The Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment is offered by the Department of Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
The scholarship is seeking self-motivated and independently working applicants for a 3.5-year Ph.D. position contributing to a Blue Economy CRC initiative that creates tools for the measurement of the depositional footprint of offshore aquaculture (Environment and Ecosystems Program: Project 4.20.004).
However, a fundamental assumption used to argue for the development of fish farms in offshore waters is that operating in deeper and more dynamic waters will improve the horizontal dispersion of organic farm wastes and so lessen the impacts on seafloor ecosystem functions.
The social license for such expansion, yet, will rely on our proficiency to quantify this advantage. It is expected that farm waste released in deep offshore waters will form a larger, more continuous but less intense footprint in the ecosystem than in shallow coastal waters.
Moreover, depending on the properties of the receiving seafloor ecosystem, the deposition of fish waste may alter the structure and function of the benthic faunal communities, in particular, their impact on the sediment–seawater solute exchange—a process that couples benthic with pelagic ecosystem functions.
The Ph.D. scholar will execute a series of laboratory experiments to study the impact of the benthic invertebrate community on the sediment–seawater exchange of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus as a function of organic enrichment.
Scholars will have a university degree (Master/Diploma) in Marine Ecology, Biological Oceanography, Aquatic Microbiology, or related fields. We welcome knowledge in the taxonomic identification of benthic invertebrates and knowledge in sediment biogeochemistry. The perfect candidate features excellent communication skills, ability in scientific writing, and a high degree of independence.
The successful candidate will join an international project team, led by Associate Professor Kay C. Vopel, including researchers from CSIRO, the University of Tasmania, and Griffith University
About the University
Auckland University of Technology is a university in New Zealand, formed on 1 January 2000 when a former technical college (originally founded in 1895) was granted university status.
The university is New Zealand’s third largest university in terms of total student enrolment, with about 29,100 students enrolled across three campuses in Auckland.
Auckland University of Technology has five faculties, and an added three specialist locations: AUT Millennium, Warkworth Radio Astronomical Observatory, and AUT Centre for Refugee Education.
The university has enrolled more than 29,000 students in 2018 including 4,194 international students from 94 countries and 2,417 postgraduate students.
Auckland University of Technology’s student population is mixed with a range of ethnic backgrounds including New Zealand European, Asian, Māori, and Pasifika.
Scholars also represent a broad age range with 22% being aged 25–39 years and 10% being 40 or older. Auckland University of Technology employed 2,474 full-time equivalents (FTE) staff in 2016, including both professional and academic.
Benefits of the Scholarship
Successful scholars for Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment will receive the annual stipend at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.
Requirements for Auckland University of Technology Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment
- Good communication skills in written and spoken English are important.
- The successful candidate will display enthusiasm and have an outstanding academic record and be prepared to conduct the doctoral study at Auckland University of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.
- To be eligible for Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment, preference will be given to NZ Citizens, NZ Permanent Residents, or international students currently onshore in New Zealand.
- Affirmation to enrolment in a Ph.D. program at the university.
- Applying for admission into the university is a separate process. Applicants must fulfill all conditions for admission to the Doctoral Programme at AUT.
- Note that these can be found on the AUT website https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/doctor-of-philosophy.
- To be qualified for a Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment, you must meet the requirements for the Doctoral program which include having completed the needed academic qualifications for direct entry and meeting the requirements for English language proficiency.
- The minimum English language requirement for international applicants is an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 7 in writing and all other bands 6.0 or higher. High proficiency in English is important.
How to Apply for Auckland University of Technology Scholarship in Effects of Organic Enrichment
Applicants must apply by email to Associate Professor Kay C. Vopel (kay.vopel@aut.ac.nz) attaching:
- A curriculum vitae including the contact details of two referees.
- Degree certificates and grades confirm that the applicant meets the entry requirements into the Doctor of Philosophy program.
- One scientific text in English written by the candidate (e.g., Master thesis, a paper currently in draft, or a publication in a scientific journal).
Regulations [PDF, 150.7 KB]
The application deadline is November 1, 2022.
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