PhD Scholarship – Fully funded PhD scholarship (3.5 years) in Biological Anthropology

Submitted: 22/07/2024
Submitted By: Associate Professor Luca Fiorenza
Department: Anatomy and Developmental Biology
Institution: Monash University
Job type: Other
Apply by: 18/08/2024
Application Email:
Application URL:

Location: Monash Clayton Campus

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3.5-year fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a tax-free stipend, at the current value of $35,013 per annum 2024 full-time rate, as per the Monash Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend www.monash.edu/study/fees-scholarships/scholarships/find-a-scholarship/research-training-program-scholarship#scholarship-details.

• Amplify your impact at a world top 50 University
• Join our inclusive, collaborative community
• Be surrounded by extraordinary ideas – and the people who discover them

The Opportunity
The Palaeodiet Research Lab is seeking to expand its existing excellence in the area of Biological Anthropology through a new appointment of a PhD student with a strong interest in dental anthropology. This position is linked to the Australian Research Council Discovery Project titled “From foraging to farming: Human adaptations during major transitions” (DP2401011081), where we are planning to reconstruct the diet, health and lifestyle of human populations from the Mediterranean area that lived through the Neolithic Revolution. The PhD project will focus on reconstructing the diet and health of past human populations through 3D Surface Texture Analysis and Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis, two well-established methods to analyse dental wear features. The PhD student will use high-resolution 3D digital models of teeth, 3D scanner, microscope and associated software.
The PhD student will join the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, one of the strongest research and teaching departments in the field and will be work under the supervision of Associate Professor Luca Fiorenza, with the co-supervision of Professor Rachel Sarig (Tel Aviv University) and Professor Stefano Benazzi (University of Bologna).

The candidate should hold a master’s degree in biological anthropology, archaeology or a related field. Ideally, the candidate will have experience in human skeletal biology and a good knowledge of statistical analysis. The ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a team would be advantageous. The PhD scholarship is open to domestic and international students.

PhD entry requirements and scholarship eligibility:
Candidates will need to fulfill the Monash University minimum requirements for admission to a PhD detailed here:

www.monash.edu/admissions/entry-requirements/minimum

Applicants should have:

• a bachelor’s degree of at least four years in a relevant discipline, which includes a research thesis or project, with a minimum overall average grade of an honours degree equivalent to the Second Class Honours Division A;
• or a master's degree in a relevant discipline which includes a research thesis or project equivalent to at least 25 percent of one year of full-time study, with a minimum overall average grade of honours equivalent to the Second Class Honours Division A;
• English language: For entry to Monash University, you must meet the minimum English language requirements. You need to achieve the minimum scores shown for any of the recognised English language tests. For example, for the IELTS (Academic) test, the overall score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in reading, listening, speaking and 6.0 in writing).

How to apply: To express your interest in this scholarship and PhD research opportunity, we request candidates provide:
• A cover letter describing your research interests and why you would like to undertake a PhD (maximum one page)
• A CV including qualifications, academic achievements, list of publications, work history and references
• A copy of your academic transcript(s)
• English Language Certificate (if needed)

Enquiries
For specific questions about the position please contact Associate Professor Luca Fiorenza (luca.fiorenza@monash.edu)

Closing date
You should send your application via email to Associate Professor Luca (luca.fiorenza@monash.edu) Sunday 18 August 2024, 11:55 pm AEDT.