This Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Applied Behavioural Ecology at the University of Sydney is designed to support a student undertaking a Master’s by research within the School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science. The research project centers on testing the effectiveness of associational plant refuges, created by unpalatable plants or their odours, in protecting tree seedlings from browsing damage caused by mammalian herbivores. The successful candidate will contribute to a larger initiative in collaboration with the forestry industry, aiming to develop innovative strategies to reduce browsing damage and enhance productivity in forestry plantations.

The scholarship is co-funded by bequest funds from Patrick Desmond Fitzgerald Murray and research funds from the Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, for the project ‘Odour misinformation: a new way to reduce vertebrate pest damage to plantation seedlings’ in partnership with Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) and the University of Sydney. The research will involve substantial fieldwork in Tasmania, Australia, focusing on applied animal behavioural ecology and plant-herbivore interactions.

Applicants must have an unconditional offer of admission or be currently enrolled in a full-time master’s by research program at the University of Sydney, and hold an Honours degree (First Class or Second-Class Upper) or equivalent in Biology, Ecology, or Evolution. The scholarship provides a stipend of AUD $31,333 per annum for up to 1.5 years, subject to satisfactory academic performance. This opportunity is ideal for students interested in ecological research, forestry, and practical solutions to environmental challenges. The application deadline is November 14, 2025.