Fully funded PhD scholarship: Animal Behaviour & Evolutionary Ecology

Monash Postgraduate Scholarship in Animal Behaviour and Evolutionary Ecology
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

The School of Biological Sciences at Monash University is offering a fully funded PhD scholarship to an outstanding student for research in one of the following projects:

• Diversification and conservation of Australia’s lizards (Prof. David Chapple): Species diversity, ecology and conservation status of northern Australia’s remarkable lizard fauna under climate change, invasives and habitat loss. (Lab: chapplelab.com)
• Why is genetic variation for fitness so high? (A/Prof. Tim Connallon): Meta-analysis and modelling of why additive genetic variance for fitness is so high, and what it means for adaptation and population viability (no prior modelling experience needed). (Profile)
• Endosymbiont interactions and evolutionary conflict (Prof. Damian Dowling): How mitochondrial, Wolbachia and nuclear genomes interact to shape host fitness, reproduction and adaptation. (Lab: damiandowlinglab.org)
• Physiological basis of response diversity (Dr Giulia Ghedini): How variation and evolution in species physiology propagate through interactions to stabilise ecological communities under global change. (Lab: giuliaghedini.com)
• Behaviour and the spread of infectious disease (A/Prof. Matthew Hall): Using Drosophila and high-throughput tracking to uncover how infection risk reshapes social behaviour and drives the spread of disease. (Lab: mattdhall.com)
• Climate adaptation in the wild (Prof. Anne Peters): Fitness, genomic (5000+ SNP) and multi-generation pedigree data to test the evolutionary potential for climate adaptation in a wild population. (Lab: petersresearchgroup.org)
• The evolution of metabolic rate and life history (Prof. Craig White): Meta-analysis and laboratory artificial selection to dissect how physiological and life-history traits evolve together, and how animals evolve to cope with environmental stressors in the Anthropocene. (Lab: evolutionaryphysiology.com)
• Wildlife behavioural responses to a changing world (Prof. Bob Wong): How multiple anthropogenic stressors (pollution, climate change, invasive species) reshape behaviour and its ecological and evolutionary consequences. (Lab: bobwonglab.org)

  What the scholarship offers

  • Tuition for the complete PhD degree.
  • Stipend: a tax-free living allowance set at the Monash Graduate Research Scholarship rate (AUD 41,100 per year in 2027).
  • Overseas Student Health Cover for international students.
  • Relocation allowance: AUD 1,000 for interstate, AUD 2,000 for overseas.
  • Conference travel allowance.
  • Project support: funding to resource the research (fieldwork, consumables, equipment, analysis).

    Monash School of Biological Sciences

    The School has a large, diverse and supportive group of PhD students from all around the world. We are committed to providing a work place that is productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion. The School is one of Australia’s largest and most active research communities in behavioural and evolutionary biology, working alongside internationally recognised researchers across terrestrial, freshwater and marine systems.

    Who we’re looking for

    We welcome applications from domestic and international candidates who hold, or expect to complete, an Honours degree or Master’s degree (that includes at least 25% research) or equivalent research training in biology, zoology, ecology, evolutionary biology or a related field, with a strong academic record.

    How to apply

    Apply via the application link on this listing. The form asks you to nominate your project of interest, as well as for information about your academic track record, a short statement describing what interests you and why, together with the names and contacts of two referees. Candidates will be shortlisted by the School Higher Degrees Committee ahead of interview.

    Applications close: 15 November 2026. Start date: the first available intake will be early 2027.