Doctoral research and travel scholarships

Sustainable high-performance computing through minimisation of data transfer

Faculty of Engineering - Computer Science, Engineering Science, Software Engineering and Computer Systems

Three year scholarship (including stipend and fees), starting early 2024.

Supervisors are Assoc. Prof. Oliver Sinnen (Department of Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering) and Assoc. Prof. Andrea Raith (Department of Engineering Science).

Abstract

Computer technology has truly conquered our work and life. While we strongly benefit from it, computing consumes an ever increasing fraction of our energy production. Making computing more energy-efficient is therefore of paramount importance, not least due to emerging computing needs of the sensational advances of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Technological advances have made computers more energy-efficient over the years, usually paired with smart approaches to benefit from these advances. For example, the speed of processors can be dynamically adjusted to reduce the power consumption and a lot of research has focused on algorithms using this. However, due to technological developments the movement of data has become a significant source of energy consumption in the computation of a programme. Almost all modern computers have more than one processor and data moves between the processors and the memories. Avoiding or minimising this data movement can significantly reduce the energy consumption of computers.
In this project we propose to investigate a novel scheduling model and algorithms that can allocate and order sub-tasks of a programme onto the processors in such a way that the energy cost will be reduced, while maintaining similar execution speeds, hence making computing more sustainable.

For more information contact Associate Professor Oliver Sinnen.

Wāhine Māori in Entrepreneurial Leadership

This PhD opportunity has a focus on wāhine Māori experiences in the entrepreneurial leadership space. The proposed research aims to explore and address the unique challenges and opportunities that wāhine Māori encounter in the field of entrepreneurship and as leaders in their fields. By examining experiences, strengths, and cultural perspectives, this research seeks to foster sustainable entrepreneurship and leadership development to empower Māori entrepreneurship. The PhD opportunity will be interdisciplinary, combining tikanga Māori, leadership, psychology/ wellbeing, as applied to the entrepreneurial landscape in Aotearoa. Ultimately, the PhD aims to enhance the understanding and promotion of entrepreneurial leadership among wāhine Māori. The proposed research will employ a mixed-methods approach, integrating mātauranga Māori/Kaupapa Māori perspectives along with a quantitative component. The mātauranga Māori perspective will include in-depth interviews, wananga, focus groups, to capture the lived experiences and narratives of Māori women entrepreneurs. The quantitative component will include surveys and statistical analysis to gather data on entrepreneurial leadership activities, and outcomes.

The successful applicant will be under the supervision of Professor Maree Roche (30%), Dr Kiri Dell (35%), Professor Christine Woods (35%).

Expressions of interest are welcome from students with a prior masters degree with a GPA of 7.00 or higher. Contact Professor Christine Woods.

Gender and entrepreneurial finance – exploring demand and supply relationships

One in three business owners in NZ is female (MasterCard Index 2019), yet only 18% of angel investment goes to female founders and co-founders (AANZ 2018). This is despite the global finding that women entrepreneurs generate more revenue than their male counterparts despite receiving lower financial backing (Boston Consulting Group, 2018). The most recent European statistics have reported a worsening effect in these trends from 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and in the USA venture capital funding for female founders in 2021 hit its lowest quarterly total in three years. This is clearly an equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) issue for entrepreneurial ecosystems globally, despite efforts to address the imbalance and representation.

Against this backdrop, a starting point for this thesis critically challenges the notion that entrepreneurship is a meritocratic field of agentic activity. Using gender as a critical lens, this study will explore the NZ entrepreneurial finance ecosystem which can encompass venture capital, private equity, angel finance, and crowdfunding, among other forms of finance. More importantly, the study seeks to better uncover the role of gender and how it interacts in entrepreneur (demand) – investor (supply) relationships. Therefore, acknowledging that gender is embedded in entrepreneur-financier relationships that are inherently more complex than observed differences between men and women is fundamental to the development of this PhD topic.

Expressions of interest are welcome from students with a prior masters degree with a GPA of 7.00 or higher. Contact Professor Christine Woods.

Elizabeth Ewing Memorial Scholarship in Adolescent and Young Adult Health

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts

A $5,000 Scholarship to support a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident enrolled full-time or part-time in postgraduate research focussing on adolescent and young adult health.

HC Russell Memorial Postgraduate Scholarship

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences

A Scholarship of up to  $10,000 for PhD level full-time study in Optometry by a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

Heather Leaity Memorial Award

Faculty of Science

A $1,000 Award to assist a student enrolled in the first year of a PhD in Marine Science with research expenses.

J D Sinclair Postgraduate Award in Physiology

An Award to support a PhD candidate in Physiology who previously completed an honours or masters degree in the Department of Physiology.

The Marie Clay Literacy Trust Trainer Doctoral Scholarship

Faculty of Education and Social Work

A Scholarship of up to $70,000 pa for research related to Reading Recovery as part of PhD or EdD in the Faculty of Education and Social Work.

Mercer Memorial Scholarship

Faculty of Engineering

A Scholarship to support a postgraduate student carrying out research in a field related to aeronautics.

Read about the 2021 recipient of the Scholarship at PhD student awarded two scholarships in aerospace and aeronautics engineering.

Rotary Club of Newmarket 75th Anniversary Hauraki Gulf Environment Postgraduate Award

All faculties

An Award of up to $10,000 to support masters or PhD research with the potential to improve the natural environment of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands and environs.

Faculty of Education and Social Work Doctoral Travel Award

An Award of up to $2,000 to assist doctoral students in the Faculty of Education and Social Work to attend educational conferences in Asia.

Edna and Denis Moloney Scholarship

A $5,000 Scholarship to fund travel and other costs for a full-time MD or PhD student to present an oral paper at a conference in a field related to cancer research.

Search our comprehensive scholarships database for an up-to-date list of all the scholarships and awards available to future and current University of Auckland students.

The Freemasons University Scholarships

All faculties

The Freemasons Scholarships are to assist able students who are actively involved in their community, to complete their university education in their chosen field. The scholarships are provided annually, funded and administered by The Freemasons Charity.

For 2024 there will be eight Postgraduate Scholarships of up to $10,000 each, and twenty University Scholarships of up to $6,000 each.

Applications close 1 October. For more information and to apply visit The Freemasons University Scholarships.

NZCS Awards

The New Zealand Coastal Society offers various awards for PhD study related to the betterment of New Zealand's coastal resources to NZCS members.

Student Research Scholarship

The Society offers an annual scholarship of $5,000 to support PhD research that has the potential to contribute towards the aims of the society. The Scholarship includes free attendance to the annual NZCS conference and dinner.

Māori & Pacific Island Research Scholarship

The Society offers an annual PhD research scholarship of $5,000 to anyone of Māori or Pacific Island descent  or with a research topic with a Māori and Pacific Island focus within the coastal environment.An example could be the application of traditional Maori or Pacific Island coastal management techniques to modern day coastal planning. The purpose of this scholarship is also to promote diversity amongst coastal practitioners. The Scholarship includes free attendance to the annual NZCS conference and dinner.

NZ Coastal Society 'Coasts and Ports' Student Award

The award will cover conference registration, attendance at the conference dinner and $1000 towards travel and accommodation for the Australasian Coasts and Ports Conference. The award winner will be judged on the quality of the accepted abstract and alignment with the goals of the New Zealand Coastal Society. To be eligible the abstract must be accepted for presentation at the Australasian Coasts and Ports conference. The lead author must be an undergraduate, masters or PhD student at a recognised Tertiary institution based in New Zealand and a student member of the New Zealand Coastal Society at the time of submission.

For more information or to apply visit NZCS Awards.

The Dick and Mary Earle Scholarship in Technology

Te Pōkai Tara - Universities New Zealand administers this scholarship which provides funds for individuals to undertake masters or doctoral research in innovation and product development and/or bioprocess technology.

Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, and have completed a BTech, BEng, BE degree or equivalent from a New Zealand university, with honours, in a field appropriate to their intended postgraduate study.

Up to $17,000 per annum at Masters level and $25,000 per annum at PhD level.

For more information and to apply visit The Dick and Mary Earle Scholarship in Technology.