CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship: Deep soil assessment – filling the missing link in soil ecosystem services to support agricultural and forestry productivity and resilience to climate change

Funding and duration

four year scholarship package totalling approximately $48,000 per annum tax exempt (2026 rate); four-year scholarship and research training program.

Project overview

Project title

Deep soil assessment – filling the missing link in soil ecosystem services to support agricultural and forestry productivity and resilience to climate change.

Project description

This project improves the prediction of soil depth to understand productivity and resilience of the Australian landscape to climate change. The expected outcome is a better understanding of soil depth assessment in the critical 2-10m zone. The project will enhance the capacity to understand ecosystem services from soil that improve vegetation resilience and productivity in response to climate change.

Supervisory team

University

Name of university supervisor | Budiman Minasny

Name of university | University of Sydney

Email address | budiman.minasny@sydney.edu.au

Faculty | Sydney Institute of Agriculture

CSIRO

Name of CSIRO supervisor | Daniel Mendham

Email address | Daniel.Mendham@csiro.au

CSIRO Research Unit | Environment

Industry

Name of industry supervisor | John McGrath

Name of business/organisation | McGrath Forestry Services Pty Ltd

Email address | John@msfc.com.au

Further details

Primary location of student | The University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia

Industry engagement component location | 1. McGrath Forestry Services Pty Ltd, 13 Zenith Street, Shelley WA 6148, Australia Within the Industry Engagement Component period, the Field Work Duration is one week for each field work location. Field Work Locations: 2. HQPlantations, 2747 Tin Can Bay Road, Gympie QLD 4570, Australia 3. Australian Bluegum Plantations, 3/191 Chester Pass Road, Albany WA 6330, Australia

Other locations | CSIRO Black Mountain, Science and Innovation Park, Clunies Ross Street, Acton ACT 2601, Australia CSIRO Toowoomba, 203 Tor Street, Toowoomba City QLD 4350, Australia

Ideal student skillset | Undergraduate with honours or equivalent in agricultural science, soil science, geography or geology.An understanding of geophysical and/or modelling techniques that are used to assess soil properties.Willingness to undertake fieldwork in forestry plantation areas of SE Queensland and SW Western Australia.Excellent communication skills to work with the project team across industrial, academic and CSIRO backgrounds.

Application close date | Open until position filled

Apply | Contact Budiman Minasny