Category Archives: Join our lab

PhD Projects

The Edwards lab at Flinders Uni always has several open PhD projects, and if you are interested you should contact Rob. These projects are available at the start of 2022, so if you find this page and it’s no longer 2022, you should definitely contact Rob, because someone will have done something amazing with these projects (but perhaps not the projects themselves)!

Some of the projects have funding available, but funding will be dependent on your background, research experience, grades in other classes. In addition, there are several scholarships, including scholarships just for PhD students, you can (and should!) apply for.

Here is more information about joining our lab and applying to Flinders for PhD programs.

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Studying at Flinders

There are several routes to graduate studies at Flinders, and members of the Edwards lab come from all different routes. Each program has different entrance requirements, forms, and protocols, so you should contact the graduate advisors for each of the programs to seek further advice. 

Honours Research

We are always looking for honours students to tackle different, exciting, and challenging projects. Talk to Rob if you are thinking about an honours in bioinformatics, molecular biology, microbiology, or biotechnology.

Master’s Degrees

The master’s programs are a great way to come to see if you like the university and the professors and to study before applying to the PhD programs. If you get good grades in the master’s courses it is a lot easier to be accepted into the PhD program!

Ph. D. programs

We are always looking for talented students to study for the three year PhD program at Flinders. We have a range of scholarships available. The easiest route to the PhD is via the one-year honours program, but for international students there are options to get straight into the PhD program. Reach out and talk to Rob and we’ll get you on the right track!

Here are the steps to apply for our PhD program.

  1. Check the how to apply page for the steps and details
  2. We will need to write a project outline. This is only ~500 words. I will help you with this process and we should work together on it. Your project outline should include the following points:
    • suggested title.
    • a brief statement of what your will research try to achieve: What is its aim? What are the objectives?
    • Demonstrate how your proposed research aligns with my other work (that is easy!).
    • Find out what has already been published in the area. Your project must aim to make a significant –and for doctoral level, original- contribution to that field.
    • Demonstrate originality.
    • Include the proposed methodology.
    • Include a timeline NB full-time PhDs are expected to be completed within three years (thesis only degrees).
    • Include a bibliography.
    • Estimate any potential significant projects costs, if possible
  3. Apply online at the page either for domestic students or for international students.
  4. Check out the scholarships application page

The most successful applicants to our PhD programs, regardless of whether they are in Biology or Computational Science, typically have a first author publication to complement a competitive gpa. If you are thinking about grad school, think publications!

How to join the lab

The Edwards lab is a dynamic lab. Our students come for a while and do exciting things, and then head into industry and earn big salaries or on to academic positions to break the frontiers of science. We are always looking for scientists with curiosity, drive, and the ability to understand Rob’s ideas and convert them into something meaningful!

If you are interested in joining our lab, the first thing you need to do is understand what we do. Take a look at the Research and Projects section of the web site to see our funded projects. Also, check out our open projects page.

Once you’ve done all that, talk to Rob.

Remember:

Do:

  • Read the web, think about the kind of science we do
  • Stop by the lab, talk to people working in the lab
  • Find the open problems page and think about some of those
  • Come up with an idea for a project. Even if its unworkable, at least you have had an idea

Don’t

  • Expect Rob to give you a project when you walk in the door
  • Expect Rob to give you a project if you don’t even know what the lab works on