Prof. Andy Tomkins Research projects

Two PhD positions are available to work with Professor Andy Tomkins and Dr Rachel Kirby at Monash University’s, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment (SEAE), in Melbourne, Australia. They are looking for motivated, talented and enthusiastic PhD students with an interest in meteorites and planetary science. The projects are cutting-edge in the field, with a strong base of research funding, and excellent resources, including state-of-the art facilities.

Project details

Meteorites are the basis of our understanding of the formation and evolution of the early Solar System. These PhD projects tie in with a larger scale project known as the Global Fireball Observatory. Andy and Rachel collaborate with scientists at Curtin University and elsewhere to recover newly fallen meteorites across Australia using a widely distributed all-sky camera network and weather radar. Their role in this project is to lead expeditions to recover meteorites and to conduct petrological analysis on the new meteorite specimens. This allows linking of specific types of meteorites to their orbital origins. PhD students working in the project will be intimately involved in desert expeditions to recover meteorites, and will use the new meteorites as the foundation of their research, supplemented with existing meteorites as required. Research will focus on using a combination of petrology and geochemistry to improve our understanding of the evolution of asteroids and planets early in the Solar System’s history. Students will be given the flexibility needed, and actively encouraged, to follow their own interests within this broad remit. Students will use the Australian Synchrotron, which is situated adjacent to the Monash University campus, and other advanced facilities as required, including experimental petrology, split stream LA-MC-ICPMS, FEG-microprobe, FEG-SEM, FEG-TEM, laser Raman, XRF, XRCT – all housed within or close to the SEAE.

Scholarship details

The 3 year PhD scholarship includes all course fees and a ~$33,000 AUD per year tax-free  living stipend. Project costs will be borne by ARC Discovery grant funds awarded to Prof. Tomkins.
Applicants for whom English is not your first language, you will need to meet the English Language Requirements of the University.

Monash and the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

Monash University is ranked in the top 50 universities in the world, and is a member of the Group of Eight, a coalition of top Australian universities recognised for their excellence in teaching and research. The School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment is a friendly and dynamic unit with a recognised strength in solid Earth geoscience. Monash University is located in Melbourne, one of the most liveable cities in the world and a cultural and recreational hub.

Application process

Interested candidates should send their CV, academic transcripts and a brief outline of research interests and motivation to Andy Tomkins. Successful applicants will have completed a 4-year undergraduate degree with a high grade in a significant research project (thesis equivalent to an Australian first-class honours), or a MSc degree (with a thesis component) in a relevant field (i.e., earth science/geoscience). Candidates with research experience (hons/masters) in planetary science are preferred. Candidates with no background in a related discipline will not be considered. Monash PhD scholarships are highly competitive and successful applicants often have relevant additional research experience and/or research publications in international journals. Review of applications will begin immediately and short-listed candidates will be contacted for more information and invited to interview.