Information for Students

Post Graduate Research at the Bionic Ear Institute

The Bionic Ear Institute is an independent medical research institute that undertakes medical bionics research focussed on neuro-prostheses and hearing science. It has an internationally recognised multidisciplinary team of research scientists from areas including biology, physiology, audiology, speech science, engineering, materials science, and mathematics.

The Institute has become a leader in the practical application of biotechnology in medicine. The Institute's technological and clinical expertise spans brain and auditory function, the protection and regeneration of damaged nerves, implantable device technology, mathematical modelling and signal processing. While maintaining its traditional research interests, the Institute is expanding into a new frontier of medical bionics by forming collaborations with new research partners to study peripheral nerve and spinal cord repair, visual prostheses (A Bionic Eye), and intelligent neural prostheses for the alleviation of neurological disorders.

The Institute is affiliated with the University of Melbourne and maintains strong links with the University's Medical and Engineering faculties, providing a multidisciplinary environment for exciting opportunities in research-based postgraduate study. All degrees are offered through the University of Melbourne.

The Institute's other research collaborators include St Vincent's Hospital, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, the University of Wollongong, CERA, NICTA, Hearing CRC, Living Cell Technologies, Cochlear Ltd and Bionic Technologies Australia.

Students comprise nearly a quarter of our researchers; the majority are PhD students, but we also welcome Honours and Masters Students. Postgraduate students contribute significantly to our scientific success and The Bionic Ear Institute actively seeks high calibre people who demonstrate initiative and independent thought.

Why study at the Bionic Ear Institute?

A multidisciplinary approach is taken to clinically relevant research projects in the medical bionics and hearing and communication sciences fields
Honours, Masters and PhD opportunities for students in Neurosciences, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology, Computer Science or related fields
Dedicated supervisors
Innovative and dynamic culture
Professional support staff
State of the art research facilities
Research partnerships with leading Australian universities, hospitals, research organisations, and industry
Opportunity to apply for Top-Up awards and Travel awards

Research Student Information Session

If you think you might be interested in becoming a student at The Bionic Ear Institute; please first take the time to browse your areas of interest on this website.

We also suggest you attend our Student Information Session on Thursday 4th September 2008.

Please note you must register for this event.

REGISTER (before the 28th August) by emailing the Research Student Coordinator
acoco@bionicear.org

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Research Projects
Click on any of the following research topics to download a PDF file with research project details:

Prospective Honours Students

A range of studies are offered primarily through the University of Melbourne's Department of Otolaryngology. For more information please click on the following link Bachelor of Science (Honours) Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) placements

UROP is a scheme designed to give undergraduate students an early opportunity to experience life in a research laboratory and gain insight into careers in biomedical research.

The UROP program is managed by Bio21 Australia Ltd.
The Bionic Ear Institute participates in this program by providing placements for students selected for the program.

Prospective PhD Students

The majority of PhD students commence their projects in the period from January to March. Students interested in a PhD program at the Bionic Ear Institute are requested to make contact with supervisors of projects that interest them. Supervisors will want to meet potential students, to talk about projects, student interests and scholarship options. This provides students with the opportunity to talk about the project in detail as well as view the lab and meet other students and laboratory staff.

Selection of students is competitive and is made using a combination of academic record, research experience and interests, and ability to obtain scholarship funding. Prospective students who are ineligible to apply for scholarships should refer to the University website for information on the full fee structure.

Students will be enrolled through The University of Melbourne.

After making an initial contact with the relevant supervisor prospective students must take the following steps:

How to apply:

Submit an Expression of Interest form -download here- and send with a recent academic transcript and CV to the Research Student Coordinator by email acoco@bionicear.org
Expression of interest forms are assessed by the postgraduate student committee in consultation with the proposed supervisor
Student is informed whether they have been accepted, on the condition that the student is accepted by the enrolling University and that the student has obtained a scholarship
Student to go through enrolment procedures per University guidelines and will be required to consult with supervisors in this process

More information on PhD enrolment procedures at the University of Melbourne

Scholarships

PhD students who are accepted by the Institute must acquire their own scholarships.

The Bionic Ear Institute does offer one scholarship "The Bart Reardon PhD Scholarship", however this scholarship is not offered every year. The next application due date is October 2009.

Please note that deadlines for scholarships can occur between August and October in the year prior to commencement. It is recommended that you source information from the relevant websites to ensure that you do not miss the deadline:

University of Melbourne Scholarship information for local students
http://cms.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/pgrad/local

University of Melbourne Scholarship information for international students
http://cms.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/pgrad/international

Top-Up Awards

The Bionic Ear Institute (BEI) is committed to attracting talented and enthusiastic students to undertake PhD studies in our various research programs. To support this objective BEI may provide eligible students - PhD students, who obtain an externally funded, competitive postgraduate research scholarship (NHMRC, APA, MRS) - the opportunity to apply for a Bionic Ear Institute "Top-Up".

Travel Award

The Bionic Ear Institute provides an opportunity to fund overseas travel for PhD students through the Harold Mitchell Travel Award.

Bionic Ear Institute Travel Policy

Bionic Ear Institute Mentor Program

Each PhD student has the opportunity to partake in the Bionic Ear Institute Mentor Program; PhD students willing to be involved are allocated a senior academic to be their mentor. The scheme gives students the opportunity to discuss their project and science career with an experienced scientist from a different research group and background. Students can meet with their mentor on a regular basis and discuss any concerns or problems they may have.

The Program is not designed to encroach on the student-supervisor relationship, but rather to augment it while encouraging links between the different scientific disciplines and research newcomers at the Bionic Ear Institute.

The Mentor Program is coordinated by Human Resources.

Contact

Please direct all enquiries to the Research Student Coordinator - Anne Coco at the Bionic Ear Institute on +61 3 9667 7526 or email acoco@bionicear.org

Current Research Students:

Michael Eager
Jacqueline Andrew
Dean Freestone
Matthieu Gilson
Daniel Taft
Stefan Mauger
Mohit Shivdasani
Andre Peterson
Tom Landry
David Perry