VALUABLE tertiary sheep research scholarships worth up to $38,000 annually are now available for Western Australian students.

A new application round under the Sheep Industry Business Innovation Scholarships program is open for eligible students planning research projects in the second semester.

The scholarships supporting tertiary research to benefit Western Australia’s sheep industry are available through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Eligible Western Australian-based research projects may receive support of up to $5000 for honours projects and up to $38,000 per annum for two years of masters and three years for PhD, plus negotiable levels of operating expenditure.

Applications are now open and close 30 April, 2019. Candidates are encouraged to find out more at the department’s website.

Department development officer Katherine Davies said the program aimed to encourage individuals keen to pursue further study by addressing key sheep industry focus areas.

“This program aims to build students’ capabilities to contribute to the sheep industry and value chain, including building knowledge in business and agricultural and animal science.

“Areas identified as relevant to the WA sheep industry supply chain may include increased reproduction, adoption of new technology, exploring opportunities to add value along the supply chain and development of new business models,” Ms Davies said.

“The scholarship program to date has funded four PhDs, seven honours and five vocational/internships scholarships,” Ms Davies said.

University of Western Australia Honours student Alison Walsh recently received a scholarship for her project focused on the viability of carbon mitigation for native shrubs as sheep feed.

“The process of getting the scholarship application together helped me pull the project together and get the research going a lot quicker than I might have done otherwise.

“Advice from the scholarship assessment panel helped with making connections that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to make,” Ms Walsh said.

Students can be invited for vocational or internship opportunities in the sector. The department can also provide in-kind support through field sites, office space, equipment and general support.

The scholarship program is funded by the department and MLA Donor Company (MDC), with support from the Australian Wool Education Trust.