Microplastic Honours Scholarship at Flinders University 2023

Background:

Plastic has long been a substantial pollutant in our oceans. In 2014, 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic were estimated to be afloat across the world’s oceans (Eriksen et al., 2014). One major subclass of ocean plastics is microplastics (Andrady, 2011). Ranging from 1 μm to 5 mm in size, microplastics can be derived from the break-up of larger plastic debris, resulting from physical and chemical stress to the plastic (Gillibert et al., 2019). They can also be produced for commercial uses, such as in cosmetic products, clothes, and paints (Fendall and Sewell, 2009, De Falco et al., 2019, Hale et al., 2020). Microplastics are produced using various toxic chemicals and can absorb harmful toxins within marine environments (Lusher et al., 2017). As a result, they can be harmful to marine ecosystems when introduced to food webs (Setälä et al., 2014).

Eligibility for the Microplastic Honours Scholarship:

• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in Biology, Environmental Sciences, or Chemistry (or be about to complete their degree).
• Candidates must enroll in an Honours Degree (on this microplastic project) starting in 2023 at Flinders University.

Value of the scholarship:

The value of the scholarship is $2,000 and it will be paid in two equal installments.

Application: 

Applicants must submit their applications by emailing the project leader, Sophie Leterme, with the following attachment:

• Flinders students can submit an expression of interest and academic transcript.
• Non-Flinders students should submit a letter of motivation.
• A certified copy of your academic transcript.
• completed application form.