ONGOING POSTGRADUATE PROJECTS

Colin McHenry (PhD)
PhD in cranial mechanics of the extinct marine reptile, Kronosaurus queenslandicus, a giant pliosaur.

Toni Ferrara
Shark Biomechanics
I’m a PhD student with the following research interests: Biology of elasmobranchs including morphology, ecology, sensory biology, phylogenetics and conservation; vertebrate morphology and biomechanics. My PhD project examines the biomechanics of feeding mechanisms in sharks using finite element analysis.

Peter Aquilina
Applications of Finite Element Analysis to facial surgery
FRACDS(OMS) Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Using FEA to improve protocols for the placement of plates and screws in the treatmernt of fractures.

Marie Attard
Reconstruction thylacine feeding ecology
I am a PhD student using predictive traits relating to diet to determine whether these factors may have contributed to the extinction of one of Australia's most iconic species, the Tasmanian tiger. This will be achieved using a combination of new innovated techniques. Firstly, I will be analysing the isotope ratios in the Tasmanian tiger’s tissue, which reflect prey that has been assimilated. Using this method, I will be able to assess individual diet variation and long-term changes in the thylacine’s diet. I will also be using high-resolution 3D computer simulations to compare the biomechanic performance of the Tasmanian tiger during masculation with sympatric carnivorous marsupials. This guild of carnivores is of particular interest because it allows us to compare predators with different body sizes, skull shapes and distinct degrees of diet specialisation."

Federico Degrange
Terror bird feeding mechanics
(PhD) Biomechanics of terror bird (phorusrhacid) crania (Universidad de la Plata, Argentina)

Naomi Tsafnat
Material properties of bone
I study the properties of bone and other porous materials using microCT and finite element modelling. My Ph.D. (UNSW) is in biomedical engineering in the field of bio-heat transfer and thermal modelling of liver cancer treatment using magnetic microspheres. At the CompBioMech lab I apply micromechanical finite element modelling to study the properties of bone. High resolution 3D scans, combined with mechanical testing, are used to create experimentally validated models of bone.

Natalie Rogers
Palaeoneurological analysis of the human and Neandertal lineages using virtual methods
Hons student: My primary aim is to document the changes that occurred in brain morphology throughout the evolution of our genus, up to and including the emergence of our species. The nature in which these changes evolved (incrementally or as a “package”) will be analysed as well as their temporal relation with archaeological assemblages.

Uphar Chamoli
Felid cranial mechanics
I'm an MPhil student with a background in mechanical engineering. My project centres on comparisons of cranial mechanics in cats and a comparison of mechanical behaviour in placental and marsupial sabertooths (collaboration with Witmer Lab, Ohio State University).

 

POSTGRADUATE PROJECTS

All successful applicants will be funded for at least one international and one local conference per annum.

Project 1: Validation of simulation-based research. The PhD student will construct high-resolution computer models of dog and primate skulls and compare digital behaviour with that determined using mechanical testing systems. Outcomes will be used to further refine model realism.

Project 2: Crash helmet design. The design of crash helmets for motor vehicle or bicycle use has been dictated by performance outcomes under narrowly defined protocols. The student will develop new designs incorporating different material properties and examine their effectiveness under a wide range of conditions using finite-element based methods.

Project 3: Comparison of marsupial and placental predators. We have pioneered the application of finite element based methods to the understanding of behaviour in marsupials. This PhD will further develop a more comprehensive model database; including living and fossil marsupials and placentals. Results will lead to better understanding of convergence, a fundamental concept in evolutionary theory.

REQUIREMENTS: BSc(Hons 1), Masters, or equivalent, in zoology, medicine, mathematics, physics, engineering, or computing. Demonstrated research and communication skills. Citizen or permanent resident of Australia (some scholarships are also available to non-Australians).

APPLICATION. Applicants must apply for Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) or University Postgraduate Awards (UPA) or University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA) at the University of New South Wales. Application information: http://www.grs.unsw.edu.au/scholarships/local.html

BEFORE preparing an application, applicants should send CV, academic record, and details of two academic referees by email to Dr. Stephen Wroe (s.wroeunsw.edu.au). For further information phone: (+61-02) 9385 3866 or (+61) 0425 330 273.