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Lizard Island Doctoral Fellowship

Ian Potter Doctoral Fellowship at Lizard Island

These fellowships are open to applicants who have been accepted into a PhD program at any university and who plan to conduct field-intensive coral reef research at Lizard Island. Applications are now invited for the 2009 Fellowships.

Background

The Lizard Island Doctoral Fellowship and The Ian Potter Fellowship at Lizard Island provide financial support for field-intensive coral reef research at the Lizard Island Research Station by outstanding PhD students. Each provides up to AUD $8,000 per year for field expenses and may run for up to three years. The fellowships do not provide salary. Applications are assessed by a panel of Australian Museum scientists with input from external reviewers.

The Lizard Island Doctoral Fellowship has been funded by the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation since 1984.

The Ian Potter Foundation has funded the Ian Potter Doctoral Fellowship at Lizard Island since 2006.

A single application will be considered for both fellowships.

Benefits

The maximum value of each 2009 Fellowship is AUD$21,000 excluding GST (AUD$7,000 per annum for up to three years) for students enrolled at an Australian university and AUD$24,000 (AUD$8,000 per annum) for those enrolled at an overseas university. The difference in value is to contribute towards the higher traveling costs that overseas students will incur. Students who are enrolled at an overseas university but who are domiciled in Australia are only eligible for a Fellowship totaling AUD$21,000.

Allowable expenses

Fellowship funds must be spent on bench fees for at least 100 person days at the Lizard Island Research Station each year by the fellow and his/her assistants. The funds may also be spent on other expenses involved in fieldwork at Lizard Island including travel, freight, and equipment. Fellowship funds may not be used for living expenses (including food while at Lizard Island) or for salary. The fellowship may not be used to support research or travel by the fellow's PhD supervisor.

Conditions of Award

• The fellow must conduct field-intensive research at the Lizard Island Research Station (LIRS) for at least 100 person days during each year of funding. Most projects require at least one assistant so this usually means that the fellow and an assistant must both work at LIRS for at least 50 days per year. Bench fees at the current applicable rate must be paid to LIRS for these visits. If 100 person days are not used in any year, an amount equal to the value of the unused days at the student rate must be returned to the Research Station.
• The first field trip using fellowship funding should not be planned to start before April 2009.
• If the fellow's supervisor wishes to accompany the fellow on field trips to Lizard Island, fellowship funds may not be used to cover any of the supervisor's travel costs. They may be used to pay bench fees for the supervisor at the student assistant's rate for up to 7 days over the life of the fellow's project, providing that the supervisor is actually assisting the fellow on those days rather than conducting his/her own research. Bench fees for any additional days spent at LIRS by the supervisor must be paid at the current rate applicable to researchers and that amount may not be paid from fellowship funds.
• Each year during a field trip, the fellow is required to make an oral presentation at LIRS about his/her research.
• A progress report must be submitted each year, including details of expenditure and revised budget estimates for the coming year(s). Subsequent funding depends upon suitable progress.
• Items of equipment worth more than AUD$500 must be detailed in the budget and will remain the property of the Research Station.
• Any funds unspent at the end of each fellowship year must be returned to LIRS unless the LIRS directors approve carry-over arrangements.
• A bound copy of the Fellow's thesis must be lodged in the Station's library.

Selection criteria

1. Relevance of the research program to the Australian Museum's Science Research Strategy.
2. Acceptance of the applicant into a PhD program to undertake field-based coral reef research.
3. Stipend from a scholarship or other source for the duration of the Fellowship.
4. Applicant's academic and research record.
5. Evidence that the applicant has relevant research and fieldwork experience.
6. A project that is field-intensive.
7. A project that is innovative and will make a significant contribution to coral reef science.
8. Feasibility of the proposed research within the limitations of budget and safety regulations.
9. Substantial and efficient usage of LIRS.
10. Efficient usage of fellowship funds.
11. If the fellowship does not cover all planned costs, evidence that additional funding is available or a contingency plan for amending the project if it doesn't become available.

Preliminary applications

Preliminary applications must be submitted on the form provided (see link below). A curriculum vitae is to be sent as a separate attachment. The preliminary application and curriculum vitae should be sent as email attachments in Word or rich text format (not as pdf files).

Preliminary applications will be assessed against selection criteria 1 - 7. Highly ranked preliminary applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

Invited full applications

Full applications will only be accepted from people who have been invited tosubmit. Full applications must be submitted on the form provided (see link below), as an email attachment in Word or rich text format using the font settings in the original form. Use photographs and other illustrations only if essential. The completed form including any illustrations must be less than 350 KB.

Full applications must be supported by a letter from the head of the university department where the applicant will be enrolled. The letter must support the research proposal, including the proposed field work at Lizard Island. The letter must be sent by mail, fax or by email as a pdf.

Information for completing applications

To assist in preparing your application, please consult other sections of this web site to learn about the Station's facilities and the number of assistants you will need to bring to comply with the Station's scuba diving and boating regulations. Indicative costs for bench fees, travel between Cairns and Lizard Island, and barge freight are provided below for planning purposes only - please use these rates when preparing your budget estimates.

Relevant dates

Late applications and those in which word and page allowances are exceeded will not be considered. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by return e-mail. If you do not receive acknowledgement within three working days after sending your application, please contact the Research Station.

Send applications to:

Dr Lyle Vail and Dr Anne Hoggett, Directors
Lizard Island Research Station
PMB 37 CAIRNS QLD 4871
AUSTRALIA
E-mail: lizard@austmus.gov.au
Phone: + 61 7 4060-3977
Fax: + 61 7 4060-3055
Web site: http://www.lizardisland.net.au

Relevant links

• Preliminary application form
• Full Application form
• Past fellows
• Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation
• Ian Potter Foundation

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