We are seeking a highly-motivated PhD student to join our DeakinSeaweed research group for a project based at the Deakin Warrnambool Campus examining the potential for cultivation and commercial production of two Australian brown seaweeds that show promise as alternatives to the popular Japanese Hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme) to supply growing lucrative domestic and export markets for safe‐ and sustainably‐grown seaweeds. The student will be supervised by Dr Cecilia Biancacci and Dr Alecia Bellgrove. The project will combine 1) biological observations and analyses to assess the reproductive biology and seasonality of wild populations, 2) aquaculture techniques at a hatchery scale with the potential to scale up the production system for commercial production, 3) biochemical analyses to investigate potential commercial applications and markets of the selected species.
The research will contribute to increase the knowledge of the biology and life cycle of the selected species, in order to apply this to sustainable aquaculture.
Applications are welcomed from Domestic and International onshore students only. You must be competitive for a PhD scholarship at Deakin University (currently valued at approximately AU$28,600 for 3 years with the possibility of a 6-month extension). Australian Honours graduates with an H1A and score above 85% will be considered; international applicants should ideally have several first-authored papers in peer-reviewed international journals with Q1 Scimago journal ranking (http://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php). PhDs at Deakin University are 3 years and free of tuition fees for scholarship holders if completed within the 3 year time frame. Interested applicants should send (to c.biancacci@deakin.edu.au) 1) a brief CV (including a list of any peer-reviewed papers) and 2) a 1-2 page cover letter stating reasons for wanting to do a PhD, a summary of research experience, information on how your skills will be relevant to the project, and a statement about your undergraduate track record including information on your grade point average.
Expressions of interest close 12 July 2021
Dr Alecia Bellgrove 