PhD Positions in Analytical Chemistry Related to Rock Lobster Aquaculture, University of Tasmania, Australia

The Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS) is a collaborative research centre involving some 50 researchers at the University of Tasmania in Hobart and RMIT University in Melbourne. ACROSS undertakes research over a broad range of topics related to separation science. A description of ACROSS and a copy of the 2007 Annual Report can be accessed at http://www.across.utas.edu.au

There currently exists a position to work with this exciting and dynamic research centre on a project with direct relevance to hatchery production of rock lobster seedstock for aquaculture and enhancement with emphasis on ozonation of culture water to reduce disease. ACROSS holds an ARC Linkage grant in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) on the farming of the rock lobster employing ozonolysis as a method of disinfection of the sea-water. For this grant the role of the APA-I candidate will focus on the ozonation chemistry procedures currently used at TAFI Marine Research Laboratories.

Experiments will be conducted to ozonate sea-water under different conditions and new analytical methods based on ion chromatography (IC) will be developed to measure the levels of ozonation by-products (OBPs) at each condition. The instrumentation will be adapted for routine on-line analyses. The larger objective of this study is to develop a theory of ozonation in which component parts can be individually manipulated. Due to the multidimensional nature of the ozonolysis conditions, soft-modelling applications, such as the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN’s) will be employed to derive the optimum ozonolysis conditions producing the minimum levels of harmful OBPs. The successful candidate would be awarded a tax-free APA indexed scholarship of A$20,427 per annum for up to 3.5 years. A relocation assistance allowance may also be available to the successful candidate.

Persons interested in applying for this PhD scholarship should send an expression of interest and a CV directly to Professor Paul Haddad, Director of ACROSS, Private Bag 75, Hobart, TAS, 7001 or by email (paul.haddad@utas.edu.au). Further information can also be requested by email or by calling Prof Paul Haddad on (0061)36226-2179.