Applications will remain open until a candidate has been appointed.
Supporting a PhD candidate advancing sustainable irrigation and water management in irrigated cotton systems.
Key details
Project supervisor
Deakin school and faculty
Centre for Regional and Rural Futures
School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment
Additional supervisors
Yet to be confirmed
Location
Griffith, NSW
Value and duration
This scholarship is available over three years and offers:
- a stipend of $37,450 per annum tax exempt (2026 rate)
- a top-up of $10,000 per annum tax exempt
- a relocation allowance of $500-1,500 (for single to family) for students moving from interstate
For international students, the awardee will also receive:
- tuition fees offset for the duration of four years
- single Overseas Student Health Cover policy for the duration of the student visa.
Research aim
This PhD projects offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in research at the forefront of sustainable irrigation systems and water management, working with a leading, globally recognized dedicated irrigation research group in Australia’s most intensively irrigated area.
The project will aim to:
- generate high quality field based datasets on irrigated water dynamics of surface irrigated cotton production systems in the southern Murray Darling Basin
- identify pathways within surface irrigated cotton production systems for maximising the Water Circular Economy (WCE)
- ground-truth and refine satellite based Evapotranspiration models for water monitoring across scales in cotton production environments
- generate recommendations for improving economic returns, reduced scarcity risks, better compliance monitoring outcomes and enhanced sustainability of cotton production systems in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Background information
This PhD project will focus on accurately quantifying crop evapotranspiration (ET) in irrigated cotton production systems within the Murray-Darling Basin using advanced energy balance instrumentation and water balance analysis. Since ET represents the largest component of the crop water balance, precise measurement is essential for understanding water use dynamics under different irrigation strategies and climatic conditions. The project will ground-truth and refine satellite-based ET models for cotton, enabling scaling from field measurements to regional assessments across the Basin. These outcomes will provide cotton growers with the tools to optimise irrigation scheduling, maximise yield per megalitre, and improve water productivity. At a broader level, the research will contribute to the water circular economy by improving economic returns, reducing water scarcity risks, strengthening compliance monitoring, and supporting the long-term sustainability of irrigated production systems across the Murray-Darling Basin.
The PhD will be based in Griffith, NSW, Australia at Deakin University’s dedicated irrigation research laboratory.
The PhD candidate will work closely with commercial irrigators, water providers and compliance agency’s and involve extensive field work. The project will provide an exceptional opportunity for the candidate to developed critical future needed and industry relevant skill sets on sustainable irrigated water management that has global relevance.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible you must:
- meet Deakin’s PhD entry requirements
- enrol full time
- hold an honours degree (first class) or an equivalent standard masters degree with a substantial research component
Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page for further information.
Additional requirements:
- Ability and willingness to uptake fieldwork (the candidate will need to undertake extensive field work as part of the project)
Ready to apply?
Please email your CV and cover letter (including your interest in the project) to Prof John Hornbuckle. Your CV should highlight your skills, education, publications and relevant work experience. If successful, you will be invited to submit a formal application.
Research degree entry requirements
Set yourself up for success. Each type of Deakin research degree has specific entry requirements designed to ensure that graduate researchers are well prepared for the challenges of advanced study.
Contact us
If you would like more information or have any questions about this scholarship, please contact the project supervisor.
