UQ-Exeter Joint PhD Scholarships

The University of Queensland and the University of Exeter are seeking exceptional students to join a world-leading, cross-continental research team tackling major challenges facing the world's population in global sustainability and wellbeing as part of the QUEX Institute . The joint PhD scholarship program provides a fantastic opportunity for the most talented doctoral students to work closely with world class research groups and benefit from the combined expertise and facilities offered at the two institutions.

Ten generous, fully-funded scholarships are available for the best applicants, five offered by the University of Queensland and five offered by the University of Exeter. This select group will have the chance to study in the UK and Australia, and will graduate with a joint degree from The University of Queensland and the University of Exeter.

The role

The University of Queensland has seven projects open for expressions of interest through the QUEX Institute. More information about each project and the corresponding advisory team is available by clicking the links below. The successful applicants will commence their PhD at The University of Queensland in Research Quarter 1 (January), 2020.

Project 1: Characterisation of novel substances in wastewater that select for antimicrobial resistance - Professor Kevin Thomas

Extended anthropogenic use of antimicrobials is leading to rapidly evolving, multi-drug antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global scale. It has been recently shown that non-antibiotic drugs and other chemicals may play a role in the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Wastewater contains a cocktail of chemicals, including drugs, personal care products and household and industrial chemicals. Elucidating which of these has the potential to induce AMR is challenging, however possible through an effects-directed analytical approach whereby wastewater is fractionated. Following testing using a novel AMR assay, the fractions will be tested using chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry to reveal high risk, priority compounds that may enrich for AMR.

View project details

Project 2: Where no eyes can see: Tracking Australian shorebird migration using radar - Professor Richard Fuller

More than five million migratory shorebirds visit Australia each year from Asian breeding grounds, where they spend the non-breeding season on wetlands throughout the continent. Studies at the University of Queensland have revealed that most species are declining quickly, and eight have now been listed as nationally threatened as a result. Yet effective monitoring of migratory shorebirds in Australia has proven extremely difficult because many sites are inaccessible in the summer months when the birds are present.

View project details

Project 3: Ecosystem resilience to pathogens: Understanding the interplay between pathogen host shifts and coevolutionary dynamics - Dr Jan Engelstaedter

Ecosystems are constantly faced with a critical environmental hazard: infectious diseases. This is because many pathogens do not only attack a single species but several species within an ecosystem. A major source of emerging infectious diseases in humans, wildlife and agriculture are host shifts, where pathogens jump between host species. To assess ecosystem resilience to the threat of invading pathogens, an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of host range evolution and its consequences is vital.

View project details

Project 4: Sexual conflict and aging - Dr Katrina McGuigan

At any given age men are more likely to die than women, but women have poorer health at older ages. This is referred to as the male-female, health-survival paradox - women live longer but suffer more. This paradox is not driven by selective death as women have higher survival probabilities at every age, but tend to live more of their lives in poorer health.

View project details

Project 5: Design, optimisation, and fabrication of patient-specific multi-phasic total disc replacements to address age-related degenerative disc disease - Professor Justin Cooper-White

Spinal problems affect over 80% of the population, the majority of which are aged, representing a major and growing social and an economic burden on health services world-wide, currently costing more than 200 billion USD a year. These problems are frequently associated with the degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD), a condition that is highly penetrant within our ageing population and severely limits their ability to participate and contribute to society.

View project details

Project 6: Patterns of objectively measured physical activity and healthy ageing: Does one-size-fit-all? - Dr Gregore Iven Mielke

Population ageing is associated with increased economic and societal burden, due to multiple morbidities and loss of function. Physical activity (PA) is arguably the most important modifiable preventive factor associated with healthier ageing, especially if optimal patterns of PA are established in late-middle to early older age (referred to here as the 'young-old' life-stage).

View project details

Project 7: High-intensity interval exercise interventions in educational settings - Dr Michalis Stylianou

Despite only ~ 20% of children and adolescents meeting the physical activity guidelines and the identification of educational settings as ideal sites for physical activity promotion, contemporary systematic reviews show that traditional school-based interventions are unsuccessful.Accordingly, novel approaches in educational settings are needed to promote physical activity in children and adolescents and promote health and wellbeing.

View project details

The applicant

Applicants must meet the minimum level of academic achievement for entry into The University of Queensland's PhD program. Applicants must satisfy one of the following:

• A bachelor's degree with at least honours class IIA or equivalent from approved universities, which includes a relevant research component ; or
• A research master's degree; or
• A coursework master's degree and an overall GPA (grade point average) equivalent to 5.65 on the 7-point UQ scale, which includes a relevant research component ; or
• A postgraduate degree of at least one year full-time equivalent with an overall GPA (grade point average) equivalent to 5.0 on the 7-point UQ scale, together with demonstrated research experience equivalent to honours IIA will be considered for PhD entry on a case by case basis; or
• A bachelor's degree plus at least two years of documented relevant research experience , including research publications.

English language proficiency requirements apply.

These scholarships are open to domestic and international applicants.

Enquiries

To discuss these scholarships, please contact the specific project team leader. If you have a more general question about the application process or the entry requirements for the PhD program, please contact the Graduate School on +61 7 3346 0503 or email graduateschool@uq.edu.au .