the world-class expertise of ARENA researchers.
Supervisory Team
Professor Timothy Olds - Principal Supervisor
Dr Dot Dumuid
Dr Francois Fraysse
Professor Carol Maher
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $5,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Professor Timothy Olds
Health services and systems
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Understanding the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships
PhD Project: Understanding the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity for a high profile PhD project linked to an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project exploring the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse. The PhD project will specifically explore the important question of the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships.
Childhood emotional abuse is the least recognised, least explored type of childhood abuse, yet it is known to have the most negative impact on child and adult mental health. Little is known about how childhood emotional abuse reverberates across a family and affects other relationships into the future, including sibling relationships. We do know that sometimes more than one child will experience childhood emotional abuse from a parent or caregiver. In other situations, only one child will be singled out for abuse. Sibling relationships can therefore be impacted on quite differently depending on the nature of the abuse. Our preliminary research also shows that gender, race, class and other social identities and inequalities intersect in complex ways in childhood emotional abuse and its aftereffects. This research will take a sociological and intersectional approach to understanding how childhood emotional abuse impacts on sibling relationships over the life course.
What you’ll do
In this research project, you will be the first to explore how the impact of childhood emotional abuse plays out within sibling relationships, and will consider the implications for policy and practice in the areas of mental health and working with children and families. You will have access to quantitative and qualitative data generated by our national survey – we have included questions on sibling relationships in the survey instrument. You will also interview a sample of survey respondents to explore at a deeper level how childhood emotional abuse has affected their sibling relationships.
You will be a part of an innovative and supportive research team. The research team is made up of highly experienced researchers based at UniSA, the University of Sydney and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, UK. The team will provide you with excellent access to highly quality mentoring and collaborative opportunities both within the doctoral period and beyond at the local, national and international level. You will have many opportunities to engage in and co-lead research publications in top journals, and to share your knowledge at relevant events and conferences.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Safe Relationships and Communities Research Group (SRC), which promotes the development of safe and healthy interpersonal relationships and strong socially-inclusive communities based on social justice, equity and equality. Our research advances innovative ways to tackle social marginalisation and enhance citizenship by generating new knowledge about how intersecting social inequalities related to gender, race, class, disability and sexuality shape many of the common social problems confronting Australia and other countries.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor: Professor Nicole Moulding
Co supervisor: Dr Fiona Buchanan
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the project-specific essential selection criteria:
· A background in gender studies, social work, sociology/social science, anthropology, critical or social psychology or public health.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our Magill campus in the north of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, 30 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Professor Nicole Moulding
Nursing
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Activation in care partners of people living with end-stage kidney disease
Masters by Research project: Activation in care partners of people living with end-stage kidney disease
End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a chronic condition that requires renal replacement therapy (dialysis or transplantation) to maintain life. The chronic and ever-present nature of ESKD and its treatment has led patients, clinicians and dialysis providers to encourage a person’s own self-management of their care in order to promote optimal quality of life. Unfortunately, people receiving incentre haemodialysis (HD), can become disempowered as time-poor clinicians provide limited encouragement to self-management.
Patient activation refers to the willingness and ability of a person to manage their own healthcare, that is reliant on knowledge, skills and confidence. Patient activation is measured using the Patient Activation Measure 13 item survey (PAM13). A high proportion of people receiving haemodialysis have low activation levels. However, little is known about the activation levels of their care partners or caregivers.
This project will measure the levels of people living with end stage kidney disease and their care partners in South Australia. A cross-sectional survey design will be undertaken using the PAM13 and Caregiver PAM13 instruments. The study will be used to generate new knowledge and inform future haemodialysis self-management programs.
Eligibility and Selection
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a Masters by Research. All applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time or part-time, and be based at the City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Paul Bennett - Principal Supervisor
Dr Andie Xu
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close 11:30pm ACST Sunday 18 August 2021 . You are encouraged to apply early.Principal Supervisor: A/Prof. Paul Bennett
Midwifery
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Supporting perinatal mental health
PhD Project: Supporting perinatal mental health
Bridge an important gap in caring for new parents
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an impactful research degree project that will explore ways to provide a continuum of mental health support for new mothers and fathers at our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Education Research Group.
The transition to motherhood is a time of increased risk for mental health as it requires women to develop new cognitive, motor and social skills, with many unprepared for the realities of motherhood.
The Australian Maternity Services Strategic Plan stresses that postnatal services must be prioritised as good community postnatal support can assist with minimising poor short, middle and long-term outcomes. Positive early parenting has also been prioritised through strategies such as ‘The First 1000 Days, Australia,’ which asserts that parents cannot raise healthy, happy children on their own without support. Yet this time remains the least satisfactory aspect of maternity care, highlighting a gap in research and service provision.
Currently, there is insufficient support offered to mothers immediately post-birth and 85% experience some form of emotional distress after having a baby, with one in five women progressing to develop depression or anxiety. Early detection, education, social support, and meaningful connection for mothers have been strongly recommended to prevent postpartum distress.
This project with real-world impact, will provide a multidimensional approach to reduce or prevent mental health problems, expand social networks, and enhance mothers’ knowledge of child development, which may be more effective than any single approach.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will contribute to improving perinatal mental health through a multidisciplinary, public health approach focussed on promoting positive perinatal mental wellbeing and preventing perinatal mental illness. You will seek to identify ways to provide comprehensive and holistic support to new mothers to prevent, identify and manage perinatal distress, and complement existing identification and treatment interventions.
In this project you will have the opportunity to engage with key industry partners, have access to library support, and undertake teaching activities where possible. We hold a strong relationship with healthcare providers such as the Woman’s and Children’s Hospital so you will have the ability to build and develop valuable professional networks.
You will also have the opportunity to present at local industry, university forums and conferences throughout your candidature (travel permitted), and gain advanced experience in writing, responding to reviewers, and publications.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based in UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences (CHS) and become a member of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Education Research Group, which is aimed at improving the lives of people in mental distress and at risk of suicide.
The is an active research concentration, that includes several PhD candidates with a focus on midwifery and/or mental health and we provide a supportive and engaging peer and supervisory environment.
Who you are
Through this project, you will develop a range of research skills across both quantitative and qualitative approaches. You will be engaged in cross-disciplinary collaboration and gain a deep understanding of co-design as a means to improve practice research translation.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Lois McKellar - Principal Supervisor
Professor Tahereh Ziaian
Professor Mary Steen
Dr Jane Andrew
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the?eligibility criteria?for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Hold a professional qualification in midwifery or psychology.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer.
Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Sunday, 3 October, 2021Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Lois McKellar
Public Health
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Sports Science and Exercise
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Building your best day for dementia prevention - longitudinal trajectories of dementia risk Join the fight against dementia
PhD Project: Building your best day for dementia prevention - longitudinal trajectories of dementia risk
Join the fight against dementia
Advance your career in health research at the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – where the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity Research Centre (ARENA) is offering an exciting opportunity for a PhD project aimed at preventing dementia, funded by the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) and Hospital Research Foundation.
Dementia has the unenviable claim of being Australia's second leading cause of death. How people use their time and what they eat, can increase or decrease their future dementia risk. This study will be the first to consider the inter-dependencies of modifiable dementia risk factors, which may be responsible for up to 50% of late life dementia cases. Using our holistic modelling approach we will generate new knowledge on modifiable factors and rapidly translate this knowledge into customisable tools and novel personalised interventions, aimed at achieving dementia prevention.
In this project you will be a part of the ACTIVate study which runs within ARENA, mentored by experts in the field as well as being a part of an innovative research team. Throughout the project you will also have the opportunity to develop your network with other ACTIVate investigators across Australia, located at fellow research centres at the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of Newcastle, and from across the world at the University of Illinois (USA).
This is a research project with real impact, the ACTIVate study works directly with many end-users including the Hospital Research Foundation, clinicians, older adults, councils, and peak industry bodies such as Dementia Australia. Our research findings are rapidly translated into practice and you will be a part of a project that makes a real difference to people’s lives.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will develop a research program around dementia - one of the most prevalent and significant conditions of the 21st century. Currently, approximately 500,000 people live with dementia in Australia and without a significant medical development, this number is projected to reach 1.1 million by 2050. Given the increase in the number of individuals living past 65 years, the future growth of the aged care sector is also projected to increase significantly over the short and medium term. Candidates graduating from this program will be entering a sector experiencing demand, with many opportunities in either research or industry.
In this project you will develop a deep understanding of dementia and its risk factors and acquire translatable clinical research and translation skills to advance your career. Throughout your research degree you will develop strong science communication skills by engaging with the media and through outreach activities with our partners including local councils, Dementia Australia and Radio Adelaide.
Supervisory Team
Dr Ashleigh Smith - Principal Supervisor
Dr Dot Dumuid
Professor Frini Karayanid (University of Newcastle)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus?in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 29 September, 2021Principal Supervisor: Dr Ashleigh Smith -
Repeat sprints in hypoxia: performance benefits and physiological adaptations in high performance athletes
PhD Project: Repeat sprints in hypoxia: performance benefits and physiological adaptations in high performance athletes
Help train elite athletes
If you are seeking to advance your career in sports physiology, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for a PhD project at our Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research centre in collaboration with our industry partner the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI).
Elite athletes and coaches are constantly looking for new ways to gain a competitive edge. Altitude training has been used for decades to improve athlete performance with some success, however this has typically involved long duration training rather than using short ‘all-out’ efforts.
In recent times altitude training using short ‘all-out’ efforts has become popular with athletes, with altitude being simulated using equipment that lowers the oxygen level in the air. However, there has been very little evaluation on what the effects of this type of training actually are. The limited evidence available suggests that this type of training induces physiological changes that increases the body’s ability to use oxygen to assist with muscle contraction, and this is associated with improvements in performance. However, the physiological responses to this type of training and the performance benefits are not well understood, particularly in high-performance athletes, as most studies have been undertaken in ‘non-elite’ athletic populations.
The aim of this project is to determine the physiological responses and performance benefits of simulated altitude training using short ‘all-out’ efforts in high-performance athletes.
This industry-partnered project will run out of the SASI Exercise Physiology Laboratory, with state-of-the-art facilities necessary for the preparation of high-performance athletes, and for measuring physiological and performance changes in response to simulated altitude training.
You will be supervised by a team of experts in the preparation and evaluation of high-performance athletes at a research centre ranked 41st in the world in sports science research (2020 Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments).
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will learn how to perform physiological and performance measures on athletes to determine how they are responding to training at simulated altitude. You will also analyse the data and prepare your results for industry and academic publication.
Running the study out of SASI’s Exercise Physiology Laboratory, will allow the successful candidate to interact with high-performance coaches and athletes at an Olympic or World Championship standard. You will also gain experience in assisting with the preparation of high-performance athletes for competition and develop an understanding of the role of coaches, athletes and sports scientists in athlete preparation for elite competition.
Throughout the project there will be many opportunities to present your findings at conferences and to industry, including managers of high-performance athletes at other institutes, and professional sporting teams. You will also acquire additional skills outside of the direct project which will prepare you well for a career in a high-performance sporting environment or academia.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research centre and the SASI Exercise Physiology Laboratory in the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI).
ARENA is a specialist research centre investigating the role of exercise, nutrition and other lifestyle activities in improving clinical and health outcomes. Physical, psychological and sports performance in populations is studied across a wide cross-section of society, ranging from children to elite athletes and people with chronic disease.
The South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) identifies, develops and supports athletes with the potential to perform at the highest national and international levels of sport.
Supervisory Team
Professor Jon Buckley - Principal Supervisor
Dr Clint Bellenger
Dr Jamie Stanley
Dr Eileen Robertson (SASI)
Professor Olivier Girard (University of Western Australia)
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of $7,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred applicant
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from both domestic and international applicants currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our City East campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer.
Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST Sunday, 3 October, 2021Principal Supervisor: Professor Jon Buckley
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Treatment for Post-Stroke Depression: Identifying neuroimaging markers of therapeutic response
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Human society
Human society
Development studies
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Understanding the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships
PhD Project: Understanding the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering an exceptional opportunity for a high profile PhD project linked to an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project exploring the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse. The PhD project will specifically explore the important question of the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships.
Childhood emotional abuse is the least recognised, least explored type of childhood abuse, yet it is known to have the most negative impact on child and adult mental health. Little is known about how childhood emotional abuse reverberates across a family and affects other relationships into the future, including sibling relationships. We do know that sometimes more than one child will experience childhood emotional abuse from a parent or caregiver. In other situations, only one child will be singled out for abuse. Sibling relationships can therefore be impacted on quite differently depending on the nature of the abuse. Our preliminary research also shows that gender, race, class and other social identities and inequalities intersect in complex ways in childhood emotional abuse and its aftereffects. This research will take a sociological and intersectional approach to understanding how childhood emotional abuse impacts on sibling relationships over the life course.
What you’ll do
In this research project, you will be the first to explore how the impact of childhood emotional abuse plays out within sibling relationships, and will consider the implications for policy and practice in the areas of mental health and working with children and families. You will have access to quantitative and qualitative data generated by our national survey – we have included questions on sibling relationships in the survey instrument. You will also interview a sample of survey respondents to explore at a deeper level how childhood emotional abuse has affected their sibling relationships.
You will be a part of an innovative and supportive research team. The research team is made up of highly experienced researchers based at UniSA, the University of Sydney and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, UK. The team will provide you with excellent access to highly quality mentoring and collaborative opportunities both within the doctoral period and beyond at the local, national and international level. You will have many opportunities to engage in and co-lead research publications in top journals, and to share your knowledge at relevant events and conferences.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Safe Relationships and Communities Research Group (SRC), which promotes the development of safe and healthy interpersonal relationships and strong socially-inclusive communities based on social justice, equity and equality. Our research advances innovative ways to tackle social marginalisation and enhance citizenship by generating new knowledge about how intersecting social inequalities related to gender, race, class, disability and sexuality shape many of the common social problems confronting Australia and other countries.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor: Professor Nicole Moulding
Co supervisor: Dr Fiona Buchanan
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the project-specific essential selection criteria:
· A background in gender studies, social work, sociology/social science, anthropology, critical or social psychology or public health.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our Magill campus in the north of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, 30 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Professor Nicole Moulding
Human Geography
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Policy and administration
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Connected parliaments – Evaluating the use of digital engagement techniques to connect the people to parliamentary lawmaking in Australia
PhD Project: Connected parliaments – Evaluating the use of digital engagement techniques to connect the people to parliamentary lawmaking in Australia
Investigate the democratic power of technology
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available for application a unique research degree PhD project, aimed at assessing the role digital technologies can or should play in connecting the people to parliaments in Australia.
August 2020 marked the first time in Australian history that the Federal Parliament relied on digital means to connect parliamentarians to the communities they represent. This shift towards digital engagement has become increasingly important due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, where parliaments have been forced to embrace technology to continue their critical democratic functions.
Growing lack of trust in traditional political processes, increasing travel costs, and other accessibility factors are leading parliaments around the world to experiment with new ways of connecting. Digital engagement techniques have become increasingly attractive to parliaments, with the potential to improve both the quality and efficiency of public engagement in lawmaking, leading to cost savings and possible improvements in democratic participation.
To capitalise on these potential benefits and to avoid any unjustifiable risks, we need to better understand why it is important to connect the people to the parliamentary lawmaking process – and how digital technologies could be used to improve the quality of public engagement with parliaments in Australia.
This project will explore and address the current lack of systematic analysis of these key questions in the Australian context and address the gap around the role that digital technologies play in parliamentary engagement strategies.
What you’ll do
In this project, the successful candidate will undertake a range of innovative research activities including:
· Evaluation of existing literature: scoping the benefits of public engagement in Australian parliaments and providing the basis for the subsequent analysis of the impact of different technologies on this process.
· Comparative qualitative research supported by existing networks such as the International Parliamentary Engagement Network, and in collaboration with other non-government partners including the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).
· Engagement with practitioners and end users – a crucial component of this research design, which will build upon networks established through IPEN and the Australasian Parliament Studies Group.
· Desktop review and preparation of accessible written materials and reports, for example tracking the relationship between rates of participation in parliamentary committee hearings and subsequent legislative changes.
· Interviews with MPs, parliamentary staff and technology developers.
· Interview-based qualitative research activities which will be supported by online consultations and surveys targeting key constituencies in Australia.
· Dissemination of findings at key forums involving Australasian parliamentarians and staff.
You will collaborate with our end-user partners based in the South Australian Parliament and the Department of the Senate, Canberra.
As a part of this unique research project, you will also have the opportunity to forge professional relationships with a range of local, national and international parliamentary services and scholars. This may culminate in attendance at conferences, visits to parliaments within other Australian jurisdictions and/or regular in-person or online interactions including formal interviews, guest lectures, seminars or informal networking opportunities.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Dr Harry Savelsberg
Co supervisors:
Dr Sarah Moulds
Professor Jennifer McKay
Natalie Young, Parliament of South Australia
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Project-specific Essential Selection Criteria:
· Law graduate or have considerable legal experience, or governance knowledge, or political science knowledge.
· Demonstrated effectiveness undertaking legal research and/or policy analysis
Applicants must meet the project-specific Desirable Selection Criteria:
· Experience facilitating community engagement with government policy making or law reform
· Experience in engaging with, applying or developing digital communication tools
· Experience interacting with local or national parliaments
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr Harry Savelsberg -
The Trade Finance Gap: Causes, Consequences and Implications for Economic Development
PhD Project: The Trade Finance Gap: Causes, Consequences and Implications for Economic Development
Trade finance is credit that financial institutions offer to firms to facilitate cross country transactions of goods and services. It involves loans and guarantees from banks that underpin imports and exports – through either directly providing funding or though unfunded guarantees to the exporter on behalf of the importer. International trade does not generally take place without trade finance. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report that around 80% of international trade transactions require some form of financial credit or guarantee. In dollar terms, the WTO reports that in 2018 there was an estimated $18 trillion in global trade flows, as such, there needs to be a trade finance market worth around $14 trillion. There exists however, a trade finance gap – an unmet demand for trade finance – where trade cannot take place because there are not sufficient trade finance arrangements offered by financial institutions. This has been especially acute since the global financial crisis. This project seeks to uncover the key causes and consequences of constraints in global trade finance (and the trade finance gap) and the implications for economic development and policy.
What you’ll do
The successful applicant will be part of the Market Values and Inclusion research (MVI) concentration. You’ll work with academics that have high levels of expertise, and who have published widely in global financial policy, international economics, and economic development. Your thesis will be produced through conducting basic and applied research in the first instance, with a view to developing themes to the project that will have high potential for end user engagement.
In this project you’ll develop high level skills in economic analysis as well as statistical analysis of economic and development issues, alongside being well prepared to engage in projects that are of global importance and that are consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You’ll also be trained in writing papers for publication in high quality international journals in economic development and financial policy.
Travel permitted, the successful applicant would be expected to undertake travel to present his/her work where required.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Associate Professor Tony Cavoli
Co supervisors:
Associate Professor Rajabrata Banerjee
Dr Ilke Onur
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from domestic applicants only.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Tony Cavoli
Other human society
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Understanding the long term impact of childhood emotional abuse on sibling relationships
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Information and computing sciences
Information and computing sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Artificial intelligence
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AI Planning for Cyber Network Operations
PhD Project – AI Planning for Cyber Network Operations
Developing the cybersecurity defences of the future
If you are seeking to advance your career in cybersecurity and are interested in developing the defence systems of the future, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for a PhD project at our Industrial AI Research Centre (IAI) in partnership with Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).
In this project you will be at the cutting-edge of developing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, to assist in crucial decision making in cyber-attack situations. Defending computer networks is a difficult task, as critical decisions need to be made in the absence of complete information. Automated attacks, defence mechanisms, and analysis tools for some of the data and events in networks simply doesn’t exist, and existing systems only provide a partial view of what is actually going on in a network.
With access to state-of-the-art I.T. equipment and mentoring by senior academics who are experts in their field, you will be a part of UniSA’s Industrial AI Research Centre (IAI) which has a long-standing track record in applied research in the Defence sector.
There is a growing demand for cybersecurity professionals with expertise in AI and in this project you will gain the expert knowledge to meet that demand and lead the future of cybersecurity.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will develop AI techniques that help maintain situational awareness about what is happening in the network, by combining partial information obtained about the network, and providing decision support advice to human decision-makers. This will be achieved by creating a goal-driven situational awareness tool that utilises human and machine goals to convey the state of the network, the goals of the actors, and the automation of information seeking activities.
You will liaise with DSTG and conduct desk-based research to review related literature and systems, creating novel theories and algorithms, further testing them on simulated computer networks. As a part of this industry partnered project, you will have the opportunity to present to industry, visit our industry partner sites in Adelaide and potentially be funded to present at conferences. You may also have the opportunity to publish in recognised journals.
The acquired skills and their direct application in this industry-driven project will prepare you to be a leader in cybersecurity, with practical experience and skills in this highly sought after area.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Industrial AI Research Centre which brings together experts from across computer sciences to develop solutions for artificial intelligence systems. We are part of the global revolution in artificial intelligence, machine learning, Industry 4.0 and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies.
Who you are
The successful candidate will have acquired core skills in AI including reasoning and learning from uncertain and incomplete knowledge and decision support systems. You will also have experience in software engineering and network analysis, conducting scientific experiments, and communicating the results. These skills will enable the candidate to plan and orchestrate network cyber operations, and to build advanced tools to automate parts of this process.
Supervisory Team
Dr Wolfgang Mayer – Principal Supervisor
Professor Markus Stumptner – Co-Supervisor
Mr Jon Davis – Defence Science and Technology Group – End user advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Experience with programming in Python
Desirable:
· Experience with network analysis, intrusion detection, or network exploit tools
· Knowledge of logic programming or probabilistic knowledge representation techniques
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 1st October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Wolfgang Mayer
Data Management and Data Science
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Graphics, augmented reality and games
- In-situ authoring of mixed reality content for task procedural guidance
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Tangible and haptic interaction techniques for immersive analytics with virtual reality
PhD Project- Tangible and haptic interaction techniques for immersive analytics with virtual reality
Lead the future of virtual reality integration
If you are seeking to advance your career in virtual reality (VR) and are interested in developing the technologies of the future, the University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a high profile opportunity to apply for a PhD project at our Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) exploring immersive analytics and VR.
Our world is awash with data, and this project seeks to help society and industry understand the vast amount of information we are faced with using our most natural user interface, our hands.
In this project you will be at the cutting-edge of immersive analytics and VR. You will explore how physical and tangible user interfaces, and associated technologies such as haptics, can enable users to explore and understand data, when viewed immersively in virtual or augmented reality.
With access to state-of-the-art I.T. equipment and mentoring by senior academics who are experts in their field, you will be a part of UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) a world leader in virtual and augmented reality.
There is a growing demand for VR professionals and in this project, you will gain expert knowledge to meet that demand, and lead the future development of this technology.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will explore various input and output devices to make sense of analysing data, and how this data can translate into physical objects that can move and respond to user input. You will explore and develop immersive analytics systems, integrating advanced tangible interfaces to help perform analytic tasks, and allow a user to gain new insights into their data.
The applicant will undertake research and development of novel input and output devices to address the core problem, working with a supervisory team and wider research lab. You will have the opportunity to publish your research findings and present your knowledge at national and international industry events and conferences, travel permitted.
The successful candidate will be prepared to be a world expert on VR and AR technologies and will have acquired advanced hardware prototyping skills.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) which brings together experts from across computer sciences to develop solutions using virtual, augmented and immersive reality. We are part of a global revolution in virtual and augmented reality research including wearable computing, interface design, empathic computing, 3D visualisation, perception, and telepresence.
The successful candidate will join a vibrant research group of researchers and other PhD candidates. You will have access to state-of-the-art augmented and virtual reality equipment available, as well as prototyping workshops and facilities.
Supervisory Team
Dr Andrew Cunningham – Principal Supervisor
Associate Professor Ross Smith – Co-Supervisor
Dr James Walsh – Co-Supervisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 30th September [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Andrew Cunningham
Information systems
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Intelligent and real-time condition monitoring for predictive maintenance – A solar panel maintenance case study
PhD Project - Intelligent and real-time condition monitoring for predictive maintenance – A solar panel maintenance case study
Lead a new way in asset management using AI
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has an exceptional research degree project available in collaboration with our industry partner SA Water, investigating the key success factors for how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can be applied in next generation condition monitoring and maintenance decision making.
Condition monitoring is a critical component in asset management. Organisations rely on sensors and system controlled networks to schedule asset maintenance for improved operation and extended asset lifespan. With rapid advancement in intelligent condition monitoring and analytics techniques, asset rich organisations are moving towards preventative maintenance programs.
The subject of asset condition monitoring and fault diagnosis as a part of system maintenance has generated a lot of interest due to the potential benefits gained from reduced maintenance budgets, enhanced productivity and improved asset availability. Organisations are embracing AI as part of the asset condition monitoring process. However, since AI adoption in condition monitoring is a relatively new concept, successful adoption requires careful consideration of multiple perspectives including technology, organisation and people.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will travel to local SA Water sites for field observation and data collection which will include a mix of interviews, workshops and field trials.
As part of this project, you will gain a deep understanding for how AI technologies can enhance existing condition monitoring methods, and practical knowledge on the technology adoption process in a large organisation for preventative asset management.
You will also have the opportunity to present your research findings at academic and industry conferences, and within SA Water.
Where you’ll be based
You will be co-located at SA Water (Victoria Square in Adelaide’s CBD) and UniSA’s Scarce Resources and Circular Economy research concentration.
ScaRCE academics and researchers are world class, with diverse research backgrounds and complementary expertise in civil engineering, construction management, environmental science, geospatial science, project management, and water and wastewater engineering. A key aim of the research concentration is resolving real-world, multidisciplinary problems and the challenges of industry, governing organisations and the community, at both national and international levels.
Supervisory Team
Dr Jing Gao – Principal Supervisor
Professor Christopher Chow – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Rameez Rameezdeen – Co-Supervisor
Associate Professor Nima Gorjian Jolfaei – SA Water – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Relevant working experience and knowledge in AI technologies, especially image analysis
· Programming skills for developing proof-of-concept trials
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Tuesday, 5th October [ACST]Principal Supervisor: Dr JIng Gao
Machine learning
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Predicting wildfire behaviour using machine learning and real-time airborne thermal imagery
PhD Project - Predicting wildfire behaviour using machine learning and real-time airborne thermal imagery
Help firefighters make quicker and smarter decisions
Keen to better support our frontline firefighters? The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has an exciting research degree project now open for application in collaboration with our industry partner FireFlight Technologies Pty. Ltd. (www.fire.aero). This PhD project will develop intelligent machine learning algorithms to monitor and predict wildfire behaviour using real-time airborne thermal imagery.
Wildfires represent one of the greatest natural disasters, and their impact gets progressively worse each year. Significant areas of forests are devastated by wildfires, leading to the destruction of wildlife, as well as disastrous social, economic and environmental impacts. Considerable resources are devoted to mitigating the effects of wildfires, especially in the research of wildfire behaviour prediction.
If the behaviour of wildfires can be predicted in real-time (whilst the fire is actually occurring), strategic firefighting decisions can be made rapidly, and the necessary resources can be deployed efficiently and effectively, resulting in dramatic reduction of losses.
Current methods of wildfire behaviour prediction rely on measurable parameters (topographical factors such as terrain slope steepness, and vegetation density and dryness) and meteorological factors (such as air temperature, windspeed and humidity) in their models. However, real-time image data, which accurately describes the direction and intensity of fire, is often missed out in the models, due to the technical difficulties of accessing suitable real-time image data.
This project will approach the problem of wildfire behaviour prediction differently, specifically by using airborne thermal imagery acquired by the FireFlight fire mapping system. Over many years, a large archive of airborne imagery of wildfires worldwide has been compiled by FireFlight Technologies. This archive contains hundreds of thousands of images of wildfires spreading through a range of different landscapes. It is a unique resource that lends itself well to the application of machine learning algorithms. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop intelligent machine learning algorithms to accurately predict wildfire behaviour, using real time and archived wildfire imagery.
With wildfires becoming a significant and ongoing challenge both in Australia and overseas, there is a critical need to increase our ability to effectively fight wildfires, and through this project, you will help assist firefighters and government officials worldwide to make significant strategic decisions.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will undertake research activities in the following three stages of the project:
· Stage 1: Investigate critical factors associated with wildfire behaviour prediction, including topographical factors (such as slope steepness, vegetation density, vegetation type etc.) and meteorological factors (such as wind speed, wind direction, humidity, air temperature etc.) with thermal imagery.
· Stage 2: Develop a machine learning algorithm (potentially using artificial neural network and fuzzy logic) to predict the wildfire behaviour with specific focus on the direction, intensity and speed of fire spread, using the thermal image data archives provided by FireFlight Technologies. You will also develop fire prediction maps, based on the time-lapse imagery, to assist firefighting strategies and potential evacuation decisions.
· Stage 3: Undertake a validation study of the developed models using the real-time aerial thermal image data. FireFlight Technologies will provide real-time data to validate and further improve the accuracy of the fire behaviour prediction models.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Industrial AI Research Centre and you may also need to travel locally to collect data and investigate environments around wildfires.
Supervisory Team
Associate Professor Sang-Heon Lee – Principal Supervisor
Dr Ivan Lee – Co-Supervisor
Dr Paul Dare – FireFlight Technologies Pty. Ltd – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
An additional top-up scholarship with a value of up to $7,000 per annum will be offered to the preferred candidate.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria below.
Essential:
· Strong Background experiences in machine learning and image processing
Desirable:
· Basic understanding of significance of wildfire and how to manage it
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 7th October [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Sang-Heong Lee
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AI Planning for Cyber Network Operations
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Language, communication and culture
Language, communication and culture
Cultural studies
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A cultural history of popular music in Adelaide, 1950-2022
PhD Project: A cultural history of popular music in Adelaide, 1950-2022
Unearth the policy, cultural and social factors behind our city’s music scene
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is now seeking applications for a unique research degree project based at our Creative People, Products and Places (CP3) Research Centre. This project will look at the policy, cultural and social factors influencing the development of popular music in Adelaide, critically examining the citys relationship with popular music to understand how factors specific to Adelaide and South Australia have led to the success of various artists.
Adelaide has a strong history of popular music. Awarded UNESCO City of Music status in 2015 and currently a hub for various performing arts and music festivals. Adelaides popular music roots are grounded in the working-class migrant communities of Elizabeth and Salisbury to the citys north.
However, the citys popular music landscape has shifted and grown to include a variety of styles and genres, with world-beating artists such as Sia, Cold Chisel, Hilltop Hoods and Paul Kelly emerging from this small city.
This project will map the history of popular music across time and space, charting the political developments, changes to infrastructure and policy, industry shifts, and trends that have shaped Adelaide as a ‘City of Music’ to make clear the relevance of this history to Adelaides contemporary music industry.
With music a clear fixture in Adelaide’s popular culture, this project will provide you with the expert knowledge to inform further development and policy support for popular music in Adelaide, now and into the future.
What you’ll do
The successful candidate will engage key stakeholders such as the Music Development Office, Music SA, and other significant industry figures that have been active and influential throughout the citys popular music history.
You will conduct literature reviews of academic and policy documents; interview local industry, policy, and academic players; and undertake archival research, including visual and oral sources. This project may include travel to national archives such as the National Library of Australia and National Film and Sound Archive, and regional travel around Australia, travel permitted.
You will also directly benefit from a continuing live music-related research project run by Sam Whiting and Rosie Roberts in conjunction with the Music Development Office, which has established a network of local music industry participants, contacts, and policy agencies, and be guided by a team of researchers who are experts in this field.
You will be presented with the opportunity to attend conferences and industry events, gain experience in teaching, and build your professional network with industry as well as other academic and research institutions.
Where you’ll be based
You will be based at UniSA’s Creative People, Products and Places (CP3) Research Centre an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research centre undertaking high quality collaborative research into culture and creativity. CP3 focuses on the people who make and participate in art, media, and culture, how products are made and valued, and the spaces and communities that contribute to creative ecosystems.
CP3 runs many events, seminars and workshops which provide a strong academic context and peer network for research degree students.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Justin O’Connor (Principal Supervisor)
- Dr Sam Whiting
- Dr Rosie Roberts
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants with relevant connections to, or experience within, the Australian music industry will be highly regarded.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our Magill Campus in the east of Adelaide. Note that full-time candidates are preferred, but proposals for part-time candidates will be welcomed.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm Sunday 31 October 2021 [ACDT].Principal Supervisor: Professor Justin O'Connor
Other language, communication and culture
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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A cultural history of popular music in Adelaide, 1950-2022
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Law and legal studies
Law and legal studies
Environmental and resources law
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Industry Led Product Stewardship Schemes consumer law issues
PhD Project - Industry Led Product Stewardship Schemes consumer law issues
Establishing effective national stewardship schemes is vital to building a strong, safe and sustainable recycling industry in Australia and to achieving Australia’s resource recovery rate of 80 per cent by 2030 outlined in the 2019 National Waste Policy Action Plan. The Government's preferred option are industry-led developments of product stewardship schemes to engage and support the entire supply chain. Various product stewardship schemes were developed in the recent past and are currently under development, which focuses on tangible outcomes. The schemes aim at increasing resource recovery in-line with circular economy principles, minimising negative impacts on health, safety and the environment, supporting the whole supply chain to take responsibility for waste, supporting the resource recovery industry, and promoting research and innovative solutions for managing waste. The proposed project will focus on the question about how and to what extend consumer laws were considered in the development and implementation of the product stewardship schemes for e.g. batteries, electronic goods, paint. In addition, the project will study how consumer laws can help to define future product stewardship schemes for, e.g., solar photovoltaic panels, coffee pods, textiles, to name a few.
Applicants are required to be a law graduate or have considerable legal experience, or governance knowledge, or political science knowledge.
Additionally, applicants with legal practice experience or governance experience in the private or public sphere, and skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection will be highly regarded.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants who are currently onshore in Australia.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD.
A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. Additionally, applicants will be required to address the following selection criteria:
- Law graduate or have considerable legal experience, or governance knowledge, or political science knowledge
- Legal practice experience or governance experience would be an advantage in private or public sphere
- Skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection
Additionally, applications from students studying externally will also be considered. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information. International applicants will not be eligible to receive the scholarship. Where an international applicant holds an external scholarship or sponsorship a full or partial fee waiver may apply in some circumstances for exceptional applicants. Other international applicants will be required to pay full tuition fees of approximately $32,600 per annum (2021 rates).
Supervisory Team
Professor Jennifer McKay – Principal Supervisor
Professor Peter Majewski
Professor Eileen Webb
Craig Wilkins – Conservation SA
Kathryn Bellette - Environmental Protection Authority SA
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications will remain open until 11:30pm ACST Wednesday, 16 June, 2021. You are encouraged to apply early.Principal Supervisor: Professor Jennifer McKay
Public law
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Connected parliaments – Evaluating the use of digital engagement techniques to connect the people to parliamentary lawmaking in Australia
PhD Project: Connected parliaments – Evaluating the use of digital engagement techniques to connect the people to parliamentary lawmaking in Australia
Investigate the democratic power of technology
The University of South Australia - Australia’s University of Enterprise – has available for application a unique research degree PhD project, aimed at assessing the role digital technologies can or should play in connecting the people to parliaments in Australia.
August 2020 marked the first time in Australian history that the Federal Parliament relied on digital means to connect parliamentarians to the communities they represent. This shift towards digital engagement has become increasingly important due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, where parliaments have been forced to embrace technology to continue their critical democratic functions.
Growing lack of trust in traditional political processes, increasing travel costs, and other accessibility factors are leading parliaments around the world to experiment with new ways of connecting. Digital engagement techniques have become increasingly attractive to parliaments, with the potential to improve both the quality and efficiency of public engagement in lawmaking, leading to cost savings and possible improvements in democratic participation.
To capitalise on these potential benefits and to avoid any unjustifiable risks, we need to better understand why it is important to connect the people to the parliamentary lawmaking process – and how digital technologies could be used to improve the quality of public engagement with parliaments in Australia.
This project will explore and address the current lack of systematic analysis of these key questions in the Australian context and address the gap around the role that digital technologies play in parliamentary engagement strategies.
What you’ll do
In this project, the successful candidate will undertake a range of innovative research activities including:
· Evaluation of existing literature: scoping the benefits of public engagement in Australian parliaments and providing the basis for the subsequent analysis of the impact of different technologies on this process.
· Comparative qualitative research supported by existing networks such as the International Parliamentary Engagement Network, and in collaboration with other non-government partners including the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).
· Engagement with practitioners and end users – a crucial component of this research design, which will build upon networks established through IPEN and the Australasian Parliament Studies Group.
· Desktop review and preparation of accessible written materials and reports, for example tracking the relationship between rates of participation in parliamentary committee hearings and subsequent legislative changes.
· Interviews with MPs, parliamentary staff and technology developers.
· Interview-based qualitative research activities which will be supported by online consultations and surveys targeting key constituencies in Australia.
· Dissemination of findings at key forums involving Australasian parliamentarians and staff.
You will collaborate with our end-user partners based in the South Australian Parliament and the Department of the Senate, Canberra.
As a part of this unique research project, you will also have the opportunity to forge professional relationships with a range of local, national and international parliamentary services and scholars. This may culminate in attendance at conferences, visits to parliaments within other Australian jurisdictions and/or regular in-person or online interactions including formal interviews, guest lectures, seminars or informal networking opportunities.
Supervisory Team
Principal Supervisor:
Dr Harry Savelsberg
Co supervisors:
Dr Sarah Moulds
Professor Jennifer McKay
Natalie Young, Parliament of South Australia
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included for this group. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic applicants and international applicants onshore in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD program.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Project-specific Essential Selection Criteria:
· Law graduate or have considerable legal experience, or governance knowledge, or political science knowledge.
· Demonstrated effectiveness undertaking legal research and/or policy analysis
Applicants must meet the project-specific Desirable Selection Criteria:
· Experience facilitating community engagement with government policy making or law reform
· Experience in engaging with, applying or developing digital communication tools
· Experience interacting with local or national parliaments
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate. The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 26 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr Harry Savelsberg
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Industry Led Product Stewardship Schemes consumer law issues
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Mathematical sciences
Mathematical sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Applied mathematics
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Data driven dynamic requirements engineering for smart naval vessel acquisition
PhD Project - Data driven dynamic requirements engineering for smart naval vessel acquisition
Improve cost efficiencies in Australia’s defence industry
The University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – has an exceptional research degree project available for application in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Group’s Maritime Division. This significant project will contribute to Australia’s strategic goal of future proofing our smart vessel acquisition program, ensuring greater return on value for taxpayer money spent on our military vessels.
Military vessel acquisition and sustainment projects consume billions of taxpayer dollars annually. This project will seek to improve the value for money and operational effectiveness of these vessels, through the accurate estimation of their operational requirements at the outset of the acquisition process.
It has been observed that there is often a difference between predicted and actual operational vessel profiles, suggesting that in many cases the vessel design acquired and built, was not optimal. However, formal methods for comparing conceptual and actual operational profiles is currently lacking. Operational data can be large, complicated, and discontinuous, with the quality of information dependent on appropriate parameters being recorded, thus impacting the ability to inform improved processes.
Additionally, new or unconventional systems engineering principles need to be explored to enable in-service design information to play a role in the requirements development process and help manage the dynamic state of requirements through the vessels life.
In this project you will investigate these discrepancies between conceptual and actual operational profiles, to help produce more accurate usage profiles in the requirements development process, and aid the understanding of the nature of dynamic requirements.
With the growing importance of Australia’s sovereign defence capability, this project will provide you with the expertise to assist Australia’s defence industry deliver a future proofed maritime vessel program.
What you’ll do
As part of this project, the successful candidate will:
· Collect and analyse operational data.
· Identify operational areas of significance for improved vessel performance and flexibility.
· Research novel requirements development processes for ship acquisition and upgrades, considering the dynamic nature of requirements and using systems engineering principles.
Where you’ll be based
This project may require visits to specific naval bases.
Supervisory Team
Dr Mahmoud Efatmaneshnik – Principal Supervisor
Professor Markus Stumptner – Co-Supervisor
Dr Kieran Pringle – Defence Science Technology (DSTG) – End-User Advisor
Financial Support
This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $28,597 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes Campus in the north of Adelaide.
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close at 11.30pm, Thursday, 30th September [ACST].Principal Supervisor: Dr Mahmoud Efatmaneshnik -
Root to shoot: Modelling the salt stress response in plants
PhD Project - Root to shoot: Modelling the salt stress response in plants
Salt and drought are the two major abiotic stresses affecting crop plant health, growth and development. The project aims to understand salt and water transport in plants and the physiological effects of soil salinity. Biophysical models will be used to quantify the movement of salt through plant organs, tissues and cells, from root to leaf. Using these models the project aims to answer the question of how salt moves across the different tissues and major organs, how salt accumulates in leaf cells, and how movement and accumulation is controlled by the diversity of transport mechanisms operating in plants. The project seeks to quantify tissue tolerance, osmotic tolerance and ionic tolerance and discover new mechanisms by which plants can stave off the effect of salt stress.
Eligibility & Selection
This project is open to application from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Demonstrated experience with mathematical modelling applied to one or more problems arising in physics, chemistry or biology
- Demonstrated interest in plant science or an area of plant science relevant to the project
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide.
Financial Support
A UniSA funded living allowance scholarship of $28,597 is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information.
Funds related to conference expenses such as travel and accomodation will also be available.
Supervisory Team
Professor Stan Miklavcic - Principal Supervisor
Dr Megan Shelden - University of Adelaide
Professor Steve Teyrman - University of Adelaide
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 15th October [ACST].
Principal Supervisor: Prof. Stan Miklavcic -
Value of Solar Forecasts
PhD Project: Value of Solar Forecasts
Numerous methods have been developed during the last decade to forecast the solar resource and the generation of solar renewables. These forecasts can be deterministic, also called point forecasts, when they provide a single value to predict the future energy production. But they can also be probabilistic, when they give the probability associated to the future level of production. The quality of solar forecasts is assessed by comparing predictions with measured solar data. However, this methodology does not consider the added value of the forecasts for a particular user’s applications.
The aim of this PhD is to bring new knowledge about how to assess the quality of solar forecasts by taking into account their added value for specific applications. For instance, the financial return generated by a solar system is commonly a non-linear function of the expected future production. In an ARENA project, prospective supervisors Boland and Kay, along with colleagues, showed how improvements in forecasting lowered the frequency control and ancillary services fees for solar farms. This research needs extension to wider applications. The results of the PhD are essential to define which characteristics of a forecast need to be improved, in order to be of increased value, rather than simply to be evaluated as to how closely they match the observed data.
Eligibility and Selection
This project is open to application from both domestic and international applicants.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time. Additionally, applications from students studying externally will also be considered.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Where an international applicant holds an external scholarship or sponsorship a full or partial fee waiver may apply in some circumstances for exceptional applicants. Other international applicants will be required to pay full tuition fees of approximately $37,800 per annum (2021 rates).
Supervisory Team
- Professor John Boland – Principal Supervisor
- Dr Merlinde Kay (University of New South Wales)
- Professor Mathieu David (Universite de La Reunion)
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11:30pm ACST, Sunday 19 September 2021.Principal Supervisor: Dr John Boland
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Data driven dynamic requirements engineering for smart naval vessel acquisition
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Physical sciences
Physical sciences
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Atomic, molecular and optical physics
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Triplet photon generation in optical fibres and their quantum properties
About this Project
Are you intrigued by lasers and quantum physics and their role in shaping the future industry? The Commonwealth of Australia in collaboration with the University of South Australia and RMIT University have provided a PhD scholarship for a suitable candidate to work on the application of lasers and fibre optics for quantum application. The scholarship includes an attractive $40,000 living allowance plus equipment and conference travel funding. We are seeking high calibre and keen candidates with undergraduate degree in Physics or Engineering (Electrical Engineering). Knowledge of electromagnetic theory, optics and quantum physics are desirable.
Eligibility & Financial Support
A Scholarship is available for Australian Citizens. Applicants must meet the selection criteria for the award of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of South Australia.
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
Scholarship Value
The Scholarship is worth $40,000 for 3.5 years.
An allowance of $5000/year for three years for domestic conferences and $10000/Year for two years for international conferences is available. Expenses for airfares, car travel or removals for individuals required to relocate their place of residence to South Australia may be paid, with a maximum value of $1,485.
Qualification
Doctor of Philosophy.
Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Shahraam Afshar
Condensed matter physics
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Materials for a hydrogen economy – a computational approach
PhD Project - Materials for a hydrogen economy – a computational approach
As we move towards a hydrogen economy, there are many challenged faced by the materials science community to capture, transport and store this volatile and small molecule. This project will utilize atomic-scale simulations to examine the behavior of hydrogen inside alloy systems such as steels and titanium. Experimentally, we know that hydrogen concentrates at defects such as grain boundaries, and in this project we will utilize computational methods to examine the transport and preferred location of hydrogen within the microstructure. The effect of different solute species on the diffusivity of hydrogen will also be studied, with a particular emphasis on the chemically complex interfaces that we see in real life.
Eligibility & Selection
This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders and international applicants currently residing onshore within Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Masters or honours degree in engineering, physics, mathematics or similar
- Willingness to be co-supervised by an expert in computational materials science at the University of Nantes, and ability to live in France in the latter half of the PhD project
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide, before transferring to the Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes for the second half of the program.
Financial Support
The project is funded for reasonable research expenses. A UniSA funded living allowance scholarship of $28,597 is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic or international students.
Additional funds will be made available for conference attendance and travel.
Supervisory Team
- Professor Nikki Stanford - Principal Supervisor
- Dr Reza Mahjoub
- Professor Drew Evans
- Professor Isabelle Braems ( Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes)
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications will remain open until 11:30pm Tuesday 19 October 2021 (ACDT).Principal Supervisor: Professor Nikki Stanford
Medical and Biological Physics
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Root to shoot: Modelling the salt stress response in plants
PhD Project - Root to shoot: Modelling the salt stress response in plants
Salt and drought are the two major abiotic stresses affecting crop plant health, growth and development. The project aims to understand salt and water transport in plants and the physiological effects of soil salinity. Biophysical models will be used to quantify the movement of salt through plant organs, tissues and cells, from root to leaf. Using these models the project aims to answer the question of how salt moves across the different tissues and major organs, how salt accumulates in leaf cells, and how movement and accumulation is controlled by the diversity of transport mechanisms operating in plants. The project seeks to quantify tissue tolerance, osmotic tolerance and ionic tolerance and discover new mechanisms by which plants can stave off the effect of salt stress.
Eligibility & Selection
This project is open to application from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. Additionally, applicants must meet the projects selection criteria:
- Demonstrated experience with mathematical modelling applied to one or more problems arising in physics, chemistry or biology
- Demonstrated interest in plant science or an area of plant science relevant to the project
All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.
The successful applicant is expected to study full-time, and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide.
Financial Support
A UniSA funded living allowance scholarship of $28,597 is available to eligible applicants. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information.
Funds related to conference expenses such as travel and accomodation will also be available.
Supervisory Team
Professor Stan Miklavcic - Principal Supervisor
Dr Megan Shelden - University of Adelaide
Professor Steve Teyrman - University of Adelaide
Essential Dates
Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available.
Applications close at 11.30pm, Friday, 15th October [ACST].
Principal Supervisor: Prof. Stan Miklavcic
Strategy, management and organizational behaviour
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
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Triplet photon generation in optical fibres and their quantum properties
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Psychology
Psychology
Browse the available projects below, fill out our expression of interest form to be notified of new projects or contact us with any enquiries.
Applied and developmental psychology
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Social and personality psychology
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Other Psychology
There are currently no projects available in this topic of research.
Get in touch
For more information about applying for a research project, contact the Research Degree Admissions team Monday–Friday from 9am – 5pm.
