Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) Scholarships for domestic higher degree research candidates for enrolment in semester 1 2012

The Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) is a Government funded scholarship offered to domestic higher degree research candidates of exceptional promise. Macquarie University has a number of APA scholarships available to offer newly commencing or currently enrolled suitably qualified higher degree research candidates for semester 1 2012.

The number of APA places funded varies from year to year. Unsuccessful shortlisted APA applicants may also be considered for additional Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) opportunities.

APA scholarship holders are awarded a scholarship for three years for a PhD candidate, with a possible six month extension, and for two years for a Masters by research candidate. All successful APA or MQRES applicants will receive a fortnightly stipend at the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) stipend rate, which will be $23,728 pa, tax exempt, in 2012. APA and MQRES holders in either a PhD or MPhil additionally receive Research Training Scheme (RTS) support to cover research degree tuition fee costs.

Applicants must be citizens of Australian or New Zealand or have been granted Australian Permanent Residency by the closing date.

All applications are competitively rated and ranked. Further information about the rating of higher degree research scholarships at Macquarie University can be found at the Scholarship Requirements webpage.

While currently enrolled higher degree research candidates are eligible to apply, any consumed enrolment will be counted as advanced standing and reduce the scholarship duration.

APA and MQRES scholarships require applicants to have either a four year Australian Bachelor degree with First Class Honours and a high level of academic achievement, or provide strong evidence of equivalent research achievement. Successful applicants will usually have an outstanding academic record, a history of scholarships and prizes at the undergraduate level, and may have evidence of peer-reviewed research activity, such as publications, conference presentations, or other relevant and substantial work-related research experience.

Additional information for applicants (PDF)

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Closing Date: 31 October 2011.

We strongly recommend that all applicants submit their application and all required documents well before the closing date. Incomplete applications can not be considered.

Indigenous Research

In 2011 Macquarie University is offering up to five PhD or Masters by Research Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarships (MQRES) to Indigenous Australian students of strong research potential to undertake full-time postgraduate study in an area of interest to the University. Applicants must be Indigenous Australians who have (or expect to complete in the current year) a four-year undergraduate degree with at least upper second class honours or must provide strong evidence of equivalent achievement. Applicants seeking to establish equivalence to honours are asked to provide full documentation of any achievements and qualifications in the following areas:

• research experience;
• publication of research (preferably in refereed journals);
• conference presentations;
• the completion of a Masters degree with a substantial research component;
• highly relevant work experience.

The successful applicants will be selected by a panel comprising academics and Indigenous community members and will be encouraged to participate fully in the work of the host Faculty and the University with opportunities to contribute to teaching, marking and other appropriate duties to supplement his or her income.

The scholarship is available for a maximum 2 years for Masters and 3.5 years for PhD. Advanced standing will be deducted if the awardee has been previously enrolled in study towards the degree which the award will support. Leave and other conditions are generally equivalent to the Australian Postgraduate Award, and the recipient will be paid a living allowance at the published MQRES scholarship rate: currently $22,860 p.a. tax exempt (2011).

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss any aspect of their application with the Director of Warawara, Department of Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University: Associate Professor Susan Page (02) 9850 8634 (susan.page@mq.edu.au).

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports, one of which must be from an Indigenous Australian, to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Additionally, please submit a copy of the Supplementary Indigenous Identity Form (pdf below) with your application. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

• Supplementary Indigenous Identity Form (PDF) must be completed by all applicants

Please quote 'Indigenous MQRES Scholarship' on your application.

This award is won by the University and an industry partner for a project in an area of common research interest. The APAI award funds a Masters or PhD scholarship in that area at the priority stipend rate. Other conditions are similar to an APA. Tenure is 2 years for a Master and 3 years for a PhD.

The 2011 stipend rate for commencing projects is $27,651 per annum currently tax exempt for full time and $15,102 per annum taxable for part time. Stipends are indexed to increase each year.

These awards are normally advertised October to December each year. Students are encouraged to contact academic staff in their area of research interest to enquire about the possibility of awards.

Applications now open for the 2012 Chinese Government Scholarship Program - assisting Australian students studying in China

The Chinese Government Scholarship is established by Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) to provide full or partial scholarships to international students and scholars. The scheme supports students who come to study in China as undergraduates, postgraduates, Chinese language students, general scholars and senior scholars in all areas of study, including science, technology, agriculture, medicine, economics, law, management, education, history, liberal arts and philosophy. Please note: The Chinese Government Scholarship cannot be taken in conjunction with a Macquarie University student exchange.

Applicants must submit online application first via the China Scholarship Council website (click English, please use organisation No. 0361). When complete, download and print the application (PDF file), submit it with your supporting documentation (including the Physical Medical Examination Form) to the Global Programs Team (level 1, EMC2 Building, Innovation Road, Macquarie University, gpt@mq.edu.au) by Friday 30 March 2012.

The GPT will coordinate the review and recommendations of applications and submit to the Education Office of Chinese Consulate in Sydney by 15 April 2012.

Enquiries about the details of the scholarship should be directed to:
Mr Feng HONG, Consul
Education Office, Consulate General of P.R. China in Sydney
19 Anzac Parade Kensington NSW 2033
Tel: 02-96973483 or 02-96621723
Fax: 02-96973368
Email: hongfeng@moe.edu.cn

Online application form available at: http://en.csc.edu.cn/Laihua/Default.aspx

Further information can be found at the China Scholarship Council website under the Chinese Government Scholarship Program.

A hard copy of the application materials should be submitted to the Global Programs Team (level 1, EMC2 Building, Innovation Road, Macquarie University) email: gpt@mq.edu.au) by Friday 30 March 2012.

The Macquarie University Research Centre in Agency, Values and Ethics (CAVE) is offering one full time PhD scholarship (MQRES) in association with ARC Discovery Project 120101092: How do we know what works? Ethics and evidence in surgical research [Chief Investigators (CIs) Wendy Rogers and Cynthia Townley].

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012089 on your application form.

Project Name: How do we know what works? Ethics and evidence in surgical research

The successful applicant will join a thriving and supportive community of researchers in the Macquarie Philosophy Department, and develop her or his own research related to the main themes of the project.

This ARC-funded research project in applied philosophy has a dual focus in ethics and epistemology. The research involves investigating the methodological and ethical challenges that arise in surgical research and proposing ways to address them. There are three specific project aims:

1. to develop an innovative analysis of knowledge and evidence in surgical research and practice;
2. to assess the ethical implications of a range of research methods in surgery; and
3. to produce a practical framework to guide surgical research.

The applicant will be encouraged to develop their own research. While the candidate’s research will be expected to complement and/or extend one or more of the project aims; however, there is scope to negotiate the area and direction of the research in conjunction with the CIs.

Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree with first-class honours (in philosophy, the humanities, social sciences, medicine or life sciences, or some combination of these areas), or demonstrate equivalent research qualifications, such as publications or a Masters degree with a substantial research component. Specific experience in either applied ethics/bioethics or epistemology will be an advantage.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Professor Wendy Rogers at email:wendy.rogers@mq.edu.au or phone: +61 2 9850 8858

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years, subject to satisfactory progress. Office space and additional financial support for projects and conference travel are available from the Faculty.

This scholarship is open to domestic applicants only (Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens)

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012089 on your application form..

The Macquarie University Research Centre in Agency, Values and Ethics (CAVE) is offering one full time PhD scholarship in association with ARC Linkage Project 110200217: On the cutting edge: promoting best practice in surgical innovation [Chief Investigators (CIs) W Rogers, J Johnson, C Townley, A Ballantyne, M Lotz, D Meyerson, G Tomossy, A Eyers, G Maddern and C Thomson].

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012142 on your application form.

Project Name: On the cutting edge: promoting best practice in surgical innovation

The successful applicant will join a thriving and supportive community of researchers in the Macquarie Philosophy Department or Law School, and develop her or his own research related to the ARC project.

The aims of the project are:

1. to develop a taxonomy of innovative surgery;
2. to analyse the conceptual and theoretical features of innovative surgery that generate ethical, legal and regulatory challenges;
3. to provide tools for identifying, implementing and managing surgical innovation.

The applicant will be supported to develop their own project to complement and/or extend one or more of the project aims, in negotiation with the CIs. Supervision is available in either philosophy/bioethics or law.

Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree with first-class honours (in philosophy, law, the humanities, social sciences, medicine or life sciences, or some combination of these areas), or demonstrate equivalent research qualifications, such as publications or a Masters degree with a substantial research component. Specific experience in either law or bioethics will be an advantage.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Professor Wendy Rogers at email:wendy.rogers@mq.edu.au or phone: +61 2 9850 8858
, or Prof Denise Meyerson at email:denise.meyerson@law.mq.edu.au or phone: +61 2 9850 7079

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years, subject to satisfactory progress. Office space and additional financial support for projects and conference travel are available from the Faculty.

This scholarship is open to domestic applicants only (Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens)

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012142 on your application form..

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Ancient History associated with successful ARC Discovery Project DP120103738.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012091 on your application form.

This project focuses on the examination of documents on papyrus from first millennium CE Egypt and concentrates not on scribes but the evidence for the activity of writing. While scribes themselves often elusive, their activity can be seen in every written document from the ancient world. This project focuses on the visual traces of scribal activity evident in the Greek and Coptic documents on papyrus from Roman and Early Islamic Egypt to explore how such texts were reproduced, and the scribal training behind them. It will illuminate ancient scribal practice while informing understandings of ancient education, administrations, and the way knowledge has been passed down from antiquity to the present.

We seek a PhD candidate to write a thesis as part of the project. The exact topic can be negotiated: possibilities might include scribes in Graeco-Roman antiquity, the administration in Roman Egypt, or the production of documentary papyri in the Roman period.

Applicants must have an advanced reading knowledge of ancient Greek and / or Coptic. Familiarity with papyrological evidence and Roman and Early Islamic Egypt is desirable, though not absolutely necessary if the first criteria is met.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Malcolm Choat at email:Malcolm.choat@mq.edu.au or phone: 9850 7561

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.
Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012091 on your application.

A full time PhD Scholarship is available in the Department of Philosophy associated with Dr Paul Formosa's ARC DECRA research project : 'Dignity and respect: a Kantian theoretical approach to practical rationality and human agency' (DE120100320).

Please quote reference 'ARC Dignity & Respect Philosophy PhD Scholarship' on your application form.

Project Name: Dignity and respect: a Kantian theoretical approach to practical rationality and human agency

Appeals to the innate dignity of human beings are commonplace in important public debates in bioethics and on the grounding of human rights. But why do humans, and not other animals, have dignity? Do all humans have dignity? And how should we practically acknowledge the dignity of others? This project will construct robust answers to these important practical questions by developing a Kantian account of dignity and rational agency and investigating the practical implications of this account of dignity in the area of bioethics.

A PhD candidate is sought to work on a topic related to this project. The exact thesis topic can be negotiated. Possibilities include: Kantian ethics, different conceptions of dignity, accounts of rational agency, and the role of dignity in bioethics or human rights debates. Candidates should have either an honours or master's degree in philosophy and an interest in engaging philosophically with Kantian ethics.

This PhD scholarship is funded at $26,670 pa tax exempt for 3 years.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Dr Paul Formosa at email:paul.formosa@mq.edu.au

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote reference 'ARC Dignity & Respect Philosophy PhD Scholarship' on your application form..

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Ancient History associated with successful ARC Discovery Project DP120103519.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012093 on your application form.

Project Name: A spring of silver, a treasury in the earth: coinage and wealth in archaic Athens

A MQRES is available in the Ancient History Department (in conjunction with the Department of Environment and Geography) to conduct research into the sources of silver in North Greece, their exploitation during the 6th and 5th centuries BC, and the political economy of the region with particular reference to coinage. The position is affiliated with the ARC Discovery Project (DP120103519) which is focused on the silver mines at Laurion in Attica and their exploitation during the archaic period. It is expected that the student will assist in the undertaking of this Athenian project, and that the studies of Northern Greek silver sources and coinage will be undertaken with reference to the aims and outcomes of the Athenian project.

There will be opportunities for the undertaking of XRF analyses of archaic North Greek silver coinages. Candidates will be expected to combine studies in numismatics, ancient history, archaeology with XRF based studies of silver coins. They will be required to develop their own PhD research project within the parameters of the general topic outlined above.

Candidates should have either an honours or master’s degree in ancient history or classical archaeology or a closely related discipline.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Dr Kenneth Sheedy at email:ken.sheedy@mq.edu.au or phone: 9850 9265

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.
Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012093 on your application.

Macquarie University's Applied Finance Centre invites applications for scholarships for full-time PhD studies in Applied Finance. Scholarships are tenable for a maximum three years, subject to satisfactory progress. The award stipend is currently $35,000 per annum tax exempt.

Applicants should be Australian citizens or permanent residents and should have a bachelor's degree at honours level, of at least second class division one, or a Master's degree and preferably, work experience in finance and demonstrated capacity for research in applied Finance.

For further information on the Applied Finance Centre, visit our web site: www.mafc.mq.edu.au

Inquiries can be made to the Centre's Director, Professor Phil Dolan, on telephone number (02) 9223 6231 [International +61 2 9223 6231], facsimile number (02) 9223 6237 or email director@mafc.mq.edu.au.

Alternatively, inquiries about the Centre's PhD program can be directed to Associate Professor Rob Trevor on email rob.trevor@mq.edu.au or telephone number (02) 9850-8447. More information can be found at: http://www.mafc.mq.edu.au/PhD_program.htm

For specific information about the PhD Scholarships in Applied Finance go to: http://www.mafc.mq.edu.au/phdad.htm

All prospective PhD candidates will also need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions.

PhD Research Scholarships in Finance/Capital Markets

Macquarie University and the Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre (CMCRC) are offering scholarships to conduct industry-sponsored research in capital markets. Topics include market design, market behaviour, investment management, surveillance, compliance and data mining.

Generous scholarships of up to $50,000 (tax exempt), and opportunities for international travel, are available for successful applicants with qualifications in one, or more of: Finance/Capital Markets, Econometrics/Actuarial Studies, Information Technology/Data mining/Text Mining.

The Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre (CMCRC) is a very successful research centre that has won prizes for its research and has already spun-off several businesses. The CMCRC's research is supported by government, industry partners, security exchanges, and regulators in Australia, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Scandinavia, and North America. Students are based both in Australia and overseas and have some opportunity to travel.

The CMCRC provides an exciting, high calibre, and well resourced research environment for work in capital markets. The research objective is to create better capital markets locally, regionally, and globally. CMCRC research is about providing a better understanding of financial markets (their operation and their price behaviour) and research which facilitates the provision of advances in technology to capital markets. In the CMCRC there is a particular focus on the enhancement of market integrity and security. CMCRC research is also about realising commercial benefits from innovation, and the CMCRC provides direct participation in commercial results for PhD Students..

Additional information for international students: International students are eligible to apply for scholarships. It is particularly important for international students to demonstrate the quality of their qualification, their capacity for research and their ability in written and spoken English. Short-listed applicants will be interviewed. Note: the CMCRC does not pay university tuition fees for international students.

For further information about these scholarships, including, eligibility, tenure application process and link to CMCRC application form, got to the CMCRC PhD Scholarship webpage.

Applications must be sent by post to the CMCRC and received by 15 November 2011.

Prospective PhD candidates also need to submit a separate application for candidature/scholarship and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office, Macquarie University. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Please quote 'CMCRC 2012' on your application.

International applicants should note that CMCRC does not pay university tuition fees for international students.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Psychology and ARC Centre of Excellence for Cognition and its Disorders associated with successful ARC Discovery Project DP110100294.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2011124 on your application form.

This position is affiliated with ARC grant to Sachiko Kinoshita entitled “Cracking the orthographic code: Early perceptual processes in reading”.

We are especially interested in recruiting those with strong experimental background to explore issues in early visual processes involved in reading. Methods include, but is not limited to,behavioural experiments using the masked priming procedure and reaction-time methodology.

The project will have close connections with MACCS (Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science), which is part of the Centre of Excellence for Cognition and its Disorders. Access to excellent research facilities including MEG, EEG, eye-tracking, and expertise in computational linguistics, are available in MACCS.

Candidates should have a good first degree in psychology or a cognate discipline, with a strong experimental focus.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Sachiko Kinoshita at sachiko.kinoshita@mq.edu.au or phone: (02) 9850 8004

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2011124 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available with the Australian School of Advanced Medicine for studies in cerebral aneurysm remodelling mechanism by using hemodynamic and molecular biological technology, associated with an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project DP110102985.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2011117 on your application form.

The project represents a close work among bio-mechanical engineers and vascular physiologists in our laboratory to investigate the mechanisms involved in cerebral aneurysm initiation and growth.

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree with first class honours or a Masters degree by research or equivalent, in medical science, biology, or physical sciences. Strong laboratory research skills or prior experience in animal handling together with a demonstrated ability to conduct independent research will be highly regarded. Good communication and writing skills are essential as the candidate is expected to produce scientific reports and to communicate research results of publishable quality in high impact journals in the field.

Prospecive candidates are expected to have prior knowledge on vascular biology, protein chemistry and cardiovascular physiology. The successful candidate will be working alongside a postdoctoral fellow conducting animal surgery, assessment of blood flow using Doppler ultrasound or angiography, and tissue/protein analysis using techniques such as immunohistochemistry or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The project is based on our collaboration with Japanese universities and hospitals. The candidate may have the opportunity to travel to Japan to learn a particular skill if required.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Prof Itsu Sen at itsu.sen@mq.edu.au or phone: 02 98512 3551

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years. The School may also provide a supplement of $5000 pa tax exempt in addition to the stipend of qualified candidates.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2011117 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) associated with successul ARC Discovery Project DP120101014 is available with the Department of Cognitive Science to support a student working with A/Prof Robyn Langdon and Prof Martin Brüne (Ruhr-University) to investigate moral reasoning in individuals with schizophrenia.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012101 on your application form.

People with a psychotic mental illness, such as schizophrenia, sometimes act on their psychotic symptoms and come before the courts. There is a gap in current scientific knowledge of moral judgment in schizophrenia to inform court evaluations of mentally ill defendant's delusional beliefs, motivations and mental capacities for moral judgment.

We are particularly keen to recruit candidates with a research interest in moral cognition, social cognition and schizophrenia. Research will compare individuals with and without schizophrenia on low-level implicit (versus explicit) tests of understanding other people’s mental states, and altruistic decision-making using bargaining paradigms from behavioural economics. The successful candidate will be expected to visit Prof Brüne’s labs in Bochum, Germany in years 2 and 3 of candidature.

The Cognitive Science department (previously known as the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, MACCS) is part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Cognition and its Disorders, Australia’s premier centre for research in cognitive science. It provides extensive facilities including access to fMRI and MEG, psychophysical testing, and an excellent intellectual environment.

Applicants should have either an honours or a master's degree in psychology or a closely related discipline. Knowledge in programming and implementing experiments using Presentation or similar software will be highly regarded.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact A/Prof Robyn Langdon at robyn.langdon@mq.edu.au or phone: 02 9850 6733

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012101 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) (associated with an NHMRC funded grant APP1009106) is available with the Department of Psychology to support a student working with Associate Professor Andrew Baillie on the efficacy and biobehavioural basis of Baclofen in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease in collaboration with Prof Paul Haber at University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012054 on your application form.

The Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) is a Macquarie University centre for research excellence. Staff at the CEH conduct specialist clinical research aimed at furthering the understanding of emotional disorders.

We are particularly keen to recruit candidates with a research interest in alcohol use disorders, psychophysiology and or motivation for treatment.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact A/Prof Andrew Baillie at andrew.baillie@mq.edu.au or phone: 02 9850 9436

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012054 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available for a suitably qualified prospective PhD candidate in the Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) associated with successful NHMRC Project Grant APP102411.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012107 on your application form.

Project Name: Enhancing cognitive behavioural treatment outcome for social phobia?

This scholarship is to support a student working with Dr Lorna Peters, Professor Ron Rapee and Associate Professor Andrew Bailllie on enhancing treatment outcomes for adults with social anxiety disorder.

The Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) is a Macquarie University centre for research excellence. Staff at the CEH conduct specialist clinical research aimed at furthering the understanding of child and adult emotional disorders, as well as continually improving methods of treatment.

We are particularly keen to recruit candidates with a research interest in adult anxiety disorders, especially social anxiety, and in individual differences in treatment outcome.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Dr Lorna Peters at Lorna.Peters@mq.edu.au or phone: (02) 9850 6727 (Wednesdays only)

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012107 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available for a suitably qualified prospective PhD candidate in the Department of Education working on a project with the University's Learning and Teaching Centre.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012129 on your application form.

Project Name: Transforming university learning and teaching through technologies

Macquarie University’s move to a new suite of learning technologies in 2012 presents a valuable and exciting research opportunity for a PhD candidate. This scholarship is offered to explore the nature of the changes that have occurred in teaching and learning as well as the extent to which transformational change has taken place. Transformational change involves doing things differently in a systematic way across the whole institution, hence there is scope to explore a range of themes such as curriculum design and delivery, student engagement, innovation and sustainability, and leadership and management. The precise focus of the project will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Applicants should have either an honours or a master's degree in education or a closely related discipline.

Applicants should also submit a 2-4 page outline of their areas of interest and how these relate to the topic of transformational change.

The Scholarship will reside in the Department of Education under the supervision of Associate Professor Maree Gosper and there is scope for involvement with other disciplines.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Associate Professor Maree Gosper at Maree.gosper@mq.edu.au or phone: (02) 9850 9752

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012129 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Cognition and its Disorders associated with successful ARC Discovery Project DP120100327.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012100 on your application form.

This scholarship is to support a student working with Professor Max Coltheart, Professor Anne Castles and Dr Serje Robidoux on the further development of computational models of reading and/or on experimental studies of reading that contribute to such model development.

This work is supported by a new Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant, and involves collaborations with overseas laboratories in Canada (Professor Derek Besner, University of Waterloo), England (Professor Kathleen Rastle, University of London), and Italy (Dr Claudio Mulatti, University of Padova).

The CCD is Australia’s premier centre for research in cognitive science, and its facilities for computational and experimental research on reading are excellent. A large number of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers are working on various aspects of reading in this Centre, and there is an active programme of research seminars and workshops on this topic. So an excellent intellectual environment will be provided for the new PhD student.

CCD funding for PhD students to visit laboratories overseas during their candidature is available.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Professor Max Coltheart at max.coltheart@mq.edu.au or phone: 0431 468 390

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012100 on your application.

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Cognitive Sciences associated with successful ARC Discovery Project DP120102835.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012104 on your application form.

This scholarship is to support a student working with Dr. Alexandra Woolgar, Dr. Anina Rich, and Associate Professor Mark Williams, to investigate the neural mechanisms of attention and cognitive control.

This work is supported by a new Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant which aims to use cutting-edge brain imaging techniques to examine how information from our senses is selected and processed in the brain. The project involves overseas collaboration with Professor John Duncan (Cambridge, UK).

The Cognitive Science department (previously known as the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, MACCS) is part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Cognition and its Disorders, Australia’s premier centre for research in cognitive science. It provides extensive facilities including access to fMRI and MEG, psychophysical testing, and an excellent intellectual environment.

We are particularly keen to recruit candidates with a background or interest in human functional imaging (particularly fMRI), and a strong experimental background.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Dr Alexandra Woolgar at Alexandra.woolgar@mq.edu.au or phone: 02 9850 8765

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012104 on your application.

A full-time Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available for a suitably qualified prospective PhD candidate in the Australian School of Advanced Medicine associated with successful NHMRC project APP1030301.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012111 on your application form.

Project Name: Altered nervous control of the heart in kidney disease

The Molecular Neurophysiology group at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine are seeking a PhD student to undertake research related to an NHMRC funded project examining the relationship between chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease, and is contributed to by an inability of the baroreflex to appropriately regulate heart rate. The baroreflex regulates vagal outflow to the heart, by a circuitry that originates in the aortic arch and carotid sinus, through the brain stem, exiting the medulla through the vagus nerve and returning to the heart at the sinoatrial node. We will examine where and why the nerve circuits controlling the heart become dysfunctional and unable to respond to changes in blood pressure. Studies will be undertaken on the Lewis polycystic kidney disease rat (LPK).

Techniques that will be used to undertake this research include telemetry, to measure blood pressure long term in conscious animals, nerve recording and stimulation studies in anaesthetized animals, to assess the functionality of the baroreflex, microinjection studies into key brain regions, histology studies to assess vascular stiffness and treatment trials with inhibitors of the renin angiotensin system.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Professor Jacqueline Phillips at Jacqueline.phillips@mq.edu.au or phone: (02) 9812 3596

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012111 on your application.

A full-time Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available for a suitably qualified prospective PhD candidate in the Australian School of Advanced Medicine associated with successful NHMRC project APP1030297.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012110 on your application form.

Project Name: Who’s to blame? Do stiff blood vessels or nerves cause high blood pressure in chronic kidney disease?

The Molecular Neurophysiology group at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine (ASAM) is seeking a PhD student to undertake a project as part of NHMRC fundedresearchaimed at determining the relative contribution of vascular stiffness versus increased sympathetic nerve activity as the cause of chronic high blood pressure in kidney disease, and the role of the renin angiotensin hormone system.

ASAM boasts a prestigious research centre with 70+ PhD students working alongside a team of leading scientists. Using an animal model of kidney disease, the project will test the hypothesis that blood vessel remodelling, of both large and small vessels, contributes to hypertension. The project will also test the competing hypothesis that increased sympathetic nerve activity to the vasculature maintains high blood pressure, via resistance vessels and function of the aorta. Finally, studies will be undertaken to determine if inhibition of the hormone Angiotensin II can improve vascular structure or reduce levels of sympathetic nerve activity.

Techniques used include measurement of blood pressure and flow, pulse wave velocity, blood vessels structural analysis, pressure myography studies for functional and mechanical testing of the mesenteric vasculature and direct recording of sympathetic nerves. The specific project will be designed with the potential candidate.

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact Professor Jacqueline Phillips at Jacqueline.phillips@mq.edu.au or phone: (02) 9812 3596

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012110 on your application.

JRE Grant - Engineering Cadetships

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr announced the JRE Grant – Engineering Cadetships on 9 December 2011.

The JRE Grant - Engineering Cadetships will enable Higher Education Providers (HEP) to support the research training costs associated with higher degree by research students undertaking a cadetship in relevant areas of engineering or science. Cadetships will involve a combination of formal research training with the HEP and concurrent employment with a business to carry out R&D activities.

Macquarie University has been successful in securing 5 grant awards valued at $5,000 per annum currently enrolled MQ HDR candidates to supplement the research training costs for each domestic student participating in the program. This funding enables the HEP to customise the student’s research training experience to enhance their career prospects as well as to increase overall collaboration between universities and industry to strengthen R&D outcomes.

Interested applications should submit an 'Expression of Interest' (EOI) addressed to the HDR Scholarships Manager, HDRO, Macquarie University, NSW 2209, or by email at: hdrschol@mq.edu.au

EOI's should contain information about the proposed cadetship and industry partner along with information about current enrolment and how this research training opportunity fits in their research and/or research career path, and how this might enhance future research collaboration with the industry or business partner.

A full time PhD Scholarship is available in the Department of Biological Sciences associated with Dr Melanie Zeppel's ARC DECRA on plant responses to changing patterns of rainfall under future climates (DE120100518).

Please quote reference 'ARC Plant Responses to Extreme Precipitation PhD Scholarship' on your application form.

Project Name: Plant responses to extreme precipitation: tree growth and water use

This project is part of an ARC DECRA on plant responses to changing patterns of rainfall under future climates. The seasonality of rainfall is projected to change in future climates. Additionally, rainfall is likely to become more intense, with larger rain events and longer periods between rain, i.e. floods followed by droughts. Plants are expected to have different growth rates and water relations. Overseas studies have shown that grasses have different growth rates and levels of water stress. However, no published research has demonstrated how trees will respond to more intense timing of rainfall.

This exciting project will fill a crucial research gap by measuring how Australian trees respond to changes in the timing of rainfall, while the volume of rainfall remains constant. The project will involve field work, experiments in glasshouses and a modelling component. Field work and glasshouse components of the project will involve growing and measuring various attributes of different tree species. The project will use process-based modelling to quantify how tree water and carbon fluxes will respond to future climates. The successful applicant will be expected to work outdoors with a team of International researchers on nationally funded facilities. A knowledge of plant biology, enthusiastic attitude and self-motivation are required.

Current drivers licence and willingness to work under field conditions are essential.

Applicants should be either Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia and should have a first class Honors degree in plant sciences (particularly plant physiology) or equivalent qualifications and/or experience. The project will be supervised by Professor Lesley Hughes, and Dr Melanie Zeppel.

This PhD scholarship is funded in line with the Australian Postgraduate Award rate at $23,728 pa tax exempt - for 3 years. Project funds for equipment and conference travel are available from the Department of Biological Sciences. There may be opportunities for the student to travel to the United States to work with International partners.

Interested prospective applicants should contact, in the first instance, Melanie Zeppel to discuss the project, at email: Melanie.Zeppel@mq.edu.au or phone 02 9850 9256

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote reference 'ARC Plant Responses to Extreme Precipitation PhD Scholarship' on your application form..

A full-time PhD Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarships (MQRES) is available in the Department of Environment and Geography associated with successful ARC project LP110200603 for a suitably qualified applicant.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012058 on your application form.

Project Area: foraging ecology and energetics of marine predators

The project is based in the laboratory of Robert Harcourt.

This study focuses on the foraging ecology of wild marine vertebrate predators, namely fur seals and seabirds, through the analysis of spatial data, building predictive models of Areas of Ecological Significance and defining oceanographic/biological linkages.

The data will be collected from field experiments in which the student will deploy and recover tracking devices on fur seals and seabirds. This study will focus on analysis of spatial data from all predators, building predictive models of areas of ecological significance and defining oceanographic/biological linkages.

The successful candidate will also assist the research groups with other sampling and field activities.

Taronga Zoo, NSW NPWS and NSW MPA are partners in this project.

For further information on the project, please contact Prof Rob Harcourt, email: Robert.harcourt@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 7970.

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2012058 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Computing associated with successful ARC project DP110102506.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2011061 on your application form.

Project Name: Computational models of synergies in human language acquisition

Project Description:

We're recruiting a PhD student to develop computational models of human language acquisition. These computational models will be used to study synergies in the acquisition of one or more of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. The work involves sophisticated computational approaches to modelling language acquisition, including hierarchical non-parametric Bayesian techniques.

The ideal applicant will have a strong mathematical and computational background, and would be willing to learn linguistics as required.

You will be housed in the Department of Computing, but you'll also work closely with an interdisciplinary team of researchers in the Linguistics department and Macquarie University's Centre for Language Sciences

For further information on the project, please contact Prof Mark Johnson, email: mark.johnson@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 9525, or Prof Katherine Demuth, email: katherine.demuth@mq.edu.au phone: 02 9850 8783

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2011061 on your application.

TWO enhanced full time 4-year PhD scholarships are available in Biological Sciences, associated with Professor Mark Westoby's ARC Laureate Fellowship FL100100080.

Please quote 'Evolutionary Ecology PhD Scholarship' on your application form, indicating also your preference for Project area 1 or Project area 2.

Overall Project Area: Evolutionary Ecology of Vegetation

The behaviour of plant species is shaped by the invisible hand of natural selection, which ruthlessly removes ecological strategies that are less competent or competitive. Through modeling costs and benefits of different traits we can understand why they vary between species and habitats. Through measurements widely across Australia, and collaboration overseas, we can test models and identify the most important dimensions of variation across species.

Project area 1 (theory and modeling): Evolving the structure of plant communities from first principles: vegetation now and into the future

By incorporating natural selection into models of vegetation, we are developing novel theory describing how species mixtures vary with environmental conditions. These adaptive models will provide a platform for next-generation global vegetation models, able to capture the likely impacts of human activities on ecosystem function and species diversity. We seek a talented and enthusiastic student to work in any of the following areas:

• Evolutionary cost-benefit theory for plant traits
• Trait evolution using stochastic simulation models
• Trait evolution in spatially structured populations
• Vegetation structure under high CO2and altered disturbance regimes
• Methods for solving size-structured population models

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree with first class honors or equivalent, in biology, mathematics, computer science, or physical sciences. Strong mathematical and programming skillsare essential, together with a demonstrated ability to conduct independent research.

The lead supervisor for this project will be Dr Daniel Falster, email: daniel.falster@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 9258

Project area 2 (field comparisons across species): Traits of plant stems for hydraulics, mechanics, longevity and storage: variation from tropics to temperate and from rainforest to arid

Folowing earlier work on seed and leaf economics, our focus is now on stems. Stems deploy leaves in the light and they provide conduits for soil water and nutrients to reach leaves. Shoot architecture, xylem anatomy and bark traits all vary widely across species, with consequences both for the plants and for the ecosystem they make up. Several lines of research within this general area would make excellent PhD projects, often in conjunction with a postdoc in the research group.

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree with first class honors or equivalent in biology or in earth or environmental sciences. Fieldwork experience would be well regarded, together with a demonstrated ability to conduct independent research.

For both projects students will work within the research group headed by Laureate Fellow Professor Mark Westoby. There is close interplay between theory and fieldwork. Student projects may also develop collaboration with leading researchers overseas.

For both projects, prospective applicants should, in the first instance, submit a covering letter detailing relevant experience, a CV and academic transcript to Dr Daniel Falster, email: daniel.falster@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 9258

The full time stipend rate for these scholarships is $26,669 per annum tax exempt for 4 years. Conditions of Award.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to: http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/applications for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote 'Evolutionary Ecology PhD Scholarship' on your application, indicating also your preference for Project area 1 or Project area 2.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Physics associated with successful ARC project DP110102207.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2011121 on your application form.

Project Name: Nanofluidics and nanophotonics for protein and small molecule detection

Project Description:

Recent discoveries at Macquarie University are clarifying the complex interactions of molecules, proteins and electric fields in nono-confinement. This has led to a Discovery project aimed at developing new tools for protein and small molecule detection and discovery. This PhD project will engage the student in design, simulations, fabrication, and testing of nano-structures and devices for protein concentration and separation, vital processing in biochemistry. The field of investigation is rich in new phenomena that will make for an high impact project.

The student will be supervised and supported by Prof. EM Goldys and Dr DW Inglis, and work closely with another PhD student working in a similar field. All of us work within the Biophotonics Research Centre, a multidisciplinary and open group of researchers with expertise in lasers, nanoparticles, chemistry, fluorescence and fluidics. In addition practicle solid and liquid state physics, fluorescence microscopy, and clean room fabrication skills, the student will engage with the field of proteomics.

This scholarship is available to domestic students only. We are eager to take on a candidate with an Honours degree in Physics, Engineering, Chemistry or similar fields, hands-on laboratory skills, and who is able to work independently.

Applicants should, in the first instance, submit a CV detailing relevant experience to Dr. David Inglis, email: david.inglis@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 7747.

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2011121 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Biological Sciences for a suitably qualified PhD candidate, associated with A/Prof Marie Herberstein's ABRS National Taxonomy Research Grant.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2011158 on your application form.

Project Area: The behavioural ecology of the colour changing alpine grasshopper, Kosciuscola tristis

The alpine grasshopper Kosciuscola tristis is most unusual in that males can rapidly change colour from black to bright turquoise (females can not). We have established important background information on the seasonality, distribution and genetics of this animal, but substantial questions about its ecology, behaviour and phylogenetic relationships are still open. This project offers a broad range of potential questions that can be addressed in the field (the lovely Australian alps) and in the laboratory. There is the opportunity to learn several techniques such as colour analysis, population genetics, phylogentic analyses, experimental design and histology. The project is in collaboration with Dr Kate Umbers (ANU) and the behavioural ecology group at Macquarie University (ref: http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/behaviouralecology/).

For further information and inquiries in the first instance, please contact the project supervisor, A/Prof Marie Herberstein, email: marie.herberstein@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 6276

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation number 2011158 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available for a suitably qualified prospective PhD candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences associated with successful ARC funded DP120101946.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012067 on your application form.

Project Name: Adapting to climate change: does enhanced metabolism provide heritable protection against ocean acidification and increasing temperature in oysters?

Project Description:

This ARC Discovery project tests whether increased metabolic activity is a consequence of genetic adaptation that can protect marine organisms from the effects of climate change. Climate change is increasing the acidity and temperature of the world’s oceans. Many species will have to adapt to these conditions in order to survive. We know that such adaptation is possible, but we still do not know which genes provide heritable protection against the effects of climate change. That knowledge will help us to predict which species will be more tolerant of climate change in the future.

The current project will fill this crucial gap by studying a unique population of oysters that already shows signs of climate change adaptation and increased metabolism. The successful MQRES applicant will assist postdoctoral researchers with breeding oysters for climate change tolerance, and will test the physiological and genetic properties of those selected oysters. To undertake their research project, the candidate should have existing skills in invertebrate biology (particularly oysters), molecular biology (particularly gene expression analysis), and biochemistry.

The successful candidate will work in the laboratory of Associate Professor David Raftos at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay, Sydney. Their project will be conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Western Sydney, the NSW Department of Primary Industries, and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Germany).

Initial inquiries should be directed to the principal supervisor, Associate Professor David Raftos, email: David.Raftos@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 8402

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012067 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Physics & Astonomy associated with successful ARC funded DP120103751.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012071 on your application form.

Project Name: Efficient Injection of Compact Astronomical Fiber-Fed Spectrographs

Project Description:

In traditional astronomical spectroscopy as used to search for planets around other stars, a circular star image is traditionally placed on a thin slit, where a thinner slit gives improved spectral resolution and a wide slit gives more light. The precise alignment of the star on the slit affects the measurement precision, in particular for radial velocity, meaning that high-precision modes such as exoplanet search require an absorption cell. In this project, you will prototype different methods of injecting single-mode and compact spectrographs that overcome these difficulties, including photonic-lantern and lenslet based solutions.

This work is part of a collaborative project where we will search for planets around pulsating clump giants, and will lead into future major spectrograph proposals.

Initial inquiries should be directed to the principal supervisor, Dr Michael Ireland, email: michael.ireland@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 8901

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012071 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Physics & Astonomy associated with successful ARC funded DP120103751.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012072 on your application form.

Project Name: Origins and Fundamental Parameters of Nearby Giant Stars

Project Description:

Despite being the brightest population of stars in older stellar populations, giant stars, particularly Asymptotic Giant Branch stars, have remained a challenge to modern stellar astrophysics. The key difficulties have been the treatment of mixing-length convection, atmospheric modelling with a very large number of molecular lines, and understanding the role of pulsation and winds in producing observed properties. In this project, you will use spectroscopy, interferometry and atmospheric modelling, to estimate fundamental parameters of nearby tip of the RGB and AGB giant stars. The end goal of this project will be to calibrate relationships so that giant stars can be used as stellar archaeology probes, determining the star formation history of our galaxy and beyond.

This project can make use of data from the new robotic precision Echelle spectrograph being constructed for the Macquarie University observatory 0.4m telescope, data from long baseline interferometry and the state of the art CODEX stellar atmosphere models.

Initial inquiries should be directed to the principal supervisor, Dr Michael Ireland, email: michael.ireland@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 8901

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012072 on your application.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences associated with successful ARC funded Future Fellow grant FT110100685.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012074 on your application form.

Project Name: The role of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) in generating and preserving the overlying continental crust

Project Description:

This project aims to explore the "hidden history" of the deep continental crust and subcontinental lithospheric mantle. GEMOC houses a large collection of mantle-derived and lower-crustal rocks, however in addition student will gain experience in field, collecting samples from Australian and overseas localities. In this project student will apply advanced geochemical techniques (including in situ U-Pb, Lu-Hf and Re–Os isotopic analyses) on a range of crust- and mantle-derived minerals (eg zircon, baddeleyite, rutile, platinum-group minerals) for extracting and interpreting more precise age data for magmatic events in the lower crust and upper mantle.

This study offers an integrated approach across geochemistry and tectonics within a lively and multidisciplinary environment of the ARC GEMOC National Key Centre for Geochemical Evolution and Metallogeny of Continents (GEMOC) and the ARC Centre of Excellence “Core to Crust Fluid Systems” which bring together experts from across Australia and overseas.

The outcomes of the project will enhance our understanding ofn the temporal linkages and the mechanisms that have linked crustal and mantle events, or decoupled the crust from the upper mantle.

Potential Supervisors: Dr Belousova, Assoc. Prof. Pearson, Dr. Gonzalez-Jimenez.

Initial inquiries should be directed to Dr Elena Belousova, email: elena.belousova@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 6126

The 2012 MQRES full-time stipend rate is $23,728 pa tax exempt for 3.5 years.

Prospective PhD applicants should have a first class Honours degree or equivalence, and for scholarship holders, additional relevant research experience and/or qualifications in line with the University's scholarship rating guidelines. Refer to Scholarship Requirements for further information about this.

Applicants will need to complete a candidature/scholarship application form and arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted to the Higher Degree Research Office. Refer to the Applications page for further application instructions. Macquarie University will advise the successful applicant of entitlements at the time of scholarship offer.

Please quote the allocation reference number 2012074 on your application.