PhD Opportunities in water, groundwater and climate

Posted 28 January 2014

The Connected Water Initiative Research Centre, UNSW Australia, is seeking high quality International and Domestic applicants to apply for PhD positions to start in July 2014. Fully funded and fees-only scholarships are now available.

Our research interests are in the general area of ground water, and include mining engineering, legal, paleoclimatology, plant water use, cave science, surface water - groundwater interactions and groundwater applications of geophysics. Applicants must have an honours (or equivalent) degree at 1st class, a higher degree (MSc or MRes) and evidence of research experience. All applicants must develop a short research proposal with their potential supervisor. International applicants must also meet English language qualifications.

International Applicants should apply here before the 28th February:
http://research.unsw.edu.au/international-research-candidate-scholarships

Domestic Applicants should apply here before the 23rd May:
http://research.unsw.edu.au/domestic-research-candidate-scholarships

We specifically welcome applicants interested in the following research areas:

  1. Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from CSG production and natural environments, improved recharge estimates, plant redistribution of water in the vadose zone, coupled chemical and hydrological cycles, tipping points in the geological record, facies modelling of fluvial systems, and rural water use efficiency. Contact: Bryce.kelly@unsw.edu.au
  2. Cave science, including cave climatology and speleothem records of past climate, environment and groundwater variability. Fire geochemistry and groundwater. Organic matter characterization of groundwater. Contact: a.baker@unsw.edu.au
  3. Legal arrangements for groundwater allocation and planning, conjunctive management, regulating groundwater use and impacts of CSG production. Contact: c.holley@unsw.edu.au
  4. Groundwater applications of geophysics: using gravity to quantify soil moisture change; electrical methods in hydrogeology; investigation of specific storage using shear-wave seismics. Contact: i.acworth@unsw.edu.au
  5. Groundwater in mining (metals and energy): hydrochemical-isotopic tracers of mine water, in situ leach uranium processes, coupled hydrogeology-geomechanical processes (underground or open pit), engineered barrier systems/water quality treatment. Contact w.timms@unsw.edu.au
  6. Geochemical and physical processes of surface water groundwater interactions including the subsurface sea-/freshwater interface such as seawater intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge. The focus will be on flow and reactive transport modelling of field data. Contact: Martin S. Andersen on m.andersen@unsw.edu.au

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