The fire season in southern Australia is becoming longer, more intense and more dangerous. The ability to predict and manage bushfires has never been more urgent or critical. Yet our understanding of the way living plants influence bushfire behaviour is in its infancy. This lack of understanding limits our ability to address key questions about landscape flammability, develop solutions to manage fuel and make informed planting choices in fire-prone areas. The project aims to integrate perspectives and methodologies from fire ecology, fire engineering and fire management to reach a common understanding of vegetation flammability. Your research will span multiple scales, addressing critical knowledge gaps about scaling-up our understanding of plant flammability from laboratory experiments to real fires. You will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment in our fire laboratory and in the field, and work within a diverse team of fire scientists.
We are seeking a self-motivated and enthusiastic student with a strong interest in both plant ecology and fire behaviour. The project involves a combination of laboratory analyses and fieldwork, so versatility, attention to detail, and a willingness to work across diverse environments are essential. Strong communication skills, a collaborative mindset, and an enjoyment of working outdoors will be valuable assets. A current drivers licence is required for the field component of the research.
You will need to be eligible for a Research Training Scholarship (RTS) or Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) to undertake this PhD. Additionally, an operating budget will be available to support laboratory and fieldwork expenses during your research program.
You will be based within the FLARE wildfire research team - one of the largest fire research teams in Australia where you will have the opportunity to work alongside a range of researchers spanning fire ecology, climate change, fire risk and fire behaviour. Your project will sit within the Landscape Flammability theme, supervised by Dr Jane Cawson, A/Prof Alexander Filkov and Dr Jamie Burton who all have extensive experience in fundamental and applied fire research in lab and field settings. You will have the option to be based at the Burnley or Creswick campus.
nrmjobs.com.au/job/20026197