In 2020 The University of Melbourne (UoM) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) established an international research training group (IRTG) for jointly awarded PhDs with the aim to support research collaboration and the development of globally-engaged researchers. Graduate Researchers (GRs) participating in the joint program will be enrolled at both institutions. The research work will be performed under joint supervision, with one primary supervisor from each of the two institutions.
The first cohort revolves around up to 20 graduate research projects across 10 pairs of Primary Investigators (PIs). Each of these PI pairs received seed funding and access funding for two joint PhD candidates, including tuition fee waivers, a full living allowance, health insurance and relocation support.
All candidates must meet the eligibility requirements to successfully enrol at both universities.
The joint PhD candidates recruited to these projects will form the first cohort of the UoM-SJTU international research training group to:
- Access expertise, resources and world-class training at UoM and SJTU, spending at least 12 months of their candidature at each;
- Gain complementary skills from their respective hosts to increase the impact of their research; and
- Grow the network of UoM and SJTU researchers while developing a global perspective on their research.
How to apply
If you are interested in this opportunity, find out more about what joint PhD projects are currently available and then read the application guidelines before contacting the lead supervisor.
The latest news items on Shanghai Jiao Tong University-Melbourne Joint PhD program are listed here.
Upcoming SJTU-Melbourne Joint PhD research projects are advertised below. Please read the application guidelines before contacting the project supervisors.
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How to apply
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST Applicants for STJU Melbourne Joint PhD projects should: Identify a project of interest Register their interest with the project supervisor based at the University of Melbourne, including the following information: Name, contact details Joint PhD project of interest Cover Letter, CV and Transcript Any supporting documentation Note: All applicants are required to meet the entry requirements for a PhD …
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Novel photodetectors based on nanomaterials: devices and applications
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description: Recent advances in nanomaterials present opportunities for novel photodetector devices and for imaging and spectroscopy systems based on them. Much of the previous work in this field has been in the visible and near- infrared spectral bands. …
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Decarbonizing future transport with ammonia fueled engines
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description Transport is one of the most difficult energy sectors for decarbonization. Despite the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, future transport for aviation, shipping and long-haul trucking will continue to rely on combustion engines. Decarbonization of these …
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Combustion chemical kinetics of ammonia-diesel binary fuels
This joint PhD project will be based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Please note the deadlines associated with SJTU admission eligibility and requirements. Project description Ammonia is attracting great interests as a carbon-free fuel and as a carrier for hydrogen energy. Ammonia offers many comparative advantages in these roles, including the …
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Expanding the construct of second language assessments
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description One of the key aspects to be considered in language assessments is the assessment construct which defines the knowledge, skills, or abilities that are to be assessed. A clearly defined construct is the first step in …
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Defining root exudates including signalling molecules released by plant roots for nitrogen acquisition in Australian crops
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description Plant-microbe interactions are intricate processes that involve underground signalling and communication, followed by modifications in the plant’s biological, morphological and biochemical components. Some proteins, lipids, small RNA’s, and metabolites which are exchanged between plants and microbes …
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How do environmental factors regulate cytoskeleton and cell wall synthesis in rice seedlings?
This joint PhD project will be based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Please note the deadlines associated with SJTU admission eligibility and requirements. Project description Rice is a global staple food crop. Knowledge for improvement of growth is therefore critical to agriculture. Cellulose biosynthesis is fundamental for plants and fiber-based industries. …
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Housing the creative workers: a comparative study of Shanghai and Melbourne
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description Attraction and retention of creative workers are crucial for leveraging innovation, boosting productivity and revitalising urban economies. Yet the demand and supply of their most fundamental needs – an inspiring and affordable place to live (and …
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The structure, growth and governance mechanisms of regional innovation systems: a comparative study of Yangtze River Delta, China and the State of Victoria, Australia
This joint PhD project will be based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Please note the deadlines associated with SJTU admission eligibility and requirements. Project description Innovation underpins economic growth and social prosperity, which does not happen in isolation but relies on a supporting ecosystem as highlighted in the annual Australian Innovation …
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Investigating the molecular mechanism of effector secretion by the bacterial type IV secretion system
This joint PhD project will be based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description The bacterial type IV secretion system (T4SS) translocates DNA-protein complexes, peptidoglycan and a wide range of effectors proteins into target cells and is responsible for multiple disease conditions in humans. However, the structural basis of T4SS function …
Current SJTU-Melbourne Joint PhD research projects scheduled to commence in 2020/21 are listed below.
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Long-term behaviour of offshore pile foundations under cyclic loading
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Project description: Offshore wind power becomes one of today's fastest growing renewable energy sources and the frontier of marine developments in China. Currently, the capacity of offshore wind turbines has reached 6.8 GW, and 75% of the available wind turbines …
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Developing a novel foundation to secure floating renewable energy turbines
This joint PhD project is based at The University of Melbourne with a 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description: Australian marine renewable energy sector remains underdeveloped, impeded by the high costs to install wind and wave turbines. Over 40% of the expenditure lies in the foundation solutions to secure the turbines. Developing more economic as well as …
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Mid-infrared photodetectors based on atomically thin 2D materials
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Project description: Mid-infrared photodetectors can find a wide range of applications in many fields. The existing mid-infrared photodetectors have to operate at cryo temperature, as a result of which systems for mid-infrared photodetection and imaging are often bulky and expensive. …
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Conceptualizing and operationalizing the construct of critical thinking in speaking assessments of English as a foreign language
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Project description This study aims to conceptualize critical thinking ability and operationalize the construct in L2 speaking assessments. Following the literature review, the researchers will survey current practices of speaking assessments to identify the contextual features that would best …
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Modelling the last mile to elimination: Learning from China’s successes to inform malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific
This joint PhD project is based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description China has not reported any local malaria cases since 2017 despite importations from neighbouring endemic countries. Learning from historical databases of the Chinese malaria elimination programs we will identify the interventions that were key to this success …
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Monitoring the continued absence of local transmission on border regions of Yunnan Province using novel serological markers of exposure to P. vivax infections
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Yunnan Province was the last malaria area in China. Given it borders endemic areas in Myanmar and Laos, monitoring of introduced infections is essential to keep it malaria free. We recently developed serological markers that detect recent exposures …
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Structure and function of the type VI secretion system in bacterial pathogens
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. Project description The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a microbial weapon employed by many pathogens to directly inject toxins into recipient prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. T6SS structure consists of a long (~1 um) contractile sheath-tube that is anchored …
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Brain imaging predictors of rapid treatment response to low-dose ketamine in patients with severe depression
This joint PhD project is based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description Low-dose ketamine has emerged as an exciting treatment option for patients with severe depression. Unlike other treatments for depression it has a rapid onset of action, with benefits emerging within hours. While producing profound antidepressant responses in …
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A cohort study of neuromodulation interventions for major depressive disorder
This joint PhD project is based at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a minimum 12 month stay at The University of Melbourne. This study aims to explore the efficacy, safety and long term effects of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques on major depressive disorder, and to provide data for establishing a prediction model. 400 patients will be recruited and randomly assigned to …
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Site and landscape scale drivers of biodiversity related to human health and wellbeing in Melbourne and Shanghai
This joint PhD project is based at The University of Melbourne with a minimum 12 month stay at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Project description: This project seeks to understand how the composition and distribution of urban biodiversity directly linked to human health is influenced by site scale and landscape scale factors in two major cities. The taxa will include those with …
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The spatio-temporal pattern of urban green infrastructure and its associations with urban human mortality: A comparative study between Shanghai and Melbourne
This joint PhD project is based at Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a 12 month stay at the The University of Melbourne. Project description: The project aims to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of urban green infrastructure (UGI) in Shanghai and Melbourne using satellite images and aerial photos and map the changes of UGI in both cities. We will then explore …
Associate Professor Yi Yang
Yi Yang is the academic lead of the SJTU-Melbourne joint PhD program. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and IT (UOM) and project lead on Decarbonizing future transport with ammonia fueled engines and also collaborates with project lead Professor Xingcai Lu on Combustion chemical kinetics of ammonia-diesel binary fuels. Xingcai Lu is a Professor in The Institute of Advanced Energy and Powertrain Technology (SJTU).
Professor Christopher Davey
Christopher Davey is the Head of the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (UOM) and project lead on Brain imaging predictors of rapid treatment response to low-dose ketamine in patients with severe depression. He also collaborates with project lead Professor Yiru Fang on A cohort study of neuromodulation interventions for major depressive disorder. Professor Fang is a Professor in the School of Medicine (SJTU) and Director of Division of Mood Disorders & Management Center for Mood Disorders, Chief psychiatrist of the National Key Clinical Disciplines at Shanghai Mental Health Center.
Dr Debnath Gosal
Debnath Gosal is a Senior Lecturer and laboratory head in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (UOM) and project lead on Investigating the molecular mechanism of effector secretion by the bacterial type IV secretion system. He collaborates with project lead Professor Tao Dong, a Professor in the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology (SJTU) on Structure and function of the type VI secretion system in bacterial pathogens.
Dr Amy Hahs
Dr Amy Hahs is a Senior Lecturer in Urban Horticulture Ecosystem and Forest Sciences in the Faculty of Science (UOM) and project lead on The influence of site-scale characteristics of urban greenspaces on biodiversity related to human health and wellbeing: A comparative study between Shanghai and Melbourne. She also collaborates with project lead Professor Junxiang Li from the School of Design (SJTU) on The spatio-temporal pattern of urban green infrastructure and its associations with urban human mortality: A comparative study between Shanghai and Melbourne.
Associate Professor Ute Knoch
Ute Knoch is the Director of the Language Testing Research Centre in the Faculty of Arts (UOM) and project lead on Expanding the construct of second language assessments. She also collaborates with project lead Professor Yan Jin on Conceptualizing and operationalizing the construct of critical thinking in speaking assessments of English as a foreign language. He is a Professor of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at the School of Foreign Languages (SJTU).
Professor Kenneth Crozier
Kenneth Crozier is a Professor of Physics and Electronic Engineering in the Faculty of Science (UOM) and project lead on Novel photodetectors based on nanomaterials: devices and applications. He also collaborates with project lead Associate Professor Yaping Dan on Mid-infrared photodetectors based on atomically thin 2D materials. He is an associate professor in the UM-STJU Joint Institute (SJTU).
Dr Julie Tian Miao
Julie Tian Miao is a Senior Lecturer in Property in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (UOM) and project lead on Housing the creative workers: a comparative study of Shanghai and Melbourne. She also collaborates with project lead Professor Shougui Luo on The structure, growth and governance mechanisms of regional innovation systems: a comparative study of Yangtze River Delta, China and the State of Victoria, Australia. He is the Dean of Economics, a Professor on urban and regional economics and industrial development the Antai College of Economics and Management (SJTU).
Professor Ivo Mueller
Ivo Mueller Professor Ivo Mueller is a malaria epidemiologist, jointly appointed as Co-Division Head of the Population Health and Immunity Division at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (UOM) and Head of the Malaria Parasites and Hosts laboratory in the Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors at The Institut Pasteur in Paris. He is the project lead on Modelling the last mile to elimination: Learning from China’s successes to inform malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific and also collaborates with project lead Professor Xiao-Nong Zhou on Monitoring the continued absence of local transmission on border regions of Yunnan Province using novel serological markers of exposure to P. vivax infections. Professor Zhou is Director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention & Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research (SJTU).
Associate Professor Yinghui Tian
Yinghui Tian is an Associate Professor in Civil Geotechnical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and IT (UOM) and project lead on Developing a novel foundation to secure floating renewable energy turbines. He also collaborates with Professor Guanlin Ye who is a Professor in the School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering (SJTU) and project lead on Long-term behaviour of offshore pile foundations under cyclic loading.
Professor Michelle Watt
Michelle Watt is a Professor in the Faculty of Science (UOM) and Professor of Crop Root Physiology at the University of Bonn and a Director of the Plant Sciences Institute at the Helmholtz Juelich Research Centre in Germany. She is also the project lead on How does a root change its ability to grow through different layers of soil? She collaborates with Professor Dabing Zhang who is a Chair Professor in the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology (SJTU) and project lead on How do environmental factors regulate cytoskeleton and cell wall synthesis in rice seedlings?
The IRTG Coordinator team consists of:
- Petra Van Nieuwenhoven
- Clare Flynn
The team works with the Joint PhD program Academic Lead on operational activities, including recruitment and the end to end graduate research lifecycle processes for joint PhD candidates. Please direct all enquiries to jointphd-admin@unimelb.edu.au.