University of Tasmania/CSIRO Quantitative Marine Science (QMS) Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2006

Both domestic and international students are eligible to apply for this scholarship

The application form, supporting documentation and referee report forms must be lodged by Wednesday 31 October 2005

• QMS programme information
• Application Covering Letter (word doc)
• Application Covering Letter (rtf)
• Application Form (word doc)
• Application Form (rtf)
• General Conditions (word doc)
• General Conditions (rtf)
• Approved QMS projects now available

About the program
A Joint Program in marine science has been initiated between theUniversity of Tasmania and CSIRO, with a focus on graduating PhDstudents with expertise to work in areas of marine science that requirehighly developed quantitative skills. The partner agencies believe thatthe Joint Program offers an attractive option for prospective students,nationally and internationally, with the combined research and teachingskills of the people within the two organisations providing thestrongest and most diverse academic training ground for temperate andSouthern Ocean marine science in Australia. The postgraduate studentsnot only have the benefit of working in an outstanding academicinstitution but are also exposed to unique opportunities by working inleading edge marine research at the CSIRO Marine and AtmosphericResearch Labs.

The Joint QMS Program offers excellent opportunities in researchtraining. It is the first such program within Australia to offerspecialised graduate level coursework in quantitative marine science (6units to be taken over a period of 3 years). The Joint Program providesan unparalleled opportunity for the development of marine scientistsand guarantees an interdisciplinary focus on marine research, backed upby the niche area of research expertise at the University of Tasmaniaand CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. With over 100 marine scienceacademics/researchers within the two agencies, high quality researchinfrastructure, a long-standing culture of collaboration, and Hobart'sinternational reputation as a centre of excellence in marine science,the Program offers an exciting and innovative postgraduate opportunity.

Graduates will find job opportunities within CSIRO and other researchagencies, such as the Australian Antarctic Division, GeoscienceAustralia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Bureau ofMeteorology, Inland Fisheries Service, Tasmanian Aquaculture andFisheries Institute (TAFI), State and Federal Government agenciesdealing in marine and freshwater research. These agencies employ over600 research scientists specialising in marine disciplines.

Research Areas
The QMS program is focused on four research areas:
Marine Environment Prediction utilises advanced skills to makephysical, biological or chemical marine science increasingly predictiveand quantitative. New ocean observing systems, numerical models andadvanced approaches to model-data assimilation are leading to researchprojects in ocean-circulation modelling, estimation of the physicalstate of the ocean, down-scaling to coastal environments,biogeochemical and ecosystem-modelling and new applications ininterdisciplinary sciences such as fishery oceanography andecosystem-management.

Climate Variability and Resource Management employs skills that alloweconomic sectors to respond efficiently to climate variability byproviding useful predictions based on understanding ocean processes.This project builds on CMR's Oceans to Farms project and capabilitieswithin the University, developing skills in statistical and dynamicalmethods of climate prediction and targeting predictions for specificeconomic management decisions in both terrestrial and marineenvironments.

Climate and Ecosystems examines ocean processes at basin-wide scales,the role of ocean processes in climate change and the influence ofoceanic environment on large marine ecosystems. This area links intoACE CRC research, with a focus on delivering environmental, economicand social value from Australia's engagement in Antarctica, anddeveloping research skills on the dynamics of the role of oceans in theclimate system and feedback from ecosystems to the climate system.

Environmental Conservation and Management provides the quantitativedecision tools and processes to enable Australia to effectively managemarine biodiversity, ecosystem function and use of marine resources.This area aims to train researchers and managers to use tools to 'see'and understand environmental problems at the systems level. Specificcomponents will include habitat and spatial dynamics, populationdynamics, the science of fisheries management, environmental riskassessment; management strategy evaluation and ecological economics.

Reference:
http://www.utas.edu.au/cms/scholarships/index.html