Global St Andrews and Macquarie Doctoral Scholarship – Biology and Natural Sciences (Griffith-Healy)

Project

The key question in this project is whether birds can respond to changes in their environment.  Ambient temperature is increasing, often accompanied by extreme weather events.  A nest is a bird’s route to bringing its offspring safely into the world and the bird parent works hard to maintain its nest’s temperature to the narrow thermal window (34-38℃) for optimal development. Birds are particularly challenged by a warming and more extreme climate, because, unlike mammals and reptiles, they do not seek refuge under the ground (in burrows), leaving them more exposed to extreme air temperatures. Griffith has shown that zebra finch breeding is susceptible to high ambient temperatures (Griffith et al. 2016; McCowan & Griffith 2021), and that changing nest architecture may be an adaptive response (Campbell et al. 2018).

Zebra finches are an ideal model system for examining a wide variety of questions about nest building, because they build so readily in the laboratory.  The logistical benefits of using this species have enabled significant advances in our understanding of the role of cognition in building.  They learn which materials are appropriate, from their mistakes, and they copy others.  Most recently Healy’s group has shown that birds develop architectural traditions (Tello Ramos et al. 2024).

The student will ask to what extent the zebra finch is or is not able to respond to increasing environmental temperatures and environmental extremes.  They will collect data at Griffith’s unique field site (where he has studied a wild population of zebra finches for 21 years), in free-flight breeding aviaries (Macquarie campus), then perform experimental manipulations Healy’s St Andrews laboratory (where Healy has conducted research on the zebra finch for >10 years). 

This plan of work is significant in its scope: no one has attempted to examine nest-building choices from the same species in the wild and in the laboratory, choices that are crucial for birds to respond to environmental, especially sudden, extreme anthropogenic-induced changes. Zebra finches will provide a model system to do this.

The project will be managed jointly between the School of Biology at St Andrews and the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie. The student will be supervised by Prof. Susan Healy (St Andrews) and by Prof. Simon Griffith (Macquarie).

Informal enquiries regarding this scholarship may be addressed to Sue Healy at sdh11@st-andrews.ac.uk or Simon Griffith on Simon.Griffith@mq.edu.au.

Value of award (per year)

The funding comprises a scholarship equivalent of a full-fees award and stipend for a period of up to 3.5 years. It is expected that the student will spend half of the scholarship term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University:

• For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarship will comprise a full fees award and a stipend paid at the current UK Research Council rate (£19,237 each year in 2024 to 2025)

• For the period spent at Macquarie University, the scholarship will comprise a stipend at an annual rate of AUD $38,500 (tax exempt, 2025 rate), paid pro-rata. A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months. Macquarie University will also provide an airfare allowance for flights between Scotland and Australia up to a maximum value of $4,000 AUD to be arranged in accordance with the University’s travel policy.

Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:

• Any continuation, extension, or resubmission period or fees.
• A research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses.
• Support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.

Duration of award

Up to 3.5 years. The student will be expected to spend approximately half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Additional criteria

Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met.

Applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree or be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.

How to apply

Submit an application or expression of interest to Sue Healy or Simon Griffith and include the following documents:

• CV including information about publications
• Transcripts of most relevant or most recent degrees
• Information about thesis components, including mark, word count, weight or length in comparison to the degree overall
• 500-word statement of suitability as a candidate for the project

Applications for a scholarship will be assessed jointly by the co-supervisors. Following a successful application for the scholarship, candidates may be invited by the co-supervisors to submit an application to each university for admission into the program and award of the scholarship.

Please indicate in your application that you wish to be considered for this Global doctoral scholarship (Griffith-Healy). Applications should be submitted to the co-supervisors via email to Sue Healy at sdh11@st-andrews.ac.uk or Simon Griffith on Simon.Griffith@mq.edu.au.

Please email us on pgscholarships@st-andrews.ac.uk or gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the scholarship.

Next steps

Successful scholarship applicants will be invited to apply for admission to both universities 31 March 2025, after which formal outcomes of the position will be made, subject to provision of full application details and materials for entry to the programme on 27 September 2025 (for St Andrews starts) or 1 October 2025 (for Macquarie starts).

Successful scholarship applicants must meet all relevant entry requirements for admission including any immigration requirements that may be in place. Please see the advice on applying for research degree programmes at St Andrews and the PhD application guidelines at Macquarie.

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions.

These are applicable during the St Andrews duration of the award. Please consult the partner institution for their terms and conditions relating to scholarships.

When will I know the outcome?

During the week commencing 31 March 2025. Awards are subject to final signatures of contracts between the parties and successful admission to both institutions.