Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Sciences
Undertake a PhD in Environmental Sciences at Flinders
Immerse yourself in nature past, present or future
- How does white shark cage-diving tourism affect shark and other fish behaviour?
- What role can environmental health play in minimising the chances of future pandemics?
- How can we plan to monitor and protect water reserves that exist under the ground?
Undertake an Environmental Sciences research-based higher degree at Flinders, and you’ll have the opportunity to explore some of the biggest unanswered questions of our time.
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Australia or New Zealand.
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(including Humanitarian Visa holders).
Doctor of Philosophy (Science)
Duration: 4 years
Delivery mode:
In Person
Location:
Bedford Park
CRICOS code: 106271G
Annual fees:
2023: $38,800
Master of Science (Research)
Duration: 2 years
Delivery mode:
In Person
Location:
Bedford Park
CRICOS code: 106283C
Annual fees:
2023: $38,800
Why undertake a PhD in Environmental Sciences at Flinders
- Complete your research under the supervision of nationally and internationally recognised scientists.
- Access the highly esteemed National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training.
- Access to the Flinders Water Quality and Health research consortium and Marine and Coastal Research Consortium, as well as some of South Australia’s biggest businesses and industries.
- Boost your expertise and career prospects, and become an expert in your area of specialisation.
- Apply your research to the real world with Flinders’ expansive network of industry, government and scientific partners.
PhD opportunities
With the guidance of an expert supervisor, take the opportunity to leverage Flinders’ extensive industry connections.
Your chosen research area is flexible, and ultimately agreed between you and your supervisor. Areas of focus could include:
- Animal Behaviour
- Applied Geographical Information Systems
- Coasts and Ocean
- Environmental Health
- Environmental Science
- Hydrology
- Marine Biology
- Palaeontology
- Or another area of interest in consultation with your supervisor.
Seek answers and provide solutions to some of the most compelling environmental issues facing this planet.
Hear about Antoine Champreux's thesis
Your career
A PhD in Environmental Sciences will position you as an expert in your area of specialisation. A PhD is a stepping stone to professional research or as a highly sought-after expert in the private or public sector in Australia or internationally. This prestigious degree will equip you with valuable skills in communications, time management and organisation transferrable to any role.
Potential occupations include:
- Professional researcher
- Environmental Scientist
- Hydrologist
- Marine Biologist
- Food scientist or technologist
- Academic
Potential employers include:
- Department for Environment and Water
- Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA)
- CSIRO
- BHP
- SANTOS
- Rio Tinto
- Universities
Research Centres, Consortiums and Institutes
National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training
The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training advances understanding of Australia’s groundwater resources, bringing together nearly 200 Australia and international researchers to pool their knowledge and expertise. Based and Flinders University and with 12 partner universities, the Centre boasts a growing list of more than 19 government and industry partners and formal links with some of the world’s leading groundwater research organisations.
Flinders Water Quality and Health research consortium
The Flinders Water Quality and Health research consortium is developing solutions and informing policy and practice for monitoring, treatment and control of water sources to protect human health. The aim is to develop innovative solutions and inform policy and practice for monitoring, treatment and control of water sources to protect human health. The unique strength of this consortium is its combination of internationally acknowledged expertise across relevant aspects of water quality; hydrology, flow and geochemical modelling and human health risk assessment.
Marine and Coastal research consortium
The Marine and Coastal Research Consortium brings together complementary skills in ecology, geomorphology, engineering, archaeology, genomics and oceanography to develop integrated scientific solutions. The group works to help plan and guide research in directions that maximise benefits to marine and coastal stakeholders. Their research program includes a broad scope of all aspects of life, environment and human relationships with the sea to form a rich centre for marine, coastal and maritime studies that includes Organisms & Ecosystems, Physical & Cultural Environments and Seafood Production & Sustainability.
Potential research supervisors
Flinders academic staff are recognised experts in their specialised Environmental Sciences fields. They are embedded in real-world applications of research, with extensive knowledge, networks and industry partners to support PhD students and deliver exciting and valuable research outcomes. Get in touch with a supervisor of your choice today, to discuss your area of interest, and start on your path to thought leadership.
Dr Graziela Miot da Silva
Dr Harriet Whiley
Associate Professor Vera Weisbecker
Professor Corey Bradshaw
Professor John Long
| Professor Adrian Werner | Coastal hydrogeology, hydrology, surface water-groundwater interaction |
| Professor Craig Simmons | Groundwater hydrology, groundwater modelling, hydrogeology |
| Associate Professor Charlie Huveneers |
Animal behaviour, bioacoustics, fisheries sustainability, marine animals, marine park planning, sharks and rays, biology, sharks, rays and chimaeras, conservation |
| Professor Claire Lenehan |
Analytical chemistry, forensic and analytical chemistry, environmental analysis |
| Professor Corey Bradshaw | Community ecology, ecological sustainability, energy security, palaeo-ecology and palaeo-climate |
| Professor Gavin Prideaux | Mammal evolution, vertebrate palaeontology |
| Associate Professor Graziela Miot Da Silva Hesp | Coastal erosion, coastal geology, coastal geomorphology and evolution, impacts of climate change on coastal environments, impacts of environmental variables on coastal vegetation, nearshore sediment transport and dynamics, ocean and climate sciences, oceanographical measurements and equipment, use of GIS in coastal studies, wave measurements and modelling, wind-driven sediment transport |
| Associate Professor Harriet Whiley | Biofilms, campylobacter spp, drinking water treatment, environmental health, environmental microbiology, food microbiology, food policy, food policy and regulation, legionella longbeachae, legionella pneumophila, microbial ecology, microbiology, molecular biology, mycobacterium avium, potting mix, public health, salmonella spp, water distribution systems, water quality, water reuse |
| Professor Howard Fallowfield | Drinking water treatment, environmental microbiology, health aspects of water quality, wastewater pond technology |
| Associate Professor Huade Guan | Ecohydrology, hydrometeorology, climate and water, urban heat island, remote sensing, isotopes in hydrology |
| Dr Ilka Wallis | Numerical hydrogeology, geochemical modelling, reactive transport modelling, mine hydrology, contaminant hydrology |
| Professor Jim Mitchell |
Bioinformatics, biological oceanography, biomechanics, environmental biotechnology and biodiversity, microbial ecology, microbiology |
| Professor John Long | Early fish and tetrapod evolution, evolution of the early vertebrate body plan, palaeontology, advanced imaging techniques, vertebrate palaeontology |
| Professor Karen Burke Da Silva | Clownfish, dogs, ecology, evolution, higher education, marine biology, microplastics and koalas |
| Professor Kirstin Ross | Education, environmental health, engaging with communities, environmental health, environmental health education and workforce, Indigenous communities, parasites |
| Associate Professor Luciana Moller | Behavioural ecology, conservation management, molecular ecology |
| Professor Luciano Beheregaray | Biogeography, conservation biology, evolution, aquatic animals, genomics, speciation |
| Dr Martin Breed | Restoration ecology, planetary health, microbiomes, conservation biology, population genomics, molecular ecology, restoration genomics |
| Professor Okke Batelaan | Catchment hydrology, GIS, groundwater dependent ecosystems, groundwater hydrology, groundwater modelling, groundwater recharge, groundwater/surface water interaction, history, science, hydrology, remote sensing |
| Professor Patrick Hesp | Aeolian geomorphology, beach-dune interactions, coastal archaeology, coastal dune dynamics, coastal environmental change, coastal geomorphology and management, coastal management, coastal plants and ecology, desert geomorphology, impacts of climate change on coastal environments, surfzone-beach-dune interactions |
| Professor Peter Cook | Groundwater age, groundwater dependent ecosystems, groundwater flow and solute transport modelling, groundwater hydrology, groundwater processes, groundwater rechange, groundwater/surface water interaction, water resources management especially groundwater |
| Professor Sabine Dittmann | Ecocystem ecology, ecology, marine biology, marine ecology |
| Professor Sonia Kleindorfer | Animal behaviour, birds and parasites, landscape bioacoustics, facial recognition software for wildlife monitoring, host-parasite coevolution, molecular ecology, urban ecology, biodiversity conservation |
| Associate Professor Sophie Leterme | Biological oceanography, desalination, effects on marine environments, diatoms, ecosystem dynamics, environmental impact assessment, environmental microbiology, membranes and biofilms, phytoplankton |
| Associate Professor Stewart Walker | Analytical chemistry, analytical chemistry sampling, analysis and interpretation, Australia and New Zealand food regulation, biogeochemistry, chemistry, environmental chemistry, food and the environment, forensic and analytical chemistry, stable isotopes |
| Associate Professor Trevor Worthy | Birds, geological and fossil heritage |
| Associate Professor Vera Weisbecker | Marsupial mammal diversity, development and evolution, vertebrate palaeontology |
| Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf | Physical oceanography, hydrodynamic modelling, coastal upwelling, climatology, suspended sediment transport |
| Dr Diane Colombelli-Négrel | Animal behaviour, birds, seabirds, penguins, prenatal monitoring & development, bioacoustics and communication, conservation, urban ecology and biodiversity facial recognition, conservation physiology |
Enquire now
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