UWA is a science-focused university.
More than 50% of our undergraduates and over 40% of our postgraduate students study the sciences.
From Astronomy to Zoology, UWA is a multidisciplinary melting pot of expertise and research capabilities.
Spotlight on our researchers:
Associate Professor Cyril Grueter
New research suggests that the more competition a fellow has to deal with, the more flamboyant he gets. Or at least that’s the case in primates, according to an international group of researchers led by the School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology's Assoc/Prof Cyril Grueter.
PhD opportunities are available with Assoc/Prof Cyril Greuter
Dr Laura Boykin
Research by Dr Laura Boykin, Computational Biologist in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistrys, aims to develop a disease-resistant cassava plant. This is a key staple food for 800 million people in East Africa, currently under threat from viruses and whitefly.
Winthrop Professor David Blair
Winthrop Professor David Blair describes the forty-year journey which led to the historic detection of gravitational waves.
W/Prof David Blair, in the School of Physics, is Director of the Australian International Gravitational Research Centre
Science Global research showcase
- Feeding the world
- Preventing, diagnosing and treating disease
- Furthering human knowledge and enhancing society
- Harnessing resources and energy for a sustainable future
- Restoring and maintaining balance in our natural environment
PhD opportunities in Science
Browse a selection of current PhD projects across the Faculty, with project descriptions, supervisor details, scholarship information and more.
Being 'in the zone'
UWA is very much 'in the zone' meaning we're ideally situated within the Asian time zone that's home to 60% of the global population and many of the world's emerging economic powerhouses. It's a region that's playing an increasingly influential role in international business, innovation and industry, and we're at the heart of it.
A biodiversity hotspot
We are also located close to an international biodiversity hotspot in Australia's South West – an area of 300,000 square kilometres, with 13,500 kilometres of coastline. In addition to more than 1500 plant species and a host of endemic mammals, we also have World Heritage-listed Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef – one of the world's largest fringing reefs – on our doorstep.
Read more about our unique environment and some of the myriad research opportunities it presents.
Highly ranked, widely renowned
As one of Australia's Group of Eight research-intensive universities, we have an exceptionally strong research culture that's widely renowned.
We are ranked in the world's top 40:
- 24th Life and Agricultural Sciences
(Academic ranking of world universities 2016) - 30th Earth and Marine Sciences
- 34th Psychology
- 38th Agriculture and Forestry
(QS 2016)
Research partnerships
UWA is one of only two Australian universities to belong to the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) which is a partnership of 18 research-led universities from Europe, North America, South East Asia and Australia. This alliance fosters and encourages collaboration between members, bringing together the experience, equipment and expertise necessary to tackle the big issues currently facing societies, governments, corporations and education.
Our students and staff
The Faculty of Science has more than 5000 students and more than 800 staff members, including ten Highly Cited Scientists, three Federation Fellows, six Premiers Fellows, four Australian Laureate Fellows and winners of numerous national and international prestigious science awards:
- Winthrop Professor David Blair, leader of the gravitational waves research team which has contributed to one of the biggest space discoveries of the past 100 years
- Professor Ryan Lister, recipient of the 2014 Frank Fenner prize for Life Scientist of the Year
- Professor Mark Spackman, winner of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2013 Gregori Aminoff Prize in Crystallography
- Professor Philip Vercoe and the Enrich Project team who won the 2013 Eureka Prize 'Caring for our Country Landcare Eureka Prize for Sustainable Agriculture'
- WA Scientist of the Year 2012 Professor Peter Quinn, the world-renowned astrophysicist who played a key role in the success of the nation's bid to host the world's biggest radio astronomy project, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
Find out what our postgraduates are researching.