PHD scholarship: Pathways to improved bushfire disaster resilience policy
PhD Scholarship
CIFAL Newcastle has a PhD Scholarship opportunity available for students to join our team interested in undertaking research in the area of bushfire disaster resilience. As part of this research project, the successful student will investigate the role of communities of practice in shaping disaster resilience policy at a national to local levels.
CIFAL Newcastle is seeking expressions of interest from a highly motivated and enthusiastic applicant interested in pursuing a PhD program in the research area of bushfire disaster resilience under the supervision of Associate Professor Temitope Egbelakin. Successive bushfires have significantly affected the lives, wellbeing and livelihoods of communities living within or near fire-prone forests and rangelands. Drought (made worse by climate change) and bushfire have also negatively affected the health and productivity of these ecosystems. Climate change will further increase bushfire risk and stress on human and natural communities. Strengthening Australia’s disaster resilience is not a stand-alone activity that can be achieved in a set timeframe, nor can it be achieved without a joint commitment and concerted effort by all sectors of society. ‘Effective community resilience will rely on good working relationships within communities, between communities and those who support them, and between agencies and organisations engaged in this work. It is, therefore, important that all parties are clear about their roles, and the linkages and interdependencies between them.’ The research project will investigate the role of communities of practice in shaping disaster resilience policy at a national to local level. With a proposed outcome to develop innovative methods for community participation in the development of policies and initiatives to address multiple natural hazards and climate change. Please note that the specific direction of the project can be negotiated with the supervisor. The project will be undertaken in partnership between CIFAL Newcastle and the University of Newcastle. CIFAL Newcastle is a United Nations training centre with a focus on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.
PhD Scholarship details
Funding: $28,092 per annum (2020 rate) indexed annually. The living allowance scholarship is for 3.5 years and the tuition fee scholarship is for four years. Scholarships also include up to $1,500 relocation allowance and Overseas Student Health Cover at single rate, for an international candidate.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Temitope Egbelakin
Available to: Domestic and International students
PhD
Eligibility Criteria
- The successful applicant must meet the University of Newcastle’s admission eligibility criteria.
- The successful applicant must commence their candidature by 31 July 2021.
Application Procedure
Interested applicants should send an email expressing their interest along with scanned copies of their academic transcripts, CV, a brief statement of their research interests and a proposal that specifically links them to the research project.
Please send the email expressing interest to T.Egbelakin@newcastle.edu.au by 5pm on 29 May 2020.