UNSW is calling on the world’s best and brightest researchers and PhD scholars to join the University as it continues to invest more than $500 million in recruiting 1,000 of the world’s most talented early and mid-career researchers.

Launching its second global recruitment drive, UNSW is aiming to appoint up to 40 Scientia Fellows and 125 Scientia PhDs in the 2018 intake, with the long-term aim of appointing 290 world-leading researchers and rising stars, as well as 700 new PhD candidates through fully funded scholarships by 2025.

UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Nicholas Fisk said the Scientia Fellowship and PhD Scholarship initiatives are looking for people who have the energy and aspiration to match the University’s ambitious 2025 Strategy plans to become a leading global university.

“Investing more than $500 million over the next eight years, the Scientia initiatives provide unprecedented support to researchers and PhD scholars through mentorships, individualised support, flexible work arrangements and guaranteed funding.

“Last year the programs’ global recruitment drive saw 19 Fellowships and 49 PhD Scholars appointed with over 700 applications received from around the world.

“Today I am pleased to announce the commencement of the first cohort of highly-selected Scientia Fellows, with 6 external and 13 internal candidates appointed,” Professor Fisk said.

“Talented people are central to achieving our vision and this initiative embodies our desire to find and secure the people who have the ambition and drive to match our own, to become the research leaders of tomorrow and compete at a global level.”

Underpinning UNSW’s recruitment activities is a commitment to gender, equity and diversity. The new Fellows have been selected in accordance with this commitment with 11 females appointed, four of whom work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Maths (STEMM) disciplines. UNSW has also placed specific emphasis on recruiting indigenous researchers and PhD Scholars.

Xiaojing (Jeana) Hao, a new Fellowship appointment in the Faculty of Engineering said she saw UNSW Scientia Program as a fantastic opportunity to progress her career with strong support from the University.

“My research is about using cheap and environmentally-friendly materials and manufacturing processes to capture sunlight for electricity generation, creating a more sustainable energy future for everyone.

“The Scientia Research Recruitment program highlighted to me how serious UNSW was about supporting researchers now and into the future. It is the sort of support you just don’t see in other universities and it is absolutely vital in allowing researchers to follow their dreams of making a difference in the world,” Dr Hao said.

For more information about how you can apply to the Scientia Research Program visit: http://2025.unsw.edu.au/apply/