PhD student position in Nanopores / Nanotechnology (New Zealand)

Reference: 2009_10
Unit: Nano & Micro Fludics
Location: Wellington

Applications close: Friday 18 December 2009
More information: vacancy@irl.cri.nz

Job description:

A PhD research studentship is available for studying resizable nanopores, an exciting new technology consisting of individual nanoscale holes in thin elastomeric membranes. The size of a hole can be altered on the nanoscale by stretching the membrane by macroscopic amounts. Nanoparticles, suspended in electrolyte, can be detected by recording the electronic current passing through a pore. Nanoparticle sensing applications are of growing importance in medical and life sciences, environmental monitoring and security. Nanopores are becoming an important general tool in nanotechnology research.

The student will carry out theoretical and experimental work exploring the physics and chemistry of nanoparticle detection. Topics of particular interest include interactions between dispersed particles and the elastomer, competing nanoparticle transport mechanisms, and detection of novel, interesting nanoparticle types.

The work will be highly interdisciplinary in nature, requiring an applicant with a strong academic background in a physical sciences discipline. You will demonstrate a good command of English both written and oral.

The successful candidate will have access to an extensive array of equipment and expertise. Exposure and access to these resources will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience and develop strong skills.

The project has a commencement date of January 2010. We are open to being flexible with the successful candidate’s start date.

The project is funded by the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (http://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/), affiliated with Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and based at Industrial Research Limited’s (IRL) Gracefield campus. The successful candidate will receive a stipend of $27,000 per annum and all course fees paid.

IRL (www.irl.cri.nz) is a Crown Research Institute tasked with providing world-class science and engineering to industry in New Zealand. Resizable nanopores are uniquely being developed by Izon Science (http://www.izon.com/). The student will be required to collaborate extensively with scientists from VUW, the MacDiarmid Institute and Izon Science.

Contact: Dr Geoff Wilmott
VUW Co-supervisor: Dr Shaun Hendy

Applications close 5pm, 18 December 2009.

Applications:
Please apply online or post your application to us at:

Human Resources
Gracefield Research Centre
P O Box 31-310
Lower Hutt 5040
New Zealand

PhD student position in the Advanced Fungal Technologies (New Zealand)

The studentship will be based at the Grasslands Campus in Palmerston North and will be supervised in close collaboration between AgResearch and the Institute of Molecular BioSciences at Massey University. The position would provide you with the opportunity to travel to Edinburgh.

The position has been created as part of a Marsden-funded programme to investigate a unique mechanism of fungal growth. Fungi normally grow at the tips of their filaments, however a recent discovery in AgResearch has shown that fungal endophytes of grasses colonise the host plant by growing along the length of the filament (intercalary growth). Hyphae of Epichloë endophytes are firmly attached to grass cells, and when host cells increase in size during growth, hyphae accommodate increases in plant cell length by undergoing intercalary extension. The aim of this PhD project is to investigate two signalling pathways through which fungal endophytes might sense mechanical stress and stimulate an intercalary growth response. This work will be integrated into existing programmes that are using powerful fluorescence microscopy techniques to track the dynamic movements of the fungal cytoskeleton, and the progression of vesicles containing cell wall building cargo to the growing intercalary cell wall.

The Advanced Fungal Technologies team consists of scientists, postdoctoral fellows and technicians. Along with Massey University this team is able to offer significant support and supervision. In addition, the PhD project is a collaboration between New Zealand researchers and scientists in the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Candidates should have a first or upper second class degree in the biological sciences, plus an Honours degree or MSc with a strong molecular biology component. Experience in fungal molecular biology will be an advantage.

The studentship provides a stipend of $25,000.00 per annum plus course fees for the 3-year Ph.D. programme. Some help with relocation expenses will be available.

The deadline for applications is 11 December 2009. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Christine Voisey (christine.voisey@agresearch.co.nz) for further information; please attach a CV. The studentship will be awarded competitively following short-listing and interviews, and would be expected to be taken up in March 2010 if possible.

Victoria University of Wellington - PhD Scholarship (New Zealand)

For the purpose of encouraging postgraduate research Victoria offers PhD scholarships to those about to commence their doctoral studies. These scholarships are awarded on academic merit and are open to New Zealand and international students in any discipline. The Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships are Victoria PhD scholarships targeted at specific research topics that highlight the research strengths and priorities of the University in a particular year.

The scholarship consists of a $21,000 per annum stipend plus domestic tuition fees. Scholarships will be awarded in two selection rounds. Mid-year Victoria PhD scholarships across all disciplines and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships will be offered; in November there will be a further round of general Victoria PhD Scholarships across all disciplines.

Applicants who do not clearly meet the above academic criteria may be considered under any of the following categories for a Victoria Doctoral Assistantship.

i.)The applicant has significant work experience or significant peer esteem in the research field to which they are applying.
ii.)The applicant has a recognised record of publications.
iii.)The applicant’s proposed research would contribute significantly to the School, Institute or Centre’s Research Plan.
iv.)The involvement of the applicant in the School’s programme of research would assist in building a ‘critical mass’ of research and/or involve collaboration between institutions.
v.)The strategic direction of the proposed research could invlove joint initiatives with the business community to develop future commercialisation of the research.

The Victoria Doctoral Assistantship consists of a $15,000 per annum stipend for three years plus domestic tuition fees and an offer of employment as a tutor or research assistant in the School, Institute or Centre for the term of the scholarship. The employment component of the Victoria Doctoral Assistantship is worth $5,000 per annum.

Applications must be made on the forms obtainable from the Scholarships Office or on the Scholarships Website: www.vuw.ac.nz/scholarships. Scholarship applicants must contact directly the School in which they wish to enrol so that their research proposal and the feasibility of supervision can be assessed. Enrolment for a PhD and applying for a PhD scholarship are two separate processes. The holding of Victoria PhD Scholarship is conditional upon the scholarship recipient gaining provisional enrolment as a PhD student.

Applicants, other than those who have completed all of their study at Victoria, must include a certified copy of their academic record from other institutions with this application. Applicants whose degree has been conferred at any university other than a New Zealand University will be considered in two categories:

Category 1 - applicants from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany or Australia must supply an original or certified copy of their university transcript.

Category 2 - applicants from any other country must have their transcript verified and assessed with a course by course evaluation of the prerequisite degree by the below educational evaluators:

Educational Credential Evaluators - http://www.ece.org

All applicants for the midyear rounds of Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships and general Victoria PhD Scholarships will be notified of selection within one calendar month of the closing date. First offers of Victoria PhD November round Scholarships will be made in mid to late December of the year of application. Please note if your application is unsuccessful this will be by email only. Some applicants may be placed on a reserve list and will not be finally notified of the success or otherwise of their applications within two months of first notification.

Applications for the Victoria PhD Scholarships close on 15 June and 1 November 2009. Closing dates from 2010 forward will be 1 March, 1 July and 1 December. Applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Research Scholarships may have a different closing date. It is essential to check the website to be sure of the correct closing date.

Applications should be made to:
Scholarships Office, Office of Research and Postgraduate Study
10 Kelburn Parade
Victoria University of Wellington
P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
Email: scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz