PhD Opportunities in Community Ecology (Marine and Coastal Systems)

I am seeking motivated PhD students to join my research group at the University of Melbourne, working across community ecology, spatial ecology, and marine systems. Our research focuses on understanding the assembly rules that govern biodiversity, integrating field-based experiments, quantitative analysis, and theoretical approaches. We are particularly interested in how ecological communities are structured across space, and how these processes can be understood and predicted. Projects contribute to a broader research program that integrates empirical data with ecological theory and modelling, with much of our work based in coastal and intertidal ecosystems.

Research directions

Projects typically involve one or more of the following components:

  • Designing and implementing field-based studies in coastal and intertidal systems

  • Analysing ecological data using statistical and quantitative approaches

  • Developing and evaluating explanations for observed patterns in biodiversity

  • Linking empirical results to ecological theory

  • Extending insights from community ecology to applied questions, where appropriate

Who I’m looking for

I am particularly interested in working with students who:

  • Have a background in ecology, environmental science, or a related field

  • Are comfortable working with data and quantitative approaches (e.g., R)

  • Are interested in linking empirical data to ecological theory

  • Are willing to engage in field-based work in coastal and intertidal environments

  • Are motivated to develop and pursue their own research ideas

Prior experience in marine systems is welcome but not required.

Research environment and funding

You will be based in the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne. PhD funding is available through competitive scholarship schemes, and candidates are encouraged to get in touch early to discuss potential projects and funding pathways.

How to express interest

Please email Dr Lynette Loke (lynette.loke@unimelb.edu.au) with:

  • a brief statement of your research interests, relevant experience, and how these align with the research directions outlined above, and

  • your CV (including academic transcripts or equivalent results)

Please submit both as separate PDF documents.