Open
Criteria
-
Education Level
2nd Year
3rd+ Year
Honours
Minimum Value
$3,800
available for Vacation
available for Vacation
Residency
No residency requirements
Opens
17/08/2026
Closes
15/09/2026
For commencement Summer Semester 2027
Outline
The purpose of the UNSW Science Summer Vacation Research Scholarship is to expose highly talented undergraduate students, enrolled in Science or a related discipline, to scientific research and other science-based experience, and to further their education and inspire them to consider research or related activities. The scholarship program will run for a six-week period over the Summer Semester (November to February).Application Process
Students must complete the following by Tuesday 15 September 2026 at 11:59 PM to be considered:
- Part 1: Submit a UNSW Science Vacation Research Scholarship application (attaching their CV and academic transcripts as one PDF file); AND
- Part 2: Complete the UNSW Science Vacation Research Submission Form.
Incomplete applications or applications without supporting documents will not be assessed. Late applications/supporting documentation will not be accepted.
NOTE: Applicants who are not UNSW students will need to create a nine digit login ID of their own choice, as you will not have a UNSW zID to apply with. This is done in the registration page once you have selected "Future UNSW Student" and enter your nine digit number in the Login ID field.
2026-7 Research Projects
| School | Project Title | Supervisor(s) | Project Description | Experience required (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BABS | Developing an AI Agent to Investigate Genomic Variants from Long- and Short-Read Sequencing | AProf Martin Smith and Dr Qing Wang | Genomic technologies are transforming medicine by uncovering the causes of previously undiagnosed diseases and identifying opportunities for more precise treatment. Using long- and short-read data from the NA12878 reference genome, this project will develop and test an AI agent that investigates genomic variants, reconciles conflicting results, and produces traceable evidence-based explanations. | Basic Linux/Unix command-line experience and some programming experience, preferably Python. Prior genomics, bioinformatics or agentic AI experience not required. |
| BABS | Deep-learning dissection of cardiac enhancers | AProf Emily Wong | Use AlphaGenome sequence-to-function models to compare stable and dynamic enhancers and identify principles distinguishing robust enhancer activity from signal-responsive activity. | Programming experience and strong understanding of genetics. |
| BABS | Building an enhancer-perturbation workflow (wet lab) | AProf Emily Wong, Dr Fujian Wu and Dr Alvaro Gonzalez | Establish a controlled wet-lab pipeline to stimulate cardiac fibroblasts and measure enhancer-linked responses using qPCR, reporter assays and chromatin preparations. | Molecular biology and genetics. Suitable for students able to follow protocols and maintain detailed experimental records. |
| BABS | Human genetic variation in cardiac enhancer grammar | AProf Emily Wong | Identify human genetic variants predicted to alter regulatory grammar and prioritise variants likely to affect enhancer activity and cardiovascular disease-relevant cell types. | Programming and bioinformatics experience; genetics background. |
| BEES | Training artificial intelligence to listen to frogs: unlocking the world's largest frog call dataset | Dr Jodi Rowley | Train AI models to identify Australian frog species from calls using the FrogID dataset and contribute to biodiversity monitoring research. | None. |
| BEES | Legacies of development on Aboriginal lands of the Gayini wetlands - distribution of lignum | Prof Richard Kingsford | Map the historical distribution of lignum on the Gayini wetlands using remote sensing, aerial photography and collaboration with Indigenous landowners. | Experience in GIS and spatial analysis. |
| BEES | Fight club in a hot tub: Quantifying the influence of temperature on weapon performance using miniature biologgers | Dr Matthew Taylor | Investigate how temperature affects crab weapon performance and contest behaviour using accelerometer biologgers and behavioural observations. | Experience handling live marine animals, particularly crabs, desirable but not essential. |
| CCRC | Quantifying subgrid clouds in high-resolution simulations | Dr Abhnil Prasaad and Prof Steven Sherwood | The characteristics of numerically simulated clouds and convection depend on the resolution of weather and climate models. Subgrid clouds are parameterized in coarse-resolution models but are often resolved at higher resolutions. Such clouds are essential in understanding shallow convection and can significantly affect the radiation budget if unaccounted for in our current models. This project aims to quantify the characteristics of subgrid clouds by comparing several associated cloud and radiation fields simulated at different resolutions from a numerical weather prediction model to ground-based and available satellite observations. The main objective of the project is to understand how well sub-cloud variability is captured to varying resolutions in model simulations. | The project requires Python programming skills in analysing data. |
| CCRC | Evaluating large-scale climate modes from seasonal forecast model | Dr Mandy Freund (University of Melbourne) and Dr Sanaa Hobeichi (UNSW Sydney) | Large-scale climate modes such as El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation, Southern Annular Mode, and Indian Ocean Dipole significantly influence weather and climate variability across Australia. These modes are typically quantified using Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data from specific regions of the ocean. This project aims to compute these climate indices using simulations from Australia's seasonal forecasting system, ACCESS-S2. ACCESS-S2 is a fully coupled dynamical model that provides seasonal climate forecasts. Specifically, the project will derive large-scale climate mode indices from historical SST outputs of ACCESS-S2 and compare these results with satellite-derived SSTs. | The successful applicant should have strong programming skills in Python. |
| CCRC and 21CW | Evaluating the benefits of bias correction for regional climate downscaling | Prof Jason Evans, Dr Ulrike Bende-Michl, Dr Christian Stassen, Dr Leena Khadke | Global climate models (GCMs) are essential for projecting long-term climate trends, but their coarse spatial resolution limits their ability to capture regional climate variability and extremes. To address this, high-resolution regional downscaling has been carried out over Australia. The first phase investigated the added value of four regional downscaled simulations compared to global CMIP6 models. In the second phase, the student will focus on whether bias correction influences the outcomes of the added value datasets and examine impacts on extremes, spatial patterns, and trend signals. | Basic proficiency in Python or another scientific programming language is required. Familiarity with climate data formats (e.g. NetCDF) or experience working with large datasets is beneficial but not essential. |
| CCRC and 21CW | Building a tool to visualise data size vs performance | Dr Sam Green and Dr Sanaa Hobeichi | Build a tool that benchmarks and visualizes how common scientific array operations scale with dataset size and chunking (NumPy vs xarray eager vs xarray+Dask), producing interactive scaling curves and chunking maps that teach users how performance changes. | A student who is comfortable writing Python, curious about performance, willing to run controlled experiments, and interested in understanding how scientific code behaves as data sizes grow. |
| CCRC and 21CW | Machine Learning-Based Equation Discovery in Land-Atmosphere Modelling | Dr Sanaa Hobeichi, Dr Ulrike Bende-Michl (BoM), and Prof Gab Abramowitz | Machine learning-based equation discovery has gained traction in many fields but remains largely underexplored in land surface modelling. This project will explore equation discovery, particularly the Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (SINDy) approach, to select a parsimonious combination of physically inspired candidate terms derived from meteorological forcings measured at FLUXNET sites and infer an interpretable functional equation for land-atmosphere fluxes. The project will explore both the capabilities and limitations of this approach. | The selected student needs experience with Python, High-Performance Computing, and GitHub. |
| CCRC and 21CW | Evaluating Australian Climate Responses to the 2026-27 El Nino | Dr Linyuan Sun and Prof Andrea Taschetto | A potentially strong El Nino is currently developing in the tropical Pacific, providing a timely opportunity to evaluate ENSO-based climate predictions using real-world observations. This project will compare ONI- and RONI-based reconstructions of South Pacific teleconnections and Australian climate responses using updated data. The developing 2026-27 El Nino will serve as a timely out-of-sample test of whether RONI provides a more physically robust predictor of regional climate anomalies in a warming climate. | Essential programming skills (e.g. Python), and basic knowledge in climate sciences is welcomed. |
| Chemistry | Synthesis of light-harvesting molecules | Dr Martin Peeks | By building molecules from carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, we can prepare dyes with all of the colours of the rainbow. We design and synthesise dye molecules for light harvesting to improve the efficiency of solar panels. We also build novel dye molecules to understand how to tune interactions of molecules with light, and how to control electron flow and delocalization. In this project you will perform synthetic organic chemistry to prepare novel dye molecules and measure their properties. | Applicants should have completed CHEM2021 or CHEM2031. |
| Chemistry | Engineering Responsive Synthetic Cells from DNA | Dr Felix Rizzuto | By reimagining DNA as a programmable polymer rather than solely the genetic code of life, we can create membrane-less organelles composed entirely of DNA. Harnessing chemistry, we can make these structures responsive to environmental cues, bringing us closer to the realisation of a fully synthetic cell. This project will aim to understand how DNA structure governs the responsiveness of our synthetic cells for next-generation drug delivery, chemical synthesis, and disease diagnostics. | No prior knowledge required. A chemistry or biotechnology background is desirable. |
| Chemistry | DNA nanostructures for next-generation therapeutic delivery | Dr Felix Rizzuto | Current mRNA vaccines are incredibly inefficient. This project will develop machinery built from DNA that can release therapeutic payloads more efficiently and on demand. Students will learn techniques including TEM, biomolecular characterisation methods and fluorescence microscopy. | No prior knowledge required. A chemistry or biotechnology background is desirable. |
| Chemistry | Designing Flexible Metal-Organic Frameworks for C2/C3 Gas Separations | Dr Lauren Macreadie | Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials that can selectively capture and separate gases for more sustainable chemical manufacturing. This project will investigate a new family of flexible MOFs developed at UNSW for challenging C2/C3 hydrocarbon separations. You will synthesise new materials and investigate how their structures respond to different gas molecules using powder X-ray diffraction, gas adsorption measurements and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. | A 2nd or 3rd year chemistry level background is desirable. |
| Chemistry | Flexible Metal-Organic Frameworks for Atmospheric Water Harvesting | Dr Lauren Macreadie | Can we make drinking water from air? This project will explore how framework flexibility influences water adsorption in a new family of responsive MOFs developed at UNSW. You will synthesise and characterise new materials using powder X-ray diffraction, gas and vapour adsorption measurements and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. | A 2nd or 3rd year chemistry level background is desirable. |
| Chemistry | Plastic upcycling under mechanochemical conditions | AProf Vinh Nguyen | This summer research project will investigate the use of mechanochemistry to convert plastic waste into useful small molecules. The student will work with a laboratory-scale ball mill to explore how variables such as milling time, speed, temperature, additives and catalyst loading influence the breakdown of selected plastics. Products will be analysed using NMR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and chromatography. | 2nd year organic chemistry (CHEM2021). |
| Chemistry | Building Protocells: Crossing the Chemistry/Biology Chasm | Dr Anna Wang | This project will explore protocells: minimal cell-like systems that help us understand the origins of life. The student will investigate how membrane-bound protocells can be designed to grow, change shape and divide using simple physical and chemical processes. The project may involve preparing model membrane systems, fluorescence microscopy and analysing protocell behaviour. | No prior knowledge required. |
| Chemistry | Atmospheric Chemistry | Prof Scott Kable | Atmospheric models are only as good as the chemistry they contain. In this project, you will investigate a new chemistry mechanism for decomposition of an important atmospheric pollutant. You will use lasers to initiate the reaction and spectroscopy to identify products. Computational chemistry will be used to confirm the mechanism. | Completion of CHEM2011. |
| Chemistry | Towards unprecedentedly large quantum chemistry calculations with accuracy that can rival experiment | AProf Junming Ho | This project builds on recently developed methods that make it possible to calculate the properties of unprecedentedly large and realistic molecular systems with accuracy that can rival experiment. This fundamental research helps realise the full potential of quantum chemistry as a surrogate for experimental studies. | Second year physical chemistry is ideal. |
| Chemistry | Efficient computational models to screen anion transporters | AProf Junming Ho | Synthetic anion transporters can bind anions and transport them across hydrophobic cell membranes, making them attractive drug candidates. This project will utilise a recently developed computational tool that accelerates simulations by approximately 300-fold and may pave the way for high-throughput screening in drug discovery. | Strong foundation in first year general chemistry. |
| Materials Science and Engineering | Novel Materials for Energy and Chemical Conversion Processes | AProf Pramod Koshy | To reduce reliance on fossil fuels, there is increasing research into renewable technologies. This project will investigate the fabrication, design, characterisation and performance testing of materials for different energy conversion processes, with a view towards understanding mechanistic processes and enabling the development of materials with desired optimal characteristics. | Undergraduate in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Science or Engineering degrees; good WAM. |
| Materials Science and Engineering | Utilisation of Industrial Resources for Value-Added Applications | AProf Pramod Koshy | This project aims to investigate waste products from industrial sources, conduct characterisation and determine possibilities for fabrication of value-added materials. Raw materials and final products will be characterised using different analysis methods and tested to determine applicability and performance. | Undergraduate in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Science or Engineering degrees; good WAM. |
| Physics | Superconducting qubits and quantum sensors | Dr Maja Cassidy | You will learn device design and cryogenic characterization of superconducting quantum devices. | Ideally has taken PHYS3118 solid state; some Python experience. |
| Physics | Detecting Planets around Binary Stars | Dr Ben Montet | Help confirm planet candidates orbiting binary stars using data from the NASA TESS mission, Gaia and ground-based spectroscopy. Students will gain experience with astronomical data analysis and Python programming. | Some familiarity with Python, Julia, or a similar high-level programming language. |
| Physics | Effects of new physics in atoms | Prof Victor Flambaum | Unification theories predict effects of violation of fundamental symmetries which may be observed in atomic experiments. In this project these effects should be identified and calculated. | Excellent knowledge of quantum mechanics together with the ability, motivation and intellectual independence to learn advanced physics and carry out demanding analytical calculations. |
| Physics | Deciphering Milky Way-like galaxies with the GECKOS Survey | Dr Jesse van de Sande | Work with the GECKOS team to compare the Milky Way with nearby galaxies using VLT/MUSE data cubes and the nGIST code to investigate galaxy evolution and merger signatures. | Some familiarity with Python or a similar high-level programming language. |
| Physics | Atomic structure for fun and profit | AProf Julian Berengut | Learn and apply quantum many-body techniques to calculate atomic electronic structure with applications in astronomy, searches for new physics, superheavy atoms and EUV nanolithography. | Strong interest in theoretical and computational physics. |
| Physics | Hole spins for quantum information | Prof Alex Hamilton and Dr Scott Liles | Hands-on laboratory research to study how to read and manipulate hole spin qubits for quantum information processing. | Taken a course in quantum physics (PHYS2111 or equivalent). |
| Physics | Measuring the quantum capacitance | Dr Daisy Wang and Prof Alex Hamilton | Design and test new experimental setups for measuring quantum capacitance at ultra-low temperatures in advanced semiconductor devices. | Not specified. |
| Physics | Building new custom electronics for quantum control systems | Dr Jonathan Huang, Dr Isaac Vorreiter and Prof Alex Hamilton | Assemble and test open-source quantum control hardware systems used to operate quantum devices. | Not specified. |
| Physics | Simulating the properties of moving hole spin qubits | Dr Scott Liles | Study spin qubit dynamics using the Python QuTiP platform, focusing on simulations of hole spins moving between quantum dots. | Some familiarity with Python or another coding language. Taken a course in quantum physics (PHYS2111 or equivalent). |
| Mathematics & Statistics | Semi-Supervised Learning with Gaussian Mixture Models | Dr Ziyang Lyu | Study semi-supervised learning using Gaussian mixture models, EM algorithms, statistical inference and modern semi-supervised methods, with opportunities to develop new methodologies or apply existing techniques to real-world datasets. | Not specified. |
| Mathematics & Statistics | Developing Animations for University Mathematics Education | Dr Nathan Jackson | Use the open-source Python library Manim to develop animations demonstrating concepts taught in first- and second-year mathematics courses. | Some Python and at least 12 UOC of mathematics courses. |
| Psychology | The impact of food insecurity on eating behaviours | Dr Zhi Yi Ong | This project will examine how unpredictable food access alters feeding patterns during periods of food insecurity and whether these changes persist when food is readily available. Students will gain experience developing rodent models and assessing feeding patterns using an automated monitoring system. | Experience with rat handling is desirable though not necessary. |
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:- Be currently enrolled in second year or above of an undergraduate program in the Faculty of Science or a science-related discipline at UNSW or another Australian or New Zealand University.
- Be able to be engaged in a project on a full-time basis (35 hours/week for six weeks during normal working hours unless advised otherwise by the supervisor);
- Projects must be focused on research-based activities (administration tasks are not regarded as research) and should be completed by the end of February;
- Each successful candidate can hold only ONE such scholarship at a time;
- Students who were previously awarded a UNSW Science Vacation Research Scholarship are not eligible to apply.
Selection
Each applicant will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate:- Academic Merit; the minimum WAM required would typically be expected to be 75. External students are to provide an official academic transcript. UNSW students may provide a copy of their academic statement from myUNSW.
- Aptitude for research and commitment to studies in an area of research within UNSW Science determined by the UNSW Science Vacation Research Submission Form and CV.
You must provide evidence supporting the above criteria in your online application.
Please refer to the Scholarship Application Supporting Documents for a detailed list of examples.
Unanswered application questions or claims without supporting documentation will not be assessed. Late applications/supporting documentation will not be accepted. Activities/Achievements recorded more than 3 years ago will not be considered in your application assessment
Applications close 11:59PM AEST, 15 September 2026.Please keep in mind that technical support is only available during business hours (until 5pm on 15 September 2026). The Scholarships Office encourages applicants to submit their applications in advance of the closing time where possible.
