Plastics pollution in our oceans is a wicked problem. Our current plastics economy continues to deliver large and increasing volumes of plastics waste into our environment, and all countries globally are affected. A scholarship opportunity exists for an outstanding PhD candidate to work on an innovative project that explores strategies for addressing the issue of Marine Plastics Management. Further, this project will form part of a family of projects that seek to build a systematic framework for addressing the challenges of the new plastics economy, particularly plastic materials design, use, and end-of-life management. The successful student would be part of a vibrant research group focussing on sustainability challenges.

Moreover, the University of Queensland (UQ) is a public research university primarily located in Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane, Australia. It is Australia’s fifth oldest university and was founded in 1909 by the state parliament. In addition to flexibility in program choice, UQ students also benefit from a wide range of extracurricular activities. Also, there are exchange opportunities to more than 185 partner institutions in 41 countries. Further, you can access to more than 190 affiliated clubs and societies, as well as sports and cultural facilities. The UQ is rich with first-class services and facilities, an excellent reputation for teaching quality and exciting research and international study opportunities. UQ is a large university where students can choose from the largest high-quality range of undergraduate programs in Queensland 400 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs.

Marine Plastics Management PhD Scholarship

The candidates successful to receive the Marine Plastics Management PhD Scholarship will receive an amount of $5000 per annum for three years. Should the circumstance arise, the candidates can extend their research period by up to 6 months.

Who is eligible for the Marine Plastics Management PhD Scholarship?

• A bachelor’s degree with at least honors class IIA or equivalent from approved universities
• 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
• A postgraduate degree of at least one year full-time equivalent with an overall GPA equivalent to 5.0 on the 7-point UQ scale. Also, demonstrated research experience equivalent to honors 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.
• Applicants with overseas qualifications should refer to the GPA equivalency table.
• Further, the candidates should be proficient in the English language.
• Both domestic and international students may apply for scholarships.

How to apply for the PhD Scholarship at the University of Queensland

The University of Queensland will consider the PhD Candidates for the scholarship after the initial assessment of their application. The program facilitators, Associate Professor Bronwyn Laycock, will assess the application prior to gaining admission at the University. Therefore, the candidates should include in their application to the facilitators:

• Cover letter, which should also highlight your interest in this project, and any previous relevant experience
• A CV
• Academic transcript/s
• Copies of published research papers where you are an author, along with a statement regarding your contribution to the paper.

Candidates should, however, not that submitting the above documents do not constitute a full application for admission into The University of Queensland’s PhD program. If selected, you will then be invited to submit a full application for admission

Deadline

The deadline to apply for the Marine Plastics Management PhD Scholarship is until 4 August 2019. The University of Queensland, however, will not accept applications arriving after the deadline.