We are always happy to discuss potential new studentship ideas, and a checklist for eligibility is as follows:

1. Any PhD student needs to be registered at a university and have an academic supervisor at that university willing to support their project.
2. Their proposed project must fit within Opwall’s core research programme at one or more of our expedition sites, must be feasible within the logistical constraints of remote fieldwork, and be able to take place within the eight-week summer expedition season (June – August).
3. There must be additional funding in place to cover university tuition fees and subsistence costs outside the expedition period, or the student must be prepared to self-fund these elements of their study.
4. A member of Opwall’s in house research team would be required to act as co-supervisor or advisor to ensure a smooth collaboration between Opwall, the PhD student and the main university supervisors.

If a suitable project can be developed, Opwall would offer funding support covering all on site costs (food, accommodation, medical and evacuation support and basic project logistics including research permits). In many cases, Opwall would also provide funding towards an international flight bursary and basic equipment needs. Any projects receiving funding from Opwall would be expected to have a clear conservation application and/or produce scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

If you would like to discuss a potential PhD studentship, either as a prospective PhD student or academic supervisor, please email us at academics@opwall.com.