The ARC Training Centre for Smart & Sustainable Horticulture at Western Sydney University is offering an industry PhD scholarship for a highly motivated candidate to join a research group focused on optimising the yield and quality of horticultural crops grown in protected facilities. The project is based at the Hawkesbury Campus and is part of a collaboration with the University of Adelaide, University of Western Australia, and industry partner Valucky. The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) is a leading research institute within WSU, renowned for its plant environmental and ecological research.

This PhD project aims to develop and test innovative solutions for monitoring the growth, health, and quality of crops in protected cropping facilities. Central to the research is the Hex Product Identity Network (Hex-PIN), a next-generation digital supply chain infrastructure built on scalable blockchain architecture and integrating IoT and AI technologies. The network enables trusted digital identities for products, full lifecycle traceability, transparent collaboration, and intelligent governance across supply chains.

Research topics include enhancing trust, transparency, and data integrity in agricultural supply chains using blockchain; digitising supply-chain events and assets to support verifiable and low-risk financing; developing credit-risk assessment frameworks for agricultural producers using blockchain and smart contracts; analysing economic and incentive mechanisms for stakeholder participation; evaluating governance models for multi-party collaboration; and conducting empirical and simulation-based studies to improve financing accessibility, transaction efficiency, and risk reduction in agricultural value chains. The project generates theoretical and applied insights relevant to FinTech, digital agriculture, supply chain economics, and decentralised systems.

The successful applicant will receive a tax-free stipend of $37,000 AUD per annum for up to 3 years. Domestic candidates are supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset. International candidates with a strong track record may be eligible for a tuition fee waiver and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single Policy. Additional support is available for conference attendance, fieldwork, and approved costs.

Applicants must hold an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, Research Master's degree, or equivalent overseas qualifications. Candidates should have an interdisciplinary background in blockchain technology, supply chain systems, and supply chain finance, experience in financial software operation and digital financial systems research, strong research interest in agricultural systems and agri-finance, knowledge of AI models in agriculture finance/supply chain context, strong academic writing skills, and good oral and written communication skills. International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.

Applications close on 31 March 2026 at 11.59pm AEDT. For questions and advice, contact Prof. Oula Ghannoum at [email protected]. For more information and to apply, visit the project page.