Project Scholarships
Project scholarships provide a stipend and other benefits to support higher degree candidates undertaking research in a predefined project.
How to Apply [[button]]
The list of currently available project scholarships is updated on a monthly basis.
Scholarships closing 30 April
The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development
Lead Researcher: Professor Paola Escudero
paola.escudero@westernsydney.edu.au
This PhD project is part of a funded ARC Discovery Project entitled Understanding the mastery of multiple languages and dialects. This project will provide a unifying theory of how subsequent languages are acquired after mastering two languages or dialects.
Expected outcomes include a deep understanding of how multilingual and multidialect mastery proceeds, how these are represented in the brain, and how they manifest in communicative contexts.
The PhD candidate will work on connecting the project’s computational model with the corpus testing, including linguistic and statistical analysis and write-up of journal articles and a PhD thesis. They will also assist with data management and corpus cleaning. They will also conduct online testing for 250 sessions spread over years 1 and 2, including participant recruitment, and therefore the PhD candidate should have experience with conducting either computational and empirical studies and be interested in learning one of the two methodologies if they do not have experience with it.
Primary supervision will be provided by Professor Paola Escudero, Lead CI of the ARC Discovery project, with external co-supervision by A/Prof Chloe Diskin-Holdaway, Dr Kakeru Yazawa and Dr Jooyoung Lee.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $35,188 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $35,188 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants with a background in computational, statistical and corpus linguistics with demonstrated skills in computational programming languages for linguistic analysis.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following in the area of Corpus or Computational Linguistics (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Masters degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in Computational and Corpus Linguistics.
- Have an ability to program in a variety of computational languages.
- Have an understanding of the importance of computational and corpus methods for analysing linguistic data.
- Be willing to learn to program and conduct computational and empirical experiments to collect linguistic data.
- Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_023_CS0801950_MARCS
The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development
Lead Researcher: Associate Professor Mark Antoniou
m.antoniou@westernsydney.edu.au
Learning a second language is difficult, but mastery brings with it socioeconomic advantages. This is particularly relevant for English-speaking countries such as Australia that have large migrant populations. Yet, we do not know why some learners do well while others in the same setting flounder. It must be the case that successful learners have certain attributes that allow them to flourish in the learning setting, resulting in successful learning. Unsuccessful learners, on the other hand, are likely mismatched to their training method.
This project will map the combination of predictors that matter most in successful language learning with the goal of tailoring training proactively to maximise learning outcomes for all learners.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $35,188 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $35,188 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in speech and language training. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following in the area of Corpus or Computational Linguistics (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Masters degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to psycholinguistics.
- Have an understanding of the importance of cross-language speech perception.
- Be willing to learn fNIRS data collection and analysis.
- Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_024_CS0802414_MARCS
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Lead Researcher: Professor Oula Ghannoum
o.ghannoum@westernsydney.edu.au
The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) at Western Sydney University (WSU) is offering one research scholarship to a highly motivated PhD candidate to work within a research group addressing the key challenge of optimising the yield, quality and disease and stress resistance of horticultural crops (e.g., mushroom, leafy greens, strawberry) grown in vertical farms, in collaboration with Prof Wen Hu at University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Industry Partner Vertical Patch.
HIE is a research institute within WSU and has rapidly become a research leader in plant environmental and ecological research, with a strong reputation for delivering research outcomes of the highest quality. This research will connect plant biology and imaging to IOT project led from UNSW.
This project will appoint one HDR student as part of an ARC Linkage project (Battery-Free IoT-Based Sensing and Control for Protected Cropping), a collaboration between UNSW (lead organisation, WSU and Industry Partner Vertical Patch to an innovative solution by integrating battery-free intermittent computing and sensing and data-driven adaptive control for real-time environmental optimisation. The project will contribute to the education and training of ECR and HDR for the protected cropping
industry, particularly indoor vertical farming.
The aim of this PhD project is to collect physiological (including photosynthesis) and imaging data towards developing an integrated crop monitoring and decision support system for real-time controlled optimisation of crop growth and growth conditions in vertical farms.
The project will combine measurements of photosynthesis as well chlorophyll fluorescence to study plant biology together with plant phenotyping using RGBD imaging and/or commercial phenotyping facility as part of APPN node at WSU Hawkesbury campus. The project is led by Professor Oula Ghannoum at WSU in collaboration with a Prof Wen Hu (WSU, and Mr Wayne Forde (Vertical Patch).
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, a tuition fee waiver and an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single Policy.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in crop physiology in protected facilities. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in digital phenotyping and using state-of-the-art algorithms to build digital plant model for the applications in photosynthesis for example assessing parameters that influence carbon assimilation.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework master's with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to crop physiology, including leaf photosynthesis (gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence) and biochemistry (assays of enzymes and metabolites).
- Demonstrate experience with advanced statistical methods and data-set analysis using statistical software packages (e.g., R, Python).
- Experience in collection and analysis imaging (e.g, RGB, infrared and/or hyperspectral) is essential.
- Willingness to learn computational techniques applicable to crop phenotyping.
- Have good oral and written communication skills and be highly motivated to progress research in a timely manner.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_018_CS0794311_HIE
School of Built Environment and Design
Lead Researcher: Doctor Md Kamrul Hassan
Fire safety in marine environments remains a critical challenge due to confined spaces, hydrocarbon fuels, complex electrical systems, and harsh operating conditions. Lightweight aluminium honeycomb panel systems, widely used in ships and offshore structures to form compartmentalised vertical and horizontal assemblies, are particularly vulnerable under fire exposure. Elevated temperatures can rapidly reduce structural strength, leading to deformation, instability, and potential structural collapse. Enhancing the fire resistance of these systems is therefore essential to ensure sufficient time for evacuation and emergency response.
This PhD program aims to develop a novel intumescent coating specifically engineered to improve the fire performance of lightweight aluminium honeycomb panel systems. The proposed coating will expand under high temperatures to form a stable, insulating char layer, delivering superior fire protection. And, the coating will have improved durability and corrosion resistance in the harsh weather, such as marine like condition. Overall, the intumescent coating will achieve a good balance of fire resistance, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and long-term stability. The project will study key aspects of fire resistance, corrosion resistance and durability of aluminium honeycomb panel with intumescent coating. Experimental testing and materials characterisation will be used to develop optimised material formulations.
The successful candidate will join the renowned research team and work within a multidisciplinary research team in collaboration with an industry partner. The project provides opportunities for industry engagement and the translation of research outcomes into practical marine applications. This offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to research in marine construction materials, with strong potential for both academic impact and real-world implementation.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
Australian citizens, permanent residents, or New Zealand citizens, or international students are welcome to apply. We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds with a strong interest in chemical engineering, fire retardant materials, building materials and the marine industry.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework master's with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to chemical engineering, fire retardant materials, building materials and the marine industry.
- Demonstrate experience with advanced material characterisation, including SEM-EDS, TGA, FTIR, XRD etc.
- Have experience in conducting fire tests on building materials.
- Have experience to publish in Q1 article in reputed journals.
- Have good oral and written communication skills and be highly motivated to progress research in a timely manner.
- Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_026_CS0808976_SoBED
School of Built Environment and Design
Lead Researcher: Doctor Jason Jiang
cheng.jiang@westernsydney.edu.au
This PhD project focuses on the development of advanced monitoring technology for modular house construction, with applications across the construction and real estate sectors. The research will combine computer science (CS), artificial intelligence (AI), and smart sensing technologies to improve the quality, efficiency, and reliability of modular housing systems. Particular attention will be given to key building components such as doors, windows, and prefabricated building envelopes.
This project offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to smart construction and digital innovation in modular housing construction, with both academic and industry relevance.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $40,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3.5 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $40,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3.5 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds with strong interests in low-carbon construction, computer science, and property building.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework master's with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance and background in subjects relevant to Construction Management, Computer Science, Internet of Things Engineering, and Property Building.
- Demonstrate strong programming expertise in Java, C, C++, or similar.
- Have an ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Desirable attributes include:
- Relevant work experience in the areas of Property Building and Construction in Australia.
- Prior research experience, journal or conference paper publication record.
- Onshore applicants (those currently based in Australia) or Western Sydney University internal applicants.
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_027_CS0805525_SoBED
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Lead Researcher: Professor Rachael Gallagher
rachael.gallagher@westernsydney.edu.au
A PhD scholarship is available to join the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University as part of an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship project. The project will devise new approaches to quantifying and addressing extinction risk in the Australian flora. Australia's plant diversity is globally remarkable, but under threat, requiring the development of new strategies to prevent extinction and reverse declines – be part of the solution by studying for your PhD on this topic. Research in our group at HIE investigates the ecology and conservation of Australian plant diversity, including devising practical, policy-focussed initiatives to address threats and prevent declines.
Our team, led by Prof. Rachael Gallagher (ARC Future Fellow), work at the interface between research and real-world translation of ecological and conservation science. Our researchers combine strong ecological approaches based on functional traits, field survey, spatial analysis and modelling to provide insights into how to better manage the Australian environment, working closely with policy makers in state and Commonwealth government to deliver policy-relevant science.
With the support of a highly experienced supervisory team at Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), the PhD candidate will have the opportunity to develop their own research program within the broad topic of extinction risk quantification and prevention. This could take different directions according to the candidate's interests and background, including components focussed on trait-based approaches to assessing risk, plant biogeography and field survey, or spatial conservation planning.
For example, potential research questions include:
- How do estimates of population decline from existing datasets compare to field-based survey? Here, you might compare outcomes of species assessed as at risk of population decline or severe fragmentation in desktop approaches to those derived from field-based metrics.
- How does loss of a species range to habitat conversion shape where new wild populations may be sourced or placed? Many plant species across Australia have lost significant numbers of their populations to habitat loss from land clearing. Macroecological analyses of their distribution, traits and genetics might be drawn upon to spatially plan where new populations may be successfully established to reverse declines in the wild.
What does the scholarship provide?
The PhD scholarship is open to domestic candidates only (i.e., Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or an Australian permanent resident). HIE will offer you the chance to be trained by world-leading scientific staff including young as well as more experienced ecologists, biodiversity scientists, modellers and more, all researching aspects of plant biodiversity distribution and conservation. We will support your development as a scientist, offering a 3-year stipend ($35,188 AUD/year - untaxed) and generous project support funds. Note that living expense are not covered by the scholarship beyond the stipend provided.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in preventing plant extinctions. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in population demography, plant distributions and traits, and conservation research with applied outcomes.
- Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake the research and progress in timely manner and deliver research outputs
- Hold qualifications and/or experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master’s degree with relevant experience
- Demonstrate strong experience with plant-based field work and ability to identify species
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to ecology and conservation
- Demonstrate some experience with statistical methods and working with software for analysis
- Be able to publish work in journals, with our supervisory support
- Have good communication skills and be able to work effectively in multidisciplinary team
Applications close: 30 April 2026
PS2026_031_CS0538559_HIE
Scholarships closing 31 May
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Lead Researcher: Professor Ajesh George
Diabetes affects almost 1.9 million Australians and is one of the biggest challenges for the nation's health care system, costing the national economy $17.6b annually. Gum (periodontal) disease is the sixth most prevalent complication of diabetes. Diabetes also has a bidirectional relationship with gum disease. However, recent consensus has shown that treating gum disease can significantly improve blood glucose management among people with diabetes.
Both Australian and international guidelines highlight the effectiveness and safety of periodontal treatment for people with diabetes and recommend that all diabetes care providers undertake oral health reviews as part of holistic management. Research, however, has shown that diabetes care providers place little emphasis on oral health due to limited training and knowledge. Currently, there is no system in place that offers people with diabetes regular and effective oral health promotion.
This PhD project will complement a larger randomised controlled trial that will explore the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and implementation of a preventive diabetes oral health intervention delivered by diabetes care providers (DIOH), along with a dental service (DS) intervention. The RCT aims to address the above research gaps. The PhD Project will involve analysing and evaluating the implementation and sustainability of the program to better understand its scalability.
The student will be based at the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH) (www.acioh.com), the leading national research centre in integrated oral health care. The centre is based at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research (Liverpool Precinct).
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $35,188 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants with a background in public health, nursing, medicine, health science, health promotion, or implementation science.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework master's with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance.
- Have an understanding of the importance of integrated oral health care systems.
- Experience in systematic reviews/meta-analysis, qualitative/quantitative data collection and analysis using relevant software’s (e.g. NVivo, SPSS, Stata).
- Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 31 May 2026
PS2026_015_CS0590220_SoNM
School of Arts
Lead Researcher: Professor Alison Downham Moore
alison.moore@westernsydney.edu.au
The successful candidate will be required to write a PhD thesis about patient writings, digital sources and art-works referring to experiences of hysterectomy and other major gyaecological surgeries. This is a research training position in gender related medical humanities under the supervision of Prof Alison Downham Moore. It is part of a larger research project funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery schme on the Global History of Hysterectomy (DP260202010).
The candidate will enjoy support within the both the School of Arts, and Translational Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University. An office or hot-desk space will be provided at Parramatta South campus. They will join an international interdisciplinary research group for Gender in the Medical and Health Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and participate in a 2027 symposium in Parramatta on Biographies of the Uterus, with opportunityfor mentored publications stemming from it.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $39,533 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $39,533 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School/Institute.
Eligibility criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in developmental neuroscience. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in cognitive development.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, a course work Masters with at least 25% research component, Research Masters degree, or equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Be a highly motivated researcher, having recently completed, or soon to complete, an MRes in medical humanities, history, philosophy, literary studies, medical or bioethics, gender studies, Indigenous studies, cultural studies, anthropology, sociology, gynaecology, or other relevant fields.
Fluent scholarly English competency is essential. Other language fluencies are also an advantage.
Research skills may be of several kinds but most valued are those in close-reading, archival investigation, historical, contexualisation, ethnography, oral history, literary analysis, scientific literature review, and data analysis.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 31 May 2026
PS2026_009_CS0779401_SoHCA
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Lead Researcher: Professor Oula Ghannoum
O.Ghannoum@westernsydney.edu.au
This project will appoint one HDR student as part of the ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture collaboration between industry and research institutions to develop new cropping opportunities for the protected cropping industry. The project will contribute to the education and training of students and personnel for the protected cropping industry.
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join an exciting research initiative within protected cropping systems (e.g. greenhouses, polytunnels, and indoor vertical farms). This project focuses on developing innovative, end-to-end machine learning models that learn and predict crop growth dynamics directly from sequences of raw images (possibly hyperspectral imagery) or video sequences, conditioned on daily environmental control inputs such as temperature, irradiance, water supply, and nutrient delivery.
Unlike traditional approaches that rely on extracted phenotypic traits (e.g., height, leaf area, or biomass proxies), this work treats visual appearance at each time step as the observable system state. By modelling the temporal evolution of plant images/videos under varying control inputs, the project enables powerful scenario forecasting, for example, predicting how crop development and performance would change if water supply were halved. The models will support a wide range of greenhouse crops and contribute to optimised resource use, stress resilience, and sustainable horticulture.
The project is fully independent, self-contained, and runs in parallel with complimentary imaging research. It offers strong potential for high-impact publications in computer vision, machine learning and Agri-tech journals.
This project is a collaboration between the ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture (TC-SaSH) and University of Adelaide (UoA). The project will be conducted at the Western Sydney University node of the TC-SaSH on the Hawkesbury Campus, University of Adelaide and University of Western Australia. The project is led by Associate Professor Oula Ghannoum & Associate Professor Yi Guo, supported by a team of plant physiologists at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), Professor Zhonghua Chen at the University of Adelaide and Distinguished Professor Sergey Shabala at University of Western Australia. HIE is a research institute within WSU and has rapidly become a research leader in plant environmental and ecological research, with a strong reputation for delivering research outcomes of the highest quality. This research will uncover the novel germplasm for high-level production inside a protected environment.
What does the scholarship provide?
-
Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
-
International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver and an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single Policy.
-
Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the Institute.
Eligibility Criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in crop physiology in protected facilities. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in photosynthesis and using state-of-the-art equipment to assess parameters that influence carbon assimilation.
The successful applicant should:
- A Bachelor's degree with First Class Honours (or equivalent) or a Master's degree (by research or coursework with a substantial research component) in Computational/applied Mathematics/physics, Data Science, Computer Science, or a closely related quantitative discipline.
- Demonstrated strong programming skills in Python and experience with deep learning frameworks (preferably PyTorch).
- Solid background in computer vision (e.g., CNNs, autoencoders, vision transformers, or image sequence processing) and some prior knowledge in dynamical systems (e.g., ordinary differential equations, control theory, system identification, neural differential equations, or recurrent/sequential modelling of time-evolving processes).
- Experience or strong interest in time-series modelling, sequence prediction, or video understanding (e.g., video prediction, latent dynamics, or conditional generative models) is highly desirable.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently on complex, interdisciplinary problems at the intersection of machine learning and plant science.
- Good written and oral communication skills in English, suitable for publishing research findings and presenting at international conferences.
- Willingness to engage with real-world greenhouse data collection and collaborate with horticultural researchers.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 31 May 2026
PS2026_029_CS0815197_HIE
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Lead Researcher: Professor Oula Ghannoum
O.Ghannoum@westernsydney.edu.au
The ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture is offering two research scholarships to highly motivated PhD candidates to work within a research group addressing the key challenge of optimising the yield and quality of horticultural crops (e.g., vanilla, tomato and snacking capsicum) grown in protected facilities at the Hawkesbury Campus of Western Sydney University.
This project will appoint two HDR students as part of the ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture collaboration between industry and research institutions to develop new cropping opportunities for the protected cropping industry. The project will contribute to the education and training of students and personnel for the protected cropping industry.
This project aims to screen crop varieties for optimal performance in protected cropping environments. The project will involve the combination of physiological (gas-exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence), biochemical (enzymes and metabolites) and molecular (gene expression) measurements on selected varieties to generate a full understanding of crop photosynthesis, growth and produce quality (nutritional content). The project will determine how crops respond to changes in environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, carbon dioxide, lighting). Ultimately, these findings will guide the selection of appropriate varieties that are optimised for a defined set of environmental conditions from low to medium / high technology cropping scenarios for optimal photosynthesis for plant growth.
This project is a collaboration between the ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture (TC-SaSH) and University of Adelaide (UoA). The project will be conducted at the Western Sydney University node of the TC-SaSH on the Hawkesbury Campus, University of Adelaide and University of Western Australia. The project is led by Associate Professor Robert Sharwood and Professor Oula Ghannoum, supported by a team of plant physiologists at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), Professor Zhonghua Chen at the University of Adelaide and Distinguished Professor Sergey Shabala at University of Western Australia. HIE is a research institute within WSU and has rapidly become a research leader in plant environmental and ecological research, with a strong reputation for delivering research outcomes of the highest quality. This research will uncover the novel germplasm for high-level production inside a protected environment.
What does the scholarship provide?
- Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 (AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
- Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the institute.
Eligibility Criteria
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in crop physiology in protected facilities. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in photosynthesis and using state-of-the-art equipment to assess parameters that influence carbon assimilation.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
- Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to crop photosynthesis, including leaf gas-exchange, biochemistry (assays of enzymes and metabolites), and/or molecular biology (gene expression).
- Demonstrate experience with advanced statistical methods and data-set analysis using statistical software packages (e.g. R).
- Have good oral and written communication skills and be highly motivated to progress research in a timely manner.
- International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.
Applications close: 31 May 2026
PS2026_030_CS0815136_HIE
School of Engineering
Lead Researcher: Distinguished Professor Brian Falzon
B.Falzon@westernsydney.edu.au
RIFT is widely used but highly sensitive to process and material variability, which can lead to defects such as racetracking, dry spots, voids and porosity. The project will create a digital twin that ingests live sensor data, links it to physics-based models and machine learning, and supports defect prediction and proactive process adjustment during infusion.
What does the scholarship provide?
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds with a strong interest in sustainable construction materials and digital construction technologies. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in low-carbon cementitious materials, concrete admixtures, calcined clay systems, and additive manufacturing
(3D concrete printing).
The successful applicant should:
- Hold qualifications and experience equal to one of
the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor
(Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at
least 25% research component, (iii) Research
Master's degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas
qualifications. - Demonstrate strong academic performance in
subjects relevant to construction materials, cement
chemistry, structural materials, rheology, or
additive manufacturing.Show an interest in applied
research that informs policy and delivery, including
evidence-based decision-making. - Have an understanding of the importance of lowcarbon
and sustainable construction practices. - Demonstrate willingness to develop expertise in
concrete chemistry, rheology, and additive
manufacturing technologies. - Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake
further study at an advanced level.
Eligibility Criteria
Essential
-
First-class Honours or Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical/Aerospace/Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Mechatronics, or related discipline.
-
Interest in experimental work and practical problem-solving in a lab environment.
-
Good quantitative skills and comfort working with data (MATLAB/Python desirable).
-
Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work in a collaborative team.
Desirable
-
Exposure to composites manufacturing (infusion, VARTM/RTM, vacuum bagging), polymer processing, or materials characterisation.
-
Experience with sensors/DAQ, calibration, or time-series data processing.
-
Familiarity with experimental design/DOE, uncertainty, and reproducible data workflows.
Applications close: 31 May 2026
PS2026_032_CS0820067_SoED
Contact us
For questions or advice about a project, please contact the Lead Researcher.
You can contact the Graduate Research School through our enquiry forms.