PhD scholarships in ecosystem ecology and conservation

The setting: UNSW Centre for Ecosystem Science is offering two PhD scholarships funded by an ARC Industry Laureate Award to Professor David Keith. The successful applicants with work with an award-winning research team in ecology and conservation biology. Innovations led by our world-leading team include the development of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems protocol and the Global Ecosystem Typology, which are having major impacts on global biodiversity policy and ecosystem management within Australia. Our expertise includes ecosystem and species ecology, biodiversity risk assessment, ecological modelling, fire ecology and restoration ecology. The team works with research partners in governments and research institutions across Australia, as well as an extensive international network of collaborators spanning every continent.  Our active networks offer PhD candidates unique opportunities for career development domestically and internationally.

The project: The Australian Research Council Laureate project aims to build a world-class national synthesis of ecosystem data streams and risk assessments to build capacity for managing Australian ecosystems to conserve their biodiversity and sustain ecosystem services. The project will deliver: 1) a new National Ecosystem Classification and maps coupled with state-of-the-art data streams; 2) innovative training resources for upskilling practitioners across government, industry and community sectors to maximise use of the data; and 3) updatable comprehensive national ecosystem risks assessments linked to environmental-economic accounts. The Australian government is a major industry partner in the project.

Deadline

Open until filled. 

Scholarship amount

$39,206 per year (2026 rate) for 3.5 years

Eligibility

This opportunity is only open to PhD domestic candidates

How to Apply

Please email your expression of interest to Dr Sylvia Hay at sylvia.hay@unsw.edu.au with copy of your CV and a coverletter outlining your suitability to the role.