PhD Scholarship: Development of a Surface Reconstruction Model for Re-Entry Objects

We are seeking a motivated, high-achieving PhD candidate as an important contributor to our ARC (Australian Research Council) DECRA (Discovery Early Career Researcher Award) project, “Development of a Surface Reconstruction Model for Re-Entry Objects” under the supervision of the DECRA Fellow, Dr Byrenn Birch.

More than 300 tonnes of spacecraft re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere each year, with about 30% of this mass surviving re-entry. Through this research program, you will be developing solutions for the identification of spacecraft components during a re-entry break-up event from their thermal signature in the debris field. These solutions are required for the validation of the numerical tools used to predict re-entries and the associated ground-risks.

This project has multiple avenues for valuable PhD student contributions; therefore, the PhD project will be collaboratively designed to suit both the skillset of the candidate and the DECRA project objectives. We seek candidates with established skills and interests in any of the following areas: the design and application of instruments for imaging spectroscopy; hypersonic aerothermodynamics; heat transfer and high-temperature materials; high-speed ground-based experiments; computational methods; optimisation techniques; and analytical engineering methods.

Your research project will contribute to one, or more, of the over-arching projects objectives:

Developing a computationally inexpensive thermal model for the re-entry of space debris objects.
Spatially resolve the surface temperature of a known re-entry object from remote spectral measurements.
Develop a method for the identification of re-entry break-up debris from remote spectral measurements for the validation of re-entry break-up codes.

As a PhD student, you will join the UniSQ Hypersonics and Rocketry Group; an exciting research group with international profile that has existing collaborations with national an internationally recognised research groups, government agencies and industry. Our HDR students work in close collaboration with our collaborators and funders to ensure that they have multiple career opportunities at completion of their studies.

Applicants are encouraged to communicate directly with Dr Byrenn Birch via Byrenn.Birch@unisq.edu.au to seek additional information and to negotiate project topics.

Stipend of AUD $35,000.00 per annum.
Maximum period of tenure of an award is 3 years. Periods of study already undertaken towards the degree will be deducted from the period of tenure.
Additional benefits include conference attendance and travel (domestic & international).

To be eligible applicants must:

satisfy the entry requirements for PhD study at UniSQ.
have completed an Honours Degree with First-Class or 2A Honours or equivalent, or a Master’s degree with a significant research component in a discipline relating to the project (e.g. mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics).
not be receiving equivalent support providing a benefit greater than 75% of the student’s stipend rate.
be eligible to commence a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in early-to-mid 2025.

Due to current sensitivities surrounding research related to Hypersonics, some projects are restricted to students from Australia and countries on the Defence Trade Controls, Foreign Countries List – Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States.

Academic merit, including: academic qualifications and awards; research publications; research experience (including internships and research projects).
Communication skills (written and spoken).
Applicants must detail their research experience and should explain how their experience links with the theme of the DECRA project, including which of the overarching established skills and interests they satisfy.
Letters of recommendation of prior supervisors are valued.

To apply, please ensure you have digital copies of the below information:

Curriculum vitae; encompassing any research presentations and/or publications
Preliminary Research Thesis Topic Proposal
Education qualifications (testamur and academic transcripts for all undergraduate and postgraduate awards)

Applicants must have their current/prospective supervisor complete the Supervisor support letter.

Application must be made via the UniSQ Scholarship Application Management System by the closing date.

If you require assistance in completing your application please download the Scholarship Online Application Manual.

6 January 2025

Further information about this scholarship can be sought by emailing Byrenn.birch@unisq.edu.au.