UNDERWATER FOREST RESTORATION

- PhD OPPORTUNITIES -

We are seeking 3 highly motivated PhD students to join a coastal restoration research team in the Sydney region 

This is an exciting opportunity to join an interdisciplinary team of researchers working on the following three coastal restoration projects:

Restoration Through Harvest: Linking urchin fisheries, communities and kelp forest restoration – funded by WWF’s Innovate to Regenerate program. Supervisors: Prof Adriana Vergés (UNSW) & Dr Ziggy Marzinelli (University of Sydney). Collaborators: John Keane (University of Tasmania), Aaron Eger (Kelp Forest Alliance).

Using plant-sediment-feedbacks to enhance effective seagrass restoration – funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage project. Supervisors: Dr Mariana Mayer-Pinto (UNSW), Prof Adriana Vergés (UNSW), Dr Ziggy Marzinelli (University of Sydney) & Paul Gribben (UNSW).

Project Restore – multi-species coastal restoration and rehabilitation focusing on seagrasses, kelp, fish pods and Living Seawalls; part of Seabirds to Seascapes a multi-institutional project funded by the NSW Environmental Trust. Supervisors: Prof Adriana Vergés (UNSW) & Dr Ziggy Marzinelli (University of Sydney). Collaborators: Dr Mariana Mayer-Pinto (UNSW), Katherine Dafforn (Macquarie University) & Melanie Bishop (Macquarie University) and David Booth (University of Technology Sydney).

THE APPLICANT: We are looking for someone with a keen interest in marine ecology and restoration and with a passion for solutions-focused research. SCUBA diving and advanced underwater fieldwork skills are needed. Boating experience and microbiology skills are advantageous, but not essential.

START DATE: From August/Sept 2023.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS: Students are expected to apply for an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship through either UNSW Sydney or the University of Sydney. UNSW Deadline for commencing in Sept 2023: 27th January 2023; USYD deadline for commencing in August 2023: 19 May 2023.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: UNSW Sydney and the Australian Commonwealth Government offer highly competitive International Research Scholarships. UNSW deadline for international students commencing in Sept 2023: 27th January 2023; USYD deadline for international scholarships to commence August 2023: 12 December 2022. 

Please note the following requirements to be competitive for an international scholarship:

- BSc equivalent to 1st Class Honours

- One or two publications in ISI scientific journals (at least one first-authored)

- Work experience in marine ecology

Interested students please email Prof Adriana Vergés (a.verges@unsw.edu.au), Dr Ziggy Marzinelli (e.marzinelli@sydney.edu.au) or Dr Mariana Mayer-Pinto (m.mayerpinto@unsw.edu.au) including a copy of your CV (in English) and your academic transcript.