The Bushfire CRC is calling for outstanding postgraduate students to be part of a dynamic national bushfire research program for safer communities and ecological sustainability, investigating areas such as fire behaviour, management of fire in the landscape, and social and economic aspects of bushfire.

We seek students with strong academic records and relevant experience who are keenly interested in pursuing a PhD, beginning in 2010, with a view to researching key issues for fire and land management agencies around Australia and New Zealand.

The Bushfire CRC is offering outstanding postgraduate students access to:

• Full Scholarships of $28,000 per annum over 3 years, and
• Top Up Scholarships (for APAs and University scholarships) of $10,000 per annum over 3 years.

Expressions of Interest are invited from students interested in undertaking Masters of PhD studies with backgrounds in science, psychology, social science, botany, ecology, geography, IT, economics, engineering and health sciences.

Scholarships are available for study at a range of universities. Current partners include: University of Western Australia, University of Melbourne, University of Tasmania, Australian National University, La Trobe University, RMIT University, University of Sydney, University of South Australia, University of Canterbury (NZ), University of Wollongong and Deakin University.

Students may also be based at Bushfire CRC partner agencies, such as fire or land management authorities.

As the Bushfire CRC moves forward, three research programs have been identified – Understanding Risk, Communicating Risk and Managing the Threat – and within each of these themes are specific projects including:

• Understanding community expectations,
• Risk assessment,
• Fuels and risk planning in the interface,
• Effective communication,
• Human behaviour under stress,
• Incident coordination,
• Fire in the landscape, and
• Fire suppression. 

Please note that student research projects are expected to supplement and support the Bushfire CRC research agenda. Postgraduate research scholarships are part of a dynamic national bushfire research program for safer communities and ecological sustainability, and in each of the projects there must be a strong link between the proposed research project and the impact of fire (or lack of fire).

Expressions of Interest

Before making an application, students should first submit an Expression of Interest to the Bushfire CRC. This should take the form of a 1-page outline of their proposed research, including the name of their intended supervisor and university of choice.

The Bushfire CRC will review these expressions of interest with lead researchers in the area and provide feedback to prospective students prior to the lodgement of any formal application.

Expressions of Interest should be emailed to Research Manager Lyndsey Wright at lyndsey.wright@bushfirecrc.com.

For further information about Bushfire CRC projects, eligibility criteria and formal application information, students are directed to download and read the Bushfire CRC Scholarship Application Kit on this website.