Six Brazilian PhD students have arrived in Australia today as participants in the Academy's inaugural Australia–Brazil PhD Exchange Program.
The program aims to provide Brazilian second or third year PhD students first-hand research experience in Australia, orientation to the Australian culture, and an introduction to the science and research infrastructure of Australia.
The students will begin the eight-week program with an orientation session in Canberra before embarking on individual research projects in Australian host institutions.
More than 400 applications were received at the Australian Embassy in Brasilia but only six participants were selected.
The exchange program follows a series of research seminars delivered in Brazil by Australian reseachers Professor Michael Barber, Professor Robert Henry and Dr Muriel Watt in late 2015. The series was arranged to showcase Australian research excellence and higher education opportunities.
Both the exchange program and the seminar series have been made possible due to funding from the Australian Department of Education and Training.
Home institution: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo
Australian host and host institution: Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Monash University
Project summary: Investigative studies of brain function/dysfunction as well as the conduct of a variety of novel clinical trials in mood, anxiety, psychotic and developmental disorders.
Home institution: University of São Paulo
Australian host and host institution: Dr Paul Dennis, University of Queensland
Project summary: Reducing herbicide runoff from Great Barrier Reef catchment with microbial search.
Home institution: Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte
Australian host and host institution: Dr Robert Dyball, Australian National University
Project summary: Investigating the factors that make fisheries co-management systems ecologically, socially and economically successful.
Home institution: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
Australian host and institution: Dr Morag Glen, University of Tasmania
Project summary: Dealing with the diversity and systematics of the Ganodermatacae (Basidiomycota) family.
Home institution: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Australian host and host institution: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Project summary: Microbiology and molecular biology of reef building corals.
Home institution: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Australian host and host institution: A/Professor Alistair Sproul
Project summary: Climate impacts on photvoltaic system performance and reliability.
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