how to find a phd supervisor in australia

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How to find a PhD supervisor

Study tips Published 3 Mar, 2022  ·  5-minute read

Along with choosing your research topic and writing your proposal, selecting your supervisor is one of the crucial steps in starting your PhD journey . Join us and 2 current candidates as we explore how to find a PhD supervisor in Australia.

Your supervisor is going to be one of the most important people in your life for the next 3-4 years or more*.

*In fact, many PhD candidates become lifelong friends with their supervisors. But that’s a topic for another time.

So, you don’t want to find just any supervisor. For a fulfilling and successful candidature, you need to know how to choose a good PhD supervisor – as well as understanding what to expect from your PhD supervisor.

We spoke with 2 UQ PhD candidates, Sarah Kendall and Chelsea Janke, about how to find a PhD supervisor who aligns with you and your research project.

Completing your PhD at The University of Queensland?

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Get googling

We’re not kidding. The best starting point is to jump online and start researching your options.

Sure, Google might not be your go-to platform once you’re researching your actual thesis. But for finding potential supervisors, Sarah believes it’s not a bad place to start.

“The first thing I would recommend to find the best supervisor for you is to do a whole lot of googling,” says Sarah.

“Google different academics, read about their areas of research, and compile a list of academics whose research aligns with your areas of interest.”

You likely already know some academics to google from your undergraduate or postgraduate studies. However, you can also explore potential PhD supervisors on university websites like UQ’s researchers hub .

Create a shortlist

As you’re researching your options, take note of any academics who seem like they could be a great fit.

You might find it helpful to use a spreadsheet or similar file to keep track of your shortlist, including details such as:

• university and school
• contact details
• link to their research page.

Consider including a space to write down 1-2 unique things that put each academic on your shortlist. For example, you may have studied under them previously and enjoyed their approach to teaching , or perhaps one of their recent projects is highly relevant to what you wish to research.

Meet with your potential supervisors

An important step in how to find a PhD supervisor is to find out what they’re like in person. This means contacting and setting up a time to meet each person on your shortlist.

Chelsea suggests an introductory email to get the ball rolling.

“Send an email briefly outlining who you are, your background, and what your research interests are,” she says.

Then it’s time to organise a face-to-face (or at least a screen-to-screen), and Sarah reckons this is the moment you’ll know whether it’s a match or not.

“I would recommend meeting with as many of the academics on your list as possible – whether in person or via Zoom,” says Sarah.

“Once you’ve talked with a potential supervisor, you’ll know immediately if they’re a good fit for your project – trust your gut!”

You want a supervisor who is encouraging, communicates well, and is enthusiastic about you and your project.

Sarah’s advisory team consists of 3 supervisors: Dr Caitlin Goss , Professor Heather Douglas , and Dr Robin Fitzgerald . Here’s what drew her to these academics:

“I chose this supervisory team because they’re all incredible role models and mentors for young women who are seeking a research career. They are open and encouraging, and I know they’ll always support me through the highs and the lows. Each of them also brings a unique skill set and body of expertise, which is important to me because I like approaching problems from different perspectives.”

Discover what else makes a good PhD supervisor .

But what if you meet multiple academics who fit the brief?

Well, that’s when understanding yourself becomes the tiebreaker. Chelsea believes knowing your personal preferences can help you choose a good PhD supervisor to match your work style.

“Identifying if a PhD supervisor might be good for you will be an individual thing,” says Chelsea.

“Some students want a supervisor who lets them be very independent, while others prefer someone who gives them very detailed instructions and has a lot of time for them.”

Think about what you want and aim to find someone who meets those criteria.

Sarah agrees that finding a PhD supervisor who gels with your personality should be a top priority.

“At the end of the day, you need to choose someone who you’re comfortable with, as you’ll be working with them for the next 3-4 years,” she says.

Speak with other students

Chelsea believes a great route to find out what to expect from your PhD supervisor is to talk to candidates who have researched with them.

“The best way to get a feel for how someone is as a supervisor is to ask their current or past students,” she says.

Things you can discover about a potential supervisor by speaking with their students include:

• whether they have a hands-on or hands-off approach
• if they’re easy to talk to
• who else they work with (e.g. other academics relevant to your research)
• whether they have funds
• how many other students they’re supervising at the moment.

These conversations with other candidates can reaffirm the vibe you got from your meeting with the academic, or it might encourage you to seek out someone who wasn’t that high on your shortlist.

Consider having multiple supervisors

You know what they say. Two’s company. Three’s a more comfortable PhD experience.

Did you know you can have more than a single PhD supervisor? Chelsea is quick to remind us of this, though she also warns against turning your research project into a research party by inviting too many academics.

“Keep in mind that you can have multiple supervisors, so one supervisor may have the funds while another may have more time for you,” she says.

“Although, having more than three supervisors is probably going to get very tricky to manage!”

In fact, if you do your PhD at UQ , you’ll conduct your research with an advisory team consisting of a principal adviser and at least one associate adviser.

Want to learn more from Sarah and Chelsea? Easy:

• Read Sarah’s series on becoming a law academic .
• Read about Chelsea’s award-winning PhD thesis on keeping crops healthy.

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• Research degrees

Find a supervisor or research project

Graduate researchers at the University of Melbourne need at least two supervisors – one designated as the principal supervisor. Whether you want to join an established project with an assigned supervisory team or find supervisors for your own research project, the questions below may help you determine who is best placed to support your research journey:

• Do they have expertise relevant to your intended research project?
• Do they share your passion for your chosen topic?
• Are they well connected with other researchers?
• Have they developed skills in people management and mentoring?
• What is their reputation amongst current and past PhD candidates?
• Will you work well together? Consider your respective personalities and communication styles.

It’s worth discovering more about their supervision style, availability and accessibility, as well as the value of their feedback. Then search our list of 2500+ experts for research supervision or our list of available research projects.

Find an Expert

Find a research project

Your supervisors’ role

Your supervision team will:.

• Guide and support you through all stages of your candidature and ensure you have access to necessary  resources and facilities to complete your research project.
• Assist you to develop your research topic, questions, methodology and milestones for successful completion.
• Provide constructive feedback on your written work and oral presentations within a reasonable agreed timeframe and provide detailed, specific and constructive feedback on thesis drafts.
• Mentor you through the research process, providing support as you undertake new  tasks, and ensure that administrative work like ethics applications are completed or responded to in a timely way.
• Maintain an agreed schedule of regular individual meetings with you.
• Help you identify appropriate skills training and  professional development opportunities , including academic skills, external engagement (internships, industry mentoring programs), sessional teaching and PhD Program participation.
• Help you  grow your professional networks by encouraging and supporting you to engage with the research community, both locally and internationally.
• Be accessible to a reasonable extent via email, online or in person, should support be needed outside of the agreed meeting schedule.
• Promptly attend to administrative tasks like progress reviews, requests for leave of absence or candidature variations.
• Be familiar with, introduce you to and provide advice on all relevant University policies, including the  Graduate Research Training Policy and those on the conduct of research, ethical requirements, safe working practices, intellectual property and authorship.
• Adhere to the  Principles of Respectful Supervisory Relationships , be considerate of wellbeing and, where appropriate, alert you to wellbeing services.
• Advise on where to seek confidential advice and explain the process of making a formal complaint if difficult situations cannot be resolved, understanding that you may consult other individuals, including the Advisory Committee chair or confidential advisors, if you wish to raise any concerns.
• Different members of your supervision team will contribute to your supervision in different ways but should work as a team to support you.

Advisory committee

Your supervision team is supported by your Advisory Committee , which should comprise of at least three people, including the advisory committee chair and your supervisors, which will be established at commencement.

The committee has a formal role in monitoring the progress of your research project and an informal role in providing you with support and advice.

If you are experiencing issues or have matters you feel you cannot raise with your supervisors, you should consult an advisory committee member in the first instance.The roles and responsibilities of supervisors and advisory committee members are also outlined in the Graduate Research Training Policy .

Looking for something else?

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Find a Supervisor or Project

As a UNSW higher degree research candidate, you will be guided by a supervisory team of world-class researchers who are leaders in their field.

Use the filters below to search for potential supervisors or projects to start your research journey. Contact them to discuss your proposed research.

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• Finding a supervisor

Step-by-step help to find a research supervisor in ANU Science, Health and Medicine.

What is a research supervisor?

Your supervisor is an academic staff member who guides you throughout your research, acting as your primary academic adviser and mentor. A supervisor may work with:

• Undergraduate students pursuing research projects, including special projects or a summer research project
• Honours students
• Postgraduate coursework students: Master (Coursework) students doing a research project in a course or Master (Advanced) students working on a thesis  

What does a research supervisor do?

Your supervisor is your primary contact for your research project. The supervisor will also assist you with advice, guidance and criticism, and can help you to define and achieve your personal academic goals.  Your supervisor will:

• Assist you in selecting and defining the scope of a suitable project topic or problem.
• Assist you in devising a schedule for the project work.
• Guide you in the selection and application of appropriate data collection and analysis procedures and advise on the solution of any difficulties that arise.
• Advise on matters of thesis or report content, organisation and writing, including the timely provision of comments, written and oral, on drafts or portions of the written work.
• Meet frequently with you to discuss and evaluate each stage of the project.
• Monitor your progress and advise you when progress is unsatisfactory.
• Assist you in gaining clearance from the ethics committee, if required.

Who can be a research supervisor?

Research supervisors are experienced researchers who have the skills to guide a student's project.  A supervisor may be the leader of research group or laboratory; for example, in the Research School of Biology, research  groups  are listed on the website. The leader's last name is used is used to identify the research group. Typically, a research group leader is a professor.

Students may also be supervised by:

• a post-doctoral fellow, post-doc for short, who has a PhD works for 2+ years in a research group to get more experience
• a staff researcher, who has a PhD and a permanent position in a research group

In addition, an undergraduate student or honours student may be formally supervised by a professor but work with a post-graduate student on a daily basis.

When should I start looking for a research supervisor?

In general, the timing of when you should look for a research supervisor depends on what type of research experience you are looking for and what research school you want to work in. Our  sample research projects  can give you an idea of what types of projects students work on. These lists are a helpful source of information but may not be current.

Below is more information for:

• Undergraduate students -  are advised to approach potential supervisors the semester before beginning a research project. Yet, it is never too early to start learning about what research is being done in your field. You may become fascinated with a topic or type of research that is completely new to you!  Take every opportunity you have to ask academic staff and students about their research. You can talk to your friends who are doing research, your instructors, course demonstrators and tutors, and any post-graduate students you interact with.
• Honours students -  Before you apply for Honours, you can talk to your friends who are doing research, instructors, course demonstrators and tutors, and any post-graduate students you interact with to learn more about their research.  You can review the research being done at the research school, see what is interesting to you, and what opportunities are available.  Once you begin, you should talk to your school's Honours Convenor as soon as you begin to consider Honours to find out the details for your program.
• Coursework (Advanced) students -  Before you apply and during your first year, you can review the research being done at the research school, see what is interesting to you, and what opportunities are available. Once you begin your courses, you can talk to your friends who are doing research, instructors, and any other post-graduate students you interact with to learn more about their research. Attending seminars is also a helpful way to see what research is interesting to you.

Selected content from the  Honours Handbook .

Do I need to have a research proposal before I contact potential supervisors?

As an undergraduate, honours, or postgraduate coursework student, it is not necessary for you to have a complete research proposal before contacting a researcher. You do, however, need to do your background research and be familiar with what topics the researcher works on.

What are my responsibilities when I have a supervisor?

Your responsibilities are to:

• Communicate regularly and clearly with your supervisor.
• If you are not sure what your supervisor is trying to communicate, ask questions!
• Plan your research program and budget with your supervisor(s).
• Participate in regular meetings and/or research group activities.
• Prepare in advance for consultations or meetings.
• Take responsibility for the final results of your work. Your supervisor can and will guide you, but you must take ownership of the project.

What do all these titles mean?

The different titles can be quite confusing!  The titles tell you something, though, about your potential supervisor's career path. In Australia, a science researcher or professor's career path could look like this:

• Undergraduate degree (3 years of coursework and possibly independent research or research-based courses)
• Honours degree (1 year of research following on after the 3 year undergraduate degree)
• Master degree (1-2 years coursework and/or research)
• PhD (Doctor of Philosophy; 3+ years of research)
• Post-doctoral fellow/researcher (Post-doc; 2+ years of research)
• Staff or senior researcher/Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
• Assistant Professor (A/Professor)
• Associate Professor (Assoc. Professor)

Please note: anyone with a “Dr.” before a surname has a PhD but might not be a professor.  You can find more information at the Wikipedia page  Academic Ranks (Australia and New Zealand) .

How to find a supervisor

Step 1. think about your interests, preferences, and goals.

It is fine if you don’t have answers to these questions, but take some time to reflect.

• What topics, classes, seminars or professors have caught your interest?
• Why do you want to do research?
• What are your short and long-term goals and how does doing research fit in with those goals?
• Do you prefer to work independently or in a group?
• Do you think you’d prefer working in a small research group, or in a large one? 

Step 2. Explore current research at ANU

You need to know what topics or projects might interest you.

• Read through schools’ websites: check the priority research areas and look for research opportunities on the  sample research projects page .
• Network with course convenors, honours convenors, master convenors, students, tutors, demonstrators, and friends. Ask for advice on who is doing work in your area of interest and experiences other people have had that you might learn from.

Step 3. Prepare to contact potential supervisors

• Look at research groups’ websites. Is it a big research group or a small one?
• Read several papers from the research group. To find the most recent papers, do an online search, as well as looking at the information and papers on the ANU website, since the ANU sites may not be current.
• Prepare a list of questions you have about the group and the research.
• If possible, talk to other students to learn more about the supervisor’s expectations for students and style of supervision.  Would this style work for you?

Step 4. Contact 2-3 potential supervisors

If you choose to approach a potential supervisor after a class meeting or seminar, you should still do your background preparation.

If you email a potential supervisor, don’t take it personally if they don't respond immediately.

• Use your ANU email address. By policy, ANU academic and professional staff can only communicate with ANU students through an ANU email address.
• Sign the email using your legal name, as well as any name a convenor may know you by.
• Attach a CV and your Statement of Results (from ISIS).

See  How to email a potential supervisor  or  Emailing professors .

Step 5. Meet with potential supervisors

You may want to ask about the researcher’s:

• Research interests
• Plans for the project you are interested in
• Preferred supervisory style (How often do they like to meet? Exactly how independent do they expect a student to be? Does this match with your preferences?)
• Expectations for a student
• Experience working with undergraduate, Honours or postgraduate coursework students
• Meetings with their research students (lab meeting or research group meeting) and if you could attend one (going to a research group meeting can show you what the group's culture is like).

The potential supervisor may ask you about your:

• Academic interests (this is another opportunity to show that you read the researcher's website, as well as a few papers)
• Preparation (how you did in relevant courses, any research experience, technical skills)
• Education and career goals.

Step 6. After the meeting

Send a brief, formal email thanking the potential supervisor for the meeting.

Once you decide on a project with a supervisor if you have discussed projects with other supervisors, as a courtesy, please let the other potential supervisor know that you are working with another researcher.

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Find a potential researcher to support your candidacy

Part of the application process for prospective candidates is to find a research expert who is interested in your research question and able to supervise you.

Finding a supervisor with the right research expertise and experience to support you through candidature is an important step in the application process. At Macquarie, our supervisors are experts in their fields and undertake training and development in research supervision to ensure you get the most out of your research journey.

Our supervisor database

To identify a potential supervisor, search Macquarie’s supervisor database for research experts in your area of interest. Once you have shortlisted a few, review their profiles to see who aligns the best with your project. Points to consider include:

• What are their research interests?
• What research projects are they currently working on?
• What other research projects have they supervised?

After you have identified a potential supervisor, the next step is to connect with them to confirm that they have the right research expertise and capacity to supervise you.

Connecting with a potential supervisor

The best way to connect with a potential supervisor is via email. Your email will be the first step in establishing a connection with your potential supervisor and will help them determine the suitability of your research question, the appropriateness of your research background and if they can supervise the project.

To assist with this decision, you should introduce yourself and provide the following:

• information about previous degrees and experience (include a current CV)
• a brief outline of your research questions/area of interest
• a short explanation about why you would like to work with them.

Once a potential supervisor has agreed to supervise you, the next step is to prepare your research proposal .

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Choose a supervisor who can help you with your research and develop your skills.

>> Return to How to apply

How to identify a supervisor for your research degree

Before you start the application process, you need to find a supervisor in your area of interest.

UTS is home to world-leading academic staff working across a wide range of disciplines who are committed to mentoring the next generation of research leaders.

Use the Find a supervisor tool to find a supervisor in your area of research interest. 

You can search with keywords and remember to select “Masters Research or PhD Student supervision” under Availability when refining criteria on the left hand side bar.

Find a supervisor

How to contact a supervisor 

Once you've found a potential supervisor, it's very important to make contact with them. This is an opportunity to discuss your potential project, make sure it aligns with their current interests, and start to get a sense of whether you are a good "fit" as a supervisor-research student team. You will need a potential supervisor to agree to supervise you for your application to be successful. 

You should contact the academic by email and include:

• A few short sentences introducing yourself and how your research fits with their interests and expertise
• A copy of your current CV using UTS template ( Download UTS CV template )
• A draft of your research proposal or an explanation of why you're interested in a project that the supervisor has available
• Copies of your academic transcripts

Please allow a couple of weeks for potential supervisors to respond to your email.  If they are not available to supervise you, they may refer you to another suitable academic.

You can also contact the research office in your discipline area for assistance in finding the right UTS supervisor to fit your needs.

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Find a supervisor

All research degree candidates require a supervisor. It is recommended you start actively searching for potential supervisors in your chosen field before you submit your application.

You can search for a supervisor by researcher name, area of expertise or by research centre name

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Find a Supervisor

Master of Research (MRes), Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and other research degree applicants are required to discuss their proposed research project with a suitable research supervisor prior to submitting an application.

As a potential applicant, finding the right supervisors for your project is an important first step in a successful research candidature.

To find a supervisor who matches your research interests, you should try a combination of the following methods:

• Visit the School or Institute research pages and look for researchers in your area of interest.
• Search the  Staff Profiles Directory  by keyword.

If you identify a potential supervisor, you should send them an email introducing yourself, describing your previous degrees and experience, outlining your area of interest, and providing a short explanation about why you would like to work with them on a research project.

If you are finding it difficult to identify a supervisor, you should contact the Higher Degree Research (HDR) Director or Associate Dean, HDR in a relevant School or Institute. They will be able to provide advice and may be able to recommend a potential supervisor or research project.

Available research projects

You can browse a list of currently available research projects to find potential research areas where a supervisor is looking to recruit a candidate.

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Associate Professor Dilupa Nakandala [email protected]

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How to find your supervisor

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• Griffith Graduate Research School

An effective working relationship between research candidates and their supervisors is crucial for success

You’ll need to find a supervisor who works in your area of interest by reviewing your potential supervisor’s Griffith Experts profile to establish their:

• Research interests
• Academic background
• Previous publications
• Current research projects.

The best way to find a potential supervisor is by searching Griffith Experts , or by contacting the HDR Convenor in the relevant school or department.

Once you’ve found a researcher whom you would like to work with, you’ll need to contact them directly to discuss your research proposal. It is crucial to look at the alignment between supervision and your project.

Griffith researchers

View the Schools or Departments in each of our Academic Groups to find researchers in your area of interest and to find out more about available supervisors.

If you need help finding a suitable supervisor, each Academic Group has a HDR Convenor who will be able to point you in the right direction of an academic staff member in your area of interest.

Griffith Experts

Griffith Experts is a searchable database of all our academics. You can browse by topics, projects, publications and other key terms to find academics aligned to your area of interest.

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Research Centres and Institutes

Many excellent Griffith researchers work in our 30+ research centres and institutes.

Advice from PhD candidates and supervisors

Current PhD candidates and supervisors provide some advice for choosing a supervisor for your PhD or research degree at Griffith University.

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Finding a supervisor

Step-by-step help to find a research supervisor in ANU Science, Health and Medicine.

What is a research supervisor?

Your supervisor is an academic staff member who guides you throughout your research, acting as your primary academic adviser and mentor. A supervisor may work with:

• Undergraduate students pursuing research projects, including special projects or a summer research project
• Honours students
• Postgraduate coursework students: Master (Coursework) students doing a research project in a course or Master (Advanced) students working on a thesis  

What does a research supervisor do?

Your supervisor is your primary contact for your research project. The supervisor will also assist you with advice, guidance and criticism, and can help you to define and achieve your personal academic goals.  Your supervisor will:

• Assist you in selecting and defining the scope of a suitable project topic or problem.
• Assist you in devising a schedule for the project work.
• Guide you in the selection and application of appropriate data collection and analysis procedures and advise on the solution of any difficulties that arise.
• Advise on matters of thesis or report content, organisation and writing, including the timely provision of comments, written and oral, on drafts or portions of the written work.
• Meet frequently with you to discuss and evaluate each stage of the project.
• Monitor your progress and advise you when progress is unsatisfactory.
• Assist you in gaining clearance from the ethics committee, if required.

Who can be a research supervisor?

Research supervisors are experienced researchers who have the skills to guide a student's project.  A supervisor may be the leader of research group or laboratory; for example, in the Research School of Biology,  research groups  are listed on the website. The leader's last name is used is used to identify the research group. Typically, a research group leader is a professor.

Students may also be supervised by:

• a post-doctoral fellow, post-doc for short, who has a PhD works for 2+ years in a research group to get more experience
• a staff researcher, who has a PhD and a permanent position in a research group

In addition, an undergraduate student or honours student may be formally supervised by a professor but work with a post-graduate student on a daily basis.

When should I start looking for a research supervisor?

In general, the timing of when you should look for a research supervisor depends on what type of research experience you are looking for and what research school you want to work in. Our sample research projects  can give you an idea of what types of projects students work on. These lists are a helpful source of information but may not be current.

Below is more information for:

• Undergraduate students -  are advised to approach potential supervisors the semester before beginning a research project. Yet, it is never too early to start learning about what research is being done in your field. You may become fascinated with a topic or type of research that is completely new to you!  Take every opportunity you have to ask academic staff and students about their research. You can talk to your friends who are doing research, your instructors, course demonstrators and tutors, and any post-graduate students you interact with.
• Honours students - Before you apply for Honours, you can talk to your friends who are doing research, instructors, course demonstrators and tutors, and any post-graduate students you interact with to learn more about their research.  You can review the research being done at the research school, see what is interesting to you, and what opportunities are available.  Once you begin, you should talk to your school's Honours Convenor as soon as you begin to consider Honours to find out the details for your program.
• Coursework (Advanced) students - Before you apply and during your first year, you can review the research being done at the research school, see what is interesting to you, and what opportunities are available. Once you begin your courses, you can talk to your friends who are doing research, instructors, and any other post-graduate students you interact with to learn more about their research. Attending seminars is also a helpful way to see what research is interesting to you.

Selected content from the CHM and CoS Honours Handbook .

Do I need to have a research proposal before I contact potential supervisors?

As an undergraduate, honours, or postgraduate coursework student, it is not necessary for you to have a complete research proposal before contacting a researcher. You do, however, need to do your background research and be familiar with what topics the researcher works on.  

What are my responsibilities when I have a supervisor?

Your responsibilities are to:

• Communicate regularly and clearly with your supervisor.
• If you are not sure what your supervisor is trying to communicate, ask questions!
• Plan your research program and budget with your supervisor(s).
• Participate in regular meetings and/or research group activities.
• Prepare in advance for consultations or meetings.
• Take responsibility for the final results of your work. Your supervisor can and will guide you, but you must take ownership of the project.

What do all these titles mean?

The different titles can be quite confusing!  The titles tell you something, though, about your potential supervisor's career path. In Australia, a science researcher or professor's career path could look like this:

• Undergraduate degree (3 years of coursework and possibly independent research or research-based courses)
• Honours degree (1 year of research following on after the 3 year undergraduate degree)
• Master degree (1-2 years coursework and/or research)
• PhD (Doctor of Philosophy; 3+ years of research)
• Post-doctoral fellow/researcher (Post-doc; 2+ years of research)
• Staff or senior researcher/Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
• Assistant Professor (A/Professor)
• Associate Professor (Assoc. Professor)

Please note: anyone with a “Dr.” before a surname has a PhD but might not be a professor.  You can find more information at the Wikipedia page  Academic Ranks (Australia and New Zealand) .

How to find a supervisor

Step 1.  think about your interests, preferences, and goals.

It is fine if you don’t have answers to these questions, but take some time to reflect.

• What topics, classes, seminars or professors have caught your interest?
• Why do you want to do research?
• What are your short and long-term goals and how does doing research fit in with those goals?
• Do you prefer to work independently or in a group?
• Do you think you’d prefer working in a small research group, or in a large one? 

Step 2.  Explore current research at ANU

You need to know what topics or projects might interest you.

• Read through schools’ websites: check the priority research areas and look for research opportunities on the sample research projects page .
• Network with course convenors, honours convenors, master convenors, students, tutors, demonstrators, and friends. Ask for advice on who is doing work in your area of interest and experiences other people have had that you might learn from.

Step 3 . Prepare to contact potential supervisors

• Look at research groups’ websites. Is it a big research group or a small one?
• Read several papers from the research group. To find the most recent papers, do an online search, as well as looking at the information and papers on the ANU website, since the ANU sites may not be current.
• Prepare a list of questions you have about the group and the research.
• If possible, talk to other students to learn more about the supervisor’s expectations for students and style of supervision.  Would this style work for you?

Step 4.  Contact 2-3 potential supervisors

If you choose to approach a potential supervisor after a class meeting or seminar, you should still do your background preparation.

If you email a potential supervisor, don’t take it personally if they don't respond immediately.

• Use your ANU email address. By policy, ANU academic and professional staff can only communicate with ANU students through an ANU email address.
• Sign the email using your legal name, as well as any name a convenor may know you by.
• Attach a CV and your Statement of Results (from ISIS).

See  How to email a potential supervisor or Emailing professors .

Step 5.  Meet with potential supervisors

You may want to ask about the researcher’s:

• Research interests
• Plans for the project you are interested in
• Preferred supervisory style (How often do they like to meet? Exactly how independent do they expect a student to be? Does this match with your preferences?)
• Expectations for a student
• Experience working with undergraduate, Honours or postgraduate coursework students
• Meetings with their research students (lab meeting or research group meeting) and if you could attend one (going to a research group meeting can show you what the group's culture is like).

The potential supervisor may ask you about your:

• Academic interests (this is another opportunity to show that you read the researcher's website, as well as a few papers)
• Preparation (how you did in relevant courses, any research experience, technical skills)
• Education and career goals.

Step 6.  After the meeting

Send a brief, formal email thanking the potential supervisor for the meeting.

Once you decide on a project with a supervisor if you have discussed projects with other supervisors, as a courtesy, please let the other potential supervisor know that you are working with another researcher.

  How to find a coursework supervisor guide (PDF 127KB) .

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Finding a supervisor

Find a supervisor for your research.

Finding the right supervisor for your research project is vital for the successful completion of your thesis.

As a research candidate, you’re required to have at least two supervisors on your supervisor panel – to monitor your progress, provide advice, feedback and guidance, and generally support you throughout your research candidature. At the application stage for your higher degree by research, you must identify an academic researcher to be your Primary Supervisor.

At the University of Canberra, we’ll try to pair you with the best-possible supervisor for your research area, so you’re supported to produce a research thesis of the highest calibre. 

Faculty contacts

Faculty contacts introduction.

You can also make direct contact with the UC faculty that aligns most closely with your area of interest. They can help you determine your research topic so you can get started with your higher degree by research.

Faculty of Arts and Design

UC’s Faculty of Arts and Design (FAD) is home to the renowned  Centre for Creative and Cultural Research  (CCCR) and the  News and Media Research Centre  (N&MRC).

Other arts and design research speciality areas include:

• the built environment, including architecture, landscape design and interior architecture
• building and construction management
• communication, information and journalism
• creative writing, screen studies and digital arts
• humanities, cultural heritage and international studies.

Contact the  Faculty of Arts and Design  for more information on higher degree by research opportunities.

Faculty of Business, Government and Law

UC’s Faculty of Business, Government and Law (BGL) operates four research centres – the  Canberra Business School , the  Canberra Law School , the  Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society , and the Institute of Governance and Policy Analysis .

Other business, government and law research speciality areas include:

• politics, economics and society
• law and justice
• governance and policy analysis.

Contact the  Faculty of Business, Government and Law  for more information on higher degree by research opportunities.

Faculty of Education

UC’s Faculty of Education houses the  STEM Education Research Centre  (SERC) and the  Centre for Sustainable Communities  (CSC).

Other education research speciality areas include:

• enhancement of school teaching
• teacher education
• educational policy
• tertiary teaching and learning
• community education.

Contact the  Faculty of Education  for more information on higher degree by research opportunities.

Faculty of Health

UC’s Faculty of Health has two research centres – the  Research Institute for Sport and Exercise  (UCRISE) and the  Health Research Institute  (UC-HRI).

Other health research speciality areas include:

• health science
• counselling
• medical radiation science
• nutrition and dietetics
• occupational therapy
• sport and exercise science
• speech pathology
• public health
• physiotherapy
• vision science and optometry.

Contact the  Faculty of Health  for more information on higher degree by research opportunities.

Faculty of Science and Technology

UC’s Faculty of Science and Technology contains six research centres, including the:

• Institute for Applied Ecology  (IAE)
• Human-Centred Technology Research Centre  (HCT)
• National Centre for Forensic Studies (NCFS)
• Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics  (CCEG)
• Centre for Applied Water Science  (CAWS)
• Centre for Research in Therapeutic Solutions  (CResTS).

Contact the  Faculty of Science and Technology  for more information on higher degree by research opportunities.

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Use the research themes below to find a supervisor in your field, or find supervisors from related fields using the researchers portal below.

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• Use one or two keywords to narrow down the list of researchers.
• Each research profile will indicate if the researcher can supervise.

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Find your research opportunity.

In order for us to process your enquiry* you must include the following documentation:

• Curriculum Vitae (including all relevant research experience and any publications).
• Complete academic transcripts for all of your degrees, including all final grades.
• An initial research proposal: In no more than 2000 words demonstrate how  your research experience aligns with the supervisor’s and why you’re interested in this opportunity.

You’ll need to tailor your research proposal to each opportunity you enquire about. Follow our Research Proposal Guidelines .

*Please note this is a research opportunity enquiry and not an application to a postgraduate research degree at the University of Sydney. Please see the ‘How to apply section below’ for more information on submitting a formal application.

Find out more about postgraduate research degrees including different types of degrees and how to fund your degree.

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Want to apply for a postgraduate research degree at the University of Sydney? Find out all you need to know about the application process .

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 We have a range of scholarships available to help support you in your research studies. Find out what you're  eligible for , whether you're a domestic or international student.

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Did you mean..., diploma of arts and social sciences, art/science collaboration wins waterhouse natural science art prize, find a supervisor.

Search for a supervisor

Browse through our list of Southern Cross University Research supervisors and their research interests below and click on their profiles to learn more and get in touch.

It is crucial to look at the alignment between supervision and your project. Once you’ve found a researcher whom you would like to work with, contact them directly to discuss your research proposal.  You’ll need to find a supervisor who works in your area of interest by reviewing your potential supervisor’s profile to establish their:

• Research interests
• Academic background
• Previous publications
• Current research projects.

The best way to find a potential supervisor is by using the search below or by contacting the Director Higher Degree Research in the relevant Faculty.

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We have a range of scholarships available to support your research studies. View the current scholarship offerings.

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How to apply

Applications for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) admission can be made at any time throughout the year.

Young researcher leads identification of new sauropod dinosaurs in outback Queensland

Samantha Beeston was always that "random kid that liked dinosaurs". 

Now 26, she has led a team of researchers to identify 12 new dinosaurs from hundreds of bones in storage in outback Queensland. 

The skeletal remains belong to a group of long-neck sauropod dinosaurs that roamed western Queensland nearly 100 million years ago.  

Growing up in Brisbane, Ms Beeston said her parents were extremely supportive of her love for dinosaurs, despite knowing it was a "random subject to get any sort of job in".

She said it was a surprise trip to "the dinosaur capital of Australia" in Winton as a kid that fed her obsession with the prehistoric animals.

Her grandmother had travelled from Brisbane for her 16th birthday and, years later, Ms Beeston returned to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Winton as a qualified palaeobiologist after studying in Sydney.

Scanning more than 500 bones

Ms Beeston worked as a tour guide at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs before being promoted to coordinator of the laboratory. 

When she was not working, she was furiously scanning and studying sauropod bones.

"When COVID happened and the museum shut down, they let me stay and keep doing my research," Ms Beeston said.

"We were stuck in the outback, hanging out and I'd just be scanning all these bones."

Sitting on the floor of a shed in Winton, Ms Beeston spent endless hours digitally scanning more than 500 bones. 

Culmination of 15 years' work

Australian Age of Dinosaurs founder David Elliott said it was a culmination of more than 15 years finding, digging and preparing the bones to be studied. 

"There's more to just describing a dinosaur – you've got to find it, dig it, then get it into the laboratory to prepare it," he said.

"I think all our volunteers will be celebrating because we've had hundreds and hundreds of people working on these things.

"We only actually had five described sauropod dinosaurs in our collection. That's now gone up by 12."

Dinosaurs up to 30 metres long

Sauropods from the Winton formation grew to be 20 to 30 metres long and their bones could weigh hundreds of kilograms.

"You can't just pick one up and spin it around and be able to see all of its features," Ms Beeston said.

"It's hard to be able to compare the bones with each other and have them side by side."

By scanning the bones, Ms Beeston was able to create 3D models of their outside surface that she can scale to size and compare anywhere. 

Out of the 12 new sauropod specimens she identified, she was able to allocate seven to a species.

Two of the specimens were assigned to Diamantinasaurus matildae , two to Savannasaurus elliottorim , and three to Wintontitan wattsi .

Matildae is the most complete sauropod that has been found in Australia, with about 30 per cent of its skeleton recovered. 

Diamantinasaurus Matildae.

(Supplied: Australian Age of Dinosaurs)

Savannasaurus elliottorum.

Wintonotitan wattsi .

The remaining five are classified as indeterminate Diamantinasaurians .

"It's kind of if you think of birds as a group … a finch and an emu … They're still birds but they're very different," Ms Beeston said.

Her Swinburne University of Technology supervisor Stephen Poropat monitored Ms Beeston's research from Melbourne. 

Dr Poropat said while digitising bones was becoming more commonplace in palaeontology, the rate Ms Beeston did it was remarkable.

"I think it was something like over five months. She scanned 500 bones," he said.

"She's gone through the collection and basically scanned everything she could get her hands on of all the sauropod material."

Ms Beeston has since relocated to London to complete a PhD but her research will continue, having taught her replacement how to scan the bones and upload them to an online database.

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