The Challenge Prospectus
The Gulbali Institute is offering PhD scholarships for outstanding research scholars commencing in Session 2 2025.
We are establishing several teams of three PhD students to be recruited into “Challenge” projects which are addressing key elements of the Gulbali mission commencing in session 2 (August) 2025.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the respective “Challenge Program Lead” for specific information on each project.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in late February 2025.
Expressions of Interest are to be submitted initially using the online form.
Challenge project 1: Leader Dr Ariful Islam aislam@csu.edu.au
This project is aligned with Gulbali grand challenges on biosecurity to combat invasive species and viruses so that we can produce the highest quality farm produce and enable healthy communities. Central to BEZVA is its focus on the One Health approach, which emphasises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By integrating this multidisciplinary perspective, the project will provide a comprehensive framework for understanding and preventing the transmission of zoonotic diseases at their source.
PhD Project 1: What factors drive spillover risk of coronaviruses and henipaviruses to Australians?
Principal Supervisor Dr Ariful Islam
This project will focus on epidemiology and virology of emerging zoonotic viruses circulating in bats and rodents across Australia. This research will explore the hypothesis that environmental changes drive the emergence of zoonotic diseases by altering viral diversity in wildlife populations.
PhD Project 2: What are serological patterns and spillover factors for henipaviruses, coronaviruses, and filoviruses?
Principal Supervisor Dr Ariful Islam
Using advanced serological techniques, we will screen for serological evidence of viruses carried by bats and rodents, focusing on their potential to spill over into livestock, humans, and peri-domestic animals in Australia. We will assess whether bats and rodents exhibit co-immunity – immune responses to one viral family that may affect susceptibility or immunity to others – thereby improving our understanding of the dynamics of viral infections within and between species.
PhD Project 3: How do molecular differences in zoonotic strains of coronaviruses, and lyssaviruses affect host-virus interactions and the potential for cross-species transmission in the context of bio-surveillance and disease spillover risk?
Principal Supervisor Dr Crystall Swarbrick
This project will utilise structural biology to investigate the molecular differences between zoonotic strains of coronaviruses, betacoronaviruses, henipaviruses and lyssaviruses. Utilising a One Health approach, the project will explore how these molecular variations influence host-virus interactions, providing insights into viral evolution, host adaptation, and potential risks to both animal and human health, particularly in high-risk Australian ecosystems.
Challenge Project 2 : Leader Prof Andrew Hall ahall@csu.edu.au
Freshwater environments are under significant threat. Over 70% of freshwater turtles, 30% of freshwater fishes, and 70% of migratory waterbirds are threatened with extinction. The protection of ecological values within shared water landscapes presents significant challenges. It demands holistic, integrated knowledge frameworks capable of conceptualising the diverse ways of knowing and understanding ecosystems, along with concurrent threats and opportunities.
PhD Project 1: Applied acoustic ecology to protect freshwater ecosystems
Principal Supervisor Prof Skye Wassens
Wetland ecosystems are dynamic in space and time, yet our understanding of these dynamic systems is often limited to discrete survey events. The project employs novel approaches in acoustic monitoring to gain insights into biodiversity and ecosystem health, showcasing an advanced, interdisciplinary method to address environmental challenges.
PhD Project 2: Can environmental water prevent a fish extinction crisis?
Principal Supervisor Dr Gordon O'Brien
This project will focus on developing evidence-based risk frameworks to represent the middle and lower Murrumbidgee Basin ecosystems and their fish. The models will be used to determine environmental water needs and the socio-ecological consequences of alternative water resource management scenarios including, alternative water availability scenarios, non-flow stressor conditions such as barriers and climate-related ecological shocks
PhD Project 3: What is the role of environmental water in human wellbeing?
Principal Supervisor Prof Troy Meston
This a First Nations identified opportunity
This PhD project invites a First Nations scholar to lead important social research on the cultural impacts of environmental water management, particularly focusing on the Murrumbidgee catchment. This research will explore how water management influence the physical, mental, social, cultural, and spiritual wellbeing of communities.
Challenge Project 3 : Leader Prof Michael Walsh michwalsh@csu.edu.au
What are the opportunities and requirements that ensure the effective and ongoing use of novel weed control technologies in grain production systems that provide sustainable crop protection and food security.
PhD project 1: Development of novel weed control technologies suited for use in grain production.
Principal Supervisor Prof Michael Walsh
Research activities will identify novel weed control treatments that control major weed species (e.g. annual ryegrass, brome grass, wild oats and wild radish) of cropping systems. The influence of environmental factors (e.g. soil moisture, temperature, humidity) and treatment application
methods (e.g. growing point vs whole plant) on efficacy will also be determined.
PhD project 2: Identify the period available for the deployment of novel weed control technologies.
Principal Supervisor Prof Michael WalshResearch will identify the effective weed control period as influenced by varying production environments. Collected information will allow the development of predictive decision support tools that identify weed control opportunities according to expected environmental conditions.
PhD project 3: Characterising and mitigating the threat of weed adaptation to weed recognition systems.
Principal Supervisor Prof Michael Walsh
The potential adaptation in weed plants/species to avoid weed recognition and therefore, control with site-specific treatments will be determined. Evidence will be collected on variations in morphological traits that occur in weed plants exposed to weed recognition selection. Changes in weed recognition algorithm detection accuracy on successive generations of selected weed populations will identify any progression towards adaptation (resistance) to weed recognition.
Challenge Project 4 : Leader Professor Dale Nimmo dnimmo@csu.edu.au
Fire-prone landscapes face growing challenges under the pressures of climate change and land-use intensification. In southeastern Australia, inappropriate fire regimes threaten biodiversity, impacting critical habitats and pushing vulnerable species toward extinction. These projects aim to develop evidence-based, wildlife-friendly fire management strategies that support both species survival and habitat recovery.
PhD project 1: Incorporating behavioural responses of animals into fire management
Principal Supervisor Prof Dale Nimmo
This project will explore the behavioural responses of terrestrial animals to varied fire types. Using methods such as camera trapping, GPS tracking, and behavioural observations, the research will identify how species adjust their movements, foraging behaviours, and habitat use in response to fire.
PhD project 2: Testing the validity of tolerable fire intervals using field data
Principal Supervisor A/Prof Jodi Price
The development of tolerable fire intervals aims to balance ecological burning with the life cycles of fire-prone plant communities. This project aims to critically evaluate the theoretical underpinnings of current fire management practices by identifying species at risk of local extinction in areas experiencing 'interval squeeze'—where fire intervals are too short for species recovery.
PhD project 3: Identifying desirable fire regimes of threatened plants and animals
Principal Supervisor Dale Nimmo
This project will synthesise extensive datasets on animal and plant distributions within fire-prone regions and apply advanced modelling techniques—potentially integrating artificial intelligence—to identify optimal combinations of fire regime variables that support the persistence of threatened species.
