Application form available here. Full regulations can be downloaded here. (Requires Acrobat Reader)

History or background of award

Victoria University offers doctoral scholarships each year in areas of established or emerging strategic importance to the University. The topics for 2009 are now available below.

Purpose of award

To enhance the University's research potential through PhD scholarships in areas of established or emerging strategic importance to the University. Applications are invited from quality PhD applicants, including those from overseas, to apply for these scholarships. The University Research Council has selected sixteen topics for advertising in 2009 and applicants must apply for one of these topics. Victoria PhD Scholarships are available from http://www.fis.org.nz/BreakOut/vuw/schols.phtml?detail+100008 for topics other than those advertised here. See additional information for a list of topics.

Selection criteria Applicants would normally be expected to have completed a Bachelors or Masters degree with academic distinction equivalent to a First Class Honours degree at a New Zealand University.

Successful applicants must abide by the Victoria PhD Scholarship regulations and will be required to sign a Victoria Postgraduate Research Scholarship Contract.

Number of awards offered

Up to 12

Value

21,000 USD per annum for three years

Plus Tuition Fees

Tenure of award

3 Years

Closing dates for applications

Friday 15 May 2009

Saturday 15 May 2010

How do students apply?

On the application forms above. Applicants must indicate clearly which topic you are applying for. Further information regarding each topic will be available on the flyers which can be downloaded from late February at http://www.vuw.ac.nz/home/studying/scholarships_srs.html Applicants are expected to contact the research contact to discuss this research opportunity prior to applying for the scholarship.

Decision makers

Victoria University Scholarships Committee.

How and when do students learn of the decision?

Students will be informed of the committees decision in June.

What conditions are attached to acceptance of this award?

Enrolment for a PhD and applying for a PhD scholarship are two separate processes. Therefore, the holding of this Scholarship is conditional upon the scholarship recipient gaining provisional enrolment as a PhD student in the relevant school and admission to the University. Scholarships can be taken up from as soon as an offer of study has been made. Study may be delayed until the beginning of 2010 on request to the Scholarships Manager.

Additional information

Topics and research contacts

• Asian Migration and Settlement in New Zealand - Dr Stephen Epstein, School of Languages and Cultures. Stephen.epsein@vuw.ac.nz
• Behavioural and Neurochemical Consequences of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) Self-administration in Rats - Professor Susan Schenk, School of Psychology. susan.schenk@vuw.ac.nz
• Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles for Efficient Solar Cells - Dr Richard Tilley, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. richard.tilley@vuw.ac.nz
• Future Memory at Risk: Digital Preservation and Cultural Heritage - Dr Gillian Oliver, School of Information Management. Gillian.Oliver@vuw.ac.nz
• How do policy makers make decisions about sustainability? Associate Professor Ian Yeoman, Victoria Management School. ian.yeoman@vuw.ac.nz
• Hydrogeological and Thermal Models of the Central Alpine Fault at Crustal and Catchment Scales - Dr John Townend, School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences. john.townend@vuw.ac.nz
• Inducing Kakapo to Breed: A search for the physiological pathway that stimulates the onset of Kakapo reproduction - Professor Ken McNatty, School of Biological Sciences. ken.mcnatty@vuw.ac.nz
• More than Soldiers: New Zealand’s men during the Great War – Dr Kate Hunter, School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations. kate.hunter@vuw.ac.nz
• Particle Swarm Optimization for Image Recognition - Dr Mark Johnston, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research. Mark.johnston@vuw.ac.nz
• Robotic Navigation and Path Planning in a Disaster Environment - Professor Dale Carnegie, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences. dale.carnegie@vuw.ac.nz
• Speech Generating Devices for Students with Developmental Disabilities - Professor Jeff Sigafoos, School of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy. Jeff.sigafoos@vuw.ac.nz
• The Brown Pages – Native writers and their works - Dr Rawinia Higgins, School of Maori Studies. rawinia.higgins@vuw.ac.nz
• The Discourse of Negotiation in Professional Workplace Contexts - Professor Janet Holmes, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. Janet.holmes@vuw.ac.nz.
• The Effects of Reader, Task, and Text Variables on Cognitive Processes in Text Learning - Dr. Matt McCrudden, School of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy. matt.mccrudden@vuw.ac.nz
• Weathering the Largest Storms in the Universe: Understanding environmental effects on extended radio emission in clusters - Dr Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences. melanie.johnstonhollitt@vuw.ac.nz
• Urban Resilience: the potential for cross disciplinary application of ecological models to the urban environment - Associate Professor Penny Allan, School of Architecture. penny.allan@vuw.ac.nz

For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:

The Scholarships Office
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600 Wellington
New Zealand

Phone: (04) 463 5113 or (04)463 5557
E-mail: scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.

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