QUT PhD scholarship: biodiversity & sustainability in a globally connected world

The world is becoming an increasingly connected place, with large and rapid flows of biophysical material, people and information now occurring at global scales. This has profound implications for sustainability, how we use natural resources, and impacts on biodiversity. At the same time, land use change has major ramifications for ecosystem function and the ability of land systems to provide critical ecosystem services to people such as food, fresh water, flood regulation and cultural benefits. 

Understanding how land use change interacts with global interregional flows— such as trade—to impact ecosystems and biodiversity is critical for achieving national, regional and global sustainability. Yet, consideration of these interactions in environmental policy and planning is still in its infancy. 

This PhD project will aim to tackle this issue and work with a larger group focused on solving major global sustainability challenges.

This PhD project aims to assess the impacts of interregional flows—such as international trade—on landscapes, land use, ecosystem services and environmental outcomes. These flows connect environmental and socioeconomic processes across regions and are referred to as ‘telecoupling’. 

The effects of telecoupling are an emerging global sustainability and research challenge. The research specifically aims to advance understanding of the interconnectedness and consequences of global economic and other activities on the environment across international boundaries. 

It will include case studies and governance assessments to identify targeted opportunities for advancing environmental and sustainability outcomes, especially for biodiversity conservation and maintenance of ecosystem services. 

The successful candidate will be supervised by Professor Jonathan Rhodes and Dr Brooke Williams and you will join a dynamic research group focused on tackling the world’s major sustainability and biodiversity conservation challenges. 

You will have the opportunity to engage in a dynamic environment with members of QUT research centres and groups and a network of international collaborators. 

This project comes with a fully funded PhD scholarship.

• A stipend scholarship of $33,637 per annum for a maximum duration of 3.5 years while undertaking a QUT PhD. The duration includes an extension of up to six months if approved for your candidature. This is the full-time, tax-free rate which will index annually.
• If you're an international student, you will also receive a tuition fee sponsorship for your research degree.
• You will have the opportunity to work with a team of leading researchers to undertake your own innovative research in and across the field.

• You will need to meet the entry requirements for a QUT Doctor of Philosophy, including any English language requirements.
• You must be able to start as a full-time internal student by 30 November 2024.
• Given the fast-approaching start date you must be a domestic student (Australian or New Zealand citizen) or an international student currently based in Australia.
• You should ideally have a background and strong interest in at least one of: spatial ecology, environmental modelling, environmental economics or conservation science.
• Have strong quantitative analysis skills or an ability and interest to develop quantitative analysis skills.

To apply for this scholarship please send an email to Professor Jonathan Rhodes (**********@qut.edu.au) with a cover letter detailing your academic and research background, your motivation for research in this field, and your suitability for this scholarship. Please include your CV.

21 April 2024

For information about undertaking a PhD at QUT, visit https://www.qut.edu.au/research/study-with-us/phd

Professor Jonathan Rhodes at **********@qut.edu.au