The future of astronomy starts here
The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) is a global research centre located at Curtin University and The University of Western Australia.
With expertise in a range of areas, we offer PhD opportunities across science, engineering, data-intensive astronomy (DIA) and astrophotonics.
Our discovery science aims to expand our understanding of the Universe; our engineering team develops next-gen radio telescopes; our DIA team creates software and data systems for SKAO-scale data; and our astrophotonics team focuses on ultra-stable laser signals.
With our collective capability and access to significant astronomy infrastructure, at ICRAR we are equipped to answer the big Australian astronomy questions of the next decade.
Why study at ICRAR?
Studying at ICRAR offers many benefits, including opportunities for research and career growth.
Get involved in a global mega-science project
- With WA hosting the SKA-Low telescope, at ICRAR you have the opportunity to work on a range of SKA-related projects and be part of Australia’s largest astronomy project.
Unrivalled access to major astronomy facilities and data science capability
- ICRAR collaborates with key infrastructure groups such as SKAO’s Science Processing and Operations Centres, the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, and AusSRC. Along with operating our very own radio telescope, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), led by Curtin University, this will give you unmatched access to world-class astronomy facilities.
Support academic & industry career pathways
- We translate research into real-world impact and collaborate with industry, helping you develop skills beyond academia. This prepares you for careers in academia or outside it.
Mentor-led research environment
- With ICRAR having one of the largest astronomy professional cohorts in Australia, you get access to world recognised experts who are shaping the future of radio astronomy and the SKAO Project.
International leaders in astronomy research
- ICRAR is at the forefront of research in galaxy evolution, extragalactic surveys and the early Universe, along with being one of the few organisations that offer an extensive range of projects covering SKA-science, preparing you for the best astronomy career possible.
PhD Research Projects
- Explore the list of projects below and discover one that interests you.
- Contact your prospective supervisor to enquire about your chosen project.
- Read the instructions for applying at Curtin University or The University of Western Australia and submit your application!
Projects by Research Area
Astrophotonics – UWA
Quantum Technologies for Astronomy
Supervisor contact: Dr David Gozzard
Radio Astronomy Instrumentation
Supervisor contact: Dr Mike Kriele
Free-Space Laser Communications
Supervisor contact: Dr Lyra Walsh
Free-Space Laser Timing and Positioning
Supervisor contact: Dr Benjamin Dix-Matthews
Cosmological Theory – UWA
Galaxy Formation in State of the Art Cosmological Simulations
Supervisor contact: Dr Aaron Ludlow
Understanding the Origins of Galaxy Properties Using Machine Learning
Supervisor contact: Dr Aaron Ludlow
Tracing Angular Momentum Transformation in Galaxies From Protohaloes to the Present-Day
Supervisor contact: Dr Aaron Ludlow
Supervisor contact: Prof Danail Obreschkow
Data Intensive Astronomy – UWA
Prediction of Observing Conditions at Radio Frequencies
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Space Filling Curve Based Optimization for Multi-D Data Distribution
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Machine Learning Methods for Imaging with Interferometres
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Explainable AI in medical Research
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Exploring Low-Bit-Depth Representations for Spiking Neural Networks
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Spiking Neural Networks for Scalable Source Detection in Large-Scale Radio Surveys
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Spiking Neural Networks for High-Speed Pulsar Detection in Radio Astronomy
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Spiking Neural Networks for Fast and Efficient Transient Event Detection in Astronomy
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Keeping Pace with the Torrent in Data Intensive Astronomy
Supervisor contact: Prof Andreas Wicenec
Measuring Motions in the Local Universe, with Next Generation Methods and SKA-VLBI
Supervisor contact: Dr Maria Rioja Capella
Engineering – Curtin
Listening for Fireballs Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing
Supervisor contact: Dr Ellie Sansom
Multi-Sensor Data Fusion for In-Orbit Satellite Detection and Characterisation
Supervisor contact: Dr Ellie Sansom
Artificial Intelligence for Automated Phased Array Antenna Layout Synthesis
Supervisor contact: Dr Maria Koveleva
Quantifying Mutual Coupling for Next-Generation Low-Frequency Radio Telescopes
Supervisor contact: Dr Maria Koveleva
The Evolving Universe – UWA
A Multiphase View of Galaxy Transformation in the Virgo Cluster
Supervisor contact: Prof Luca Cortese
Illuminating Dark Matter and Black Holes
Supervisor contact: Prof Aaron Robotham
The Co-Evolution of Galaxies and their Environment
Supervisor contact: A/Pro Luke Davies
The Evolution of Mass, Energy and Structure
Supervisor contact: Prof Simon Driver
Fast Radio Bursts – Curtin
Using Fast Radio Bursts to Probe the Invisible Universe
Supervisor contact: A/Pro Clancy James
Exploring the Relationship Between Fast Radio Bursts and Dense Stellar Environments
Supervisor contact: Dr Kristen Dage
Exploiting the Fast Radio Burst Redshift-Dispersion-Measure Relation
Supervisor contact: A/Pro Clancy James
High Redshift – Curtin
Constraining the Neutral Hydrogen in Distant Galaxies via the 21-cm Absorption
Supervisor contact: Dr Nick Seymour
How Do Black Holes Regulate Galaxy Growth?
Supervisor contact: Dr Nick Seymour
Mapping the Sky for Early Universe Science
Supervisor contact: Prof Cathryn Trott
Physics of the Diffuse Universe – UWA
Outflows and the Early Stages of High-mass Star Formation
Supervisor contact: Prof Simon Ellingsen
The HI Mass Function of Galaxies and its Variation with Environment
Supervisor contact: Dr Tobias Westmeier
Supervisor contact: Prof Lister Staveley-Smith
Supervisor contact: Prof Lister Staveley-Smith
The Life Cycle of Galaxies: Gas Accretion, Star Formation, and Feedback
Supervisor contact: Prof Barbara Catinella
Radio Astronomy Applications – Curtin
Supervisor contact: Prof Cathryn Trott
Cosmic Clocks and their Application to Position, Navigation and Timing
Supervisor contact: Prof James Miller-Jones
Interstellar Tomography Using Low-Frequency Pulsar Observations
Supervisor contact: Dr Ramesh Bhat
White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars – Curtin
Exploring a New Population of Gamma-ray and Bursty Pulsars
Supervisor contact: A/Pro Natasha Hurley-Walker
Searching for Binary and Millisecond Pulsars
Supervisor contact: Dr Ramesh Bhat