Research opportunities

Take your research further with our Honours, Masters and PhD research options. Find out what kinds of research projects you can join when you study with us.

Whether you're adding a year of Honours research to your Bachelor of Agriculture or Bachelor of Science degree or launching your academic career with Masters or PhD study, research in our school covers an exciting mix of:

  • Fundamental research that investigates how organisms, microbiology, food and ecosystems function
  • More applied research with practical and management outcomes in mind
  • Social research into the human element of ecosystems, agriculture, technology and business.

Approaching potential supervisors

Before contacting a potential supervisor, look carefully at the type of research they do. Read through:

  • The information they've provided about their projects – particularly whether they are appropriate for Honours, Masters or PhD research
  • Their own research website or Find an Expert profile
  • Their recent publications on Google Scholar.

Approach potential supervisors in research areas that interest you and discuss projects on offer, or tell them about potential project ideas that you may have. When you email a potential supervisor, please include a transcript of your academic record (you can print out your current record from SIS). Arrange a time to meet them in person.

Most supervisors only take on one or two students per year, so our intake is competitive and places are limited. Take time to discuss the available projects; it is important that you choose an area of research that interests you.

What's the best way to contact a potential supervisor?

Follow the links in the directory below to their profile on the Find an Expert website, and send them a message from there. If you already know the name of a researcher you're interested in, you can also straight to Find an Expert and look them up by name.

Available research projects

Research projects for PhD and Masters by Research students

The University's Graduate Research Opportunity Tool is a directory of PhD and Masters by Research projects – search by course, field of research or location to find a research project that you're excited to join.

Explore research opportunities

Four scenes of scientific research: a horse, an abalone floating in the ocean, a petri dish full of fungal growths, and a visualisation of light bending

Research projects for Honours and Masters by Coursework students

The supervisors and projects listed here are open for prospective Honours and/or Masters students this year. While supervisors have been placed into broad research themes, all engage in interdisciplinary approaches across multiple themes.

Some projects may also be supported by grants; contact the staff member involved to find out more.

Next steps

If you and your potential supervisor are both excited about joining the project, then you're ready to take the next step. For certain courses, the next step might be to make an application on Study Hub; your potential supervisor will be able to guide you.

For other courses, you may need to fill out one of the project approval forms below:

Make sure to include the completed form in your application, and – to speed up the admission process – have the supervisor(s) sign the form before you submit it.

Please note

It may be that some potential supervisors cannot make a commitment at this point. You may therefore include several potential supervisors. Supervisors may also offer a project that commences mid-year (Semester 2) or start-year (Semester 1) according to fieldwork requirements, plant growth, animal life cycles, or simply aligned project timing.

Important contacts

25 point and 50 point research projects

Professor Patrick Lane
patrickl@unimelb.edu.au

Dr Pangzhen Zhang
(Agricultural and Food Science) pangzhen.zhang@unimelb.edu.au

Master of Urban Horticulture Coordinator

Mr John Rayner
jrayner@unimelb.edu.au

Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation Coordinator

Dr Antanas Spokevicius
ajvs@unimelb.edu.au

SEFS Honours Coordinator

Dr Matt Burns
matthew.burns@unimelb.edu.au

Academic Support Officer

sefs-aso@unimelb.edu.au