Civil Engineering News

Monash Departmental Scholarship

Duration 3 years

Stipend: $25,000 per year

Project Details:
The scholarship is funded by eWater-CRC to work on the Catchment & Climate project. Groundwater availability and quality have a strong impact on society and environment. Groundwater management is thus of paramount importance, especially in a changing and variable climate. Because many of the effects of climate change and variability are related to soil water availability and quality, accurate methods and techniques to predict the impact of climate on hydrological and biogeochemical cycles become critical for water resources management. Particular effort needs to be directed to the study of the soil water balance, which defines how rainfall is partitioned in evapotranspiration, runoff, and groundwater. This requires the study of the soil–plant–atmosphere system, which hosts an intricate interconnection of processes that, at the same time, control and are controlled by the other components of the system. Although a lot of research has been dedicated to the relationship between soil moisture and vegetation in different climates and ecosystems, there has been relatively little research on the potential impacts of climate change on shallow groundwater resources. The complex dynamics relating climate, soil and groundwater are still poorly understood, even though their quantitative description represents an imperative for water management in the face of climate change.

This project intends to address this knowledge gap, by using hydrologic data in Victoria’s catchments (Goulburn and Ovens) to develop sound methodologies and to compare techniques for quantifying the relationships between climate, vegetation, and shallow groundwater resources.

The scholarship includes a tax free stipend of $25,000 per year plus $6,000 per year budget for operating and up to $3,000 travel grant.

Please send CV and the names of two referees with letter of application by the closing date of 30th September 2008, to: