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CSIRO PhD Top-Up Scholarship - Machine Learning Guided Autonomous Material Discovery Platform

Autonomous material discovery platform using machine learning-guided synthesis and characterisation.

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Key details

Value

$10,000 per annum, plus a learning and development budget of $5,000 over the term of the studentship

Length of Support

3 years

About this scholarship

Our team is developing a scalable and commercially viable photocatalyst for a standalone photoelectrochemical cell that can generate hydrogen directly from the sun. A major challenge is the time-consuming and labour-intensive process of manually analysing experimental data. We can overcome this challenge by automating our experiments. Machine learning (ML) can provide a robust framework for correlating the known properties of materials with the properties of interest. This can be done quickly and accurately using large datasets. However, it is critical to obtain consistent data from samples produced under controlled and reproducible conditions. This can be achieved using our automated deposition and characterization setups. Our goal is to augment ML with automation to develop a self-driving laboratory for material discovery. This will allow us to rapidly and efficiently identify new and improved photocatalysts.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply you must have (or expect to gain):

first or upper second-class honours or equivalent in a relevant research area;
admission to an Australian University as a PhD student;
hold an appropriate visa to study in Australia (if international)*
be no further than one year (FTE) into a PhD on commencing at CSIRO
hold a primary scholarship; for example, a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or other primary scholarship of similar value
not be in receipt of any other Top-Up Scholarship
a university supervisor who is willing and able to supervise you; and
be available to commence with CSIRO no later than 30 June 2024.

* International applicants must be residing in Australia and have the appropriate immigration approvals to allow them to take up the scholarship.

Eligible Degrees

Doctorate (PhD)

Eligible Study Modes

In person

Eligible Study Fields

Engineering & Mathematics

Sciences

Application process

Quality and relevance of student project: The primary assessment criterion for a CSIRO PhD Top-Up Scholarship is the quality and relevance of the project being proposed. The research must be aligned with the advertised priority research area.
Academic calibre of the student: The quality of the student is also critical to the assessment of a scholarship and candidates must hold (or expect to gain) a relevant first or upper second class honours (or equivalent) degree from a recognised university.
Availability of appropriate university supervision: The relevance of the university supervisor’s research background and their willingness to supervise the student in collaboration with the CSIRO supervisor should also be made clear.

How to apply:

You will be required to:

submit a Resume/CV and Cover Letter (as one document) in the ‘Resume/CV’ field which includes:
- the names and contact details of two previous supervisors or academic/professional referees; and
- a one-page proposal stating how your research interests align with the project aims.
upload your academic results in the ‘Cover Letter’ field.