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Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Ceremonial Songs

A postgraduate research scholarship
$7000 scholarship to support research in collaboration with Warlpiri people, ceremonial songs, social interconnections and wellbeing.

Highlights

Value Eligibility Open date Close date
$7000 (for 15 months)
  • Full-time PhD student at the Con
  • Willing to research in Warlpiri communities
  • Hold an honours or a master's degree
  • WAM of 80
3 June 2020 30 November 2020

How to apply

Apply here.

Benefits

The scholarship is valued at $7000 and is tenable for 15 months.

Who's eligible

You must:

  • have an unconditional offer of admission to study full-time in a PhD at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music or allied discipline at the University of Sydney
  • conduct research in Warlpiri performance ethnography, music or language of Warlpiri songs, or media and/or arts initiatives and development in Warlpiri communities
  • hold an honours degree (first class or second class upper) or a master's degree in a relevant discipline, with a minimum WAM of 80
  • have a background in music research, anthropology, linguistics, media studies, community development, and/or history
  • demonstrate excellent research skills and sensitivity to working in culturally diverse locations
  • be supervised by Associate Professor Myfany Turpin (primary supervisor), Dr Georgia Curran (supervisor) and a supervisor in an allied discipline if necessary
  • be willing to undertake fieldwork for 15 months as part of your PhD candidature living in a Warlpiri community (either Yuendumu, Lajamanu or Willowra), remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia, and assist community initiatives involving media, language and music documentation
  • must apply for a primary scholarship from the University of Sydney that provides a stipend allowance eg, a Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend scholarship or a comparable primary scholarship.

Background

This scholarship has been established to provide financial assistance to a PhD student who is undertaking research, in collaboration with Warlpiri people living across the Tanami Desert region of Central Australia, into understanding the power of performance of ceremonial songs in reproducing the social interconnections and associated links to places that are fundamental to Indigenous wellbeing.

This scholarship is part of the Australian Research Council (ARC) project 'Rethinking the dynamics of place in Warlpiri performance'.

The PhD position, to begin in July 2020, will be part of the Australian Research Council (ARC) project Rethinking the dynamics of place in Warlpiri performance (Chief investigator: Georgia Curran). In collaboration with Warlpiri people living across the Tanami desert region of Central Australia, this project sets out to further our understanding of the power of performance of ceremonial songs in reproducing the social interconnections and associated links to places that are fundamental to Indigenous wellbeing. In promoting the value of these musical practices, this project aims to support the future survival of these Warlpiri singing traditions. The project is funded for the period from mid-2020 to mid- 2023.

The PhD position will be located at the University of Sydney, and situated within the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The PhD student will be expected to undertake fieldwork for 15 months in a Warlpiri community (either Yuendumu, Lajamanu or Willowra) and will have the opportunity to be involved in exciting projects involving media, language documentation and music.

A project on one of the following topics is suitable. Applicants are also encouraged to put forward their own related ideas in a research proposal.

  • Warlpiri performance ethnography
  • Musical features of Warlpiri songs
  • Warlpiri song language
  • Media and/or arts initiatives in Warlpiri communities

PhD students will need to apply for a Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend scholarship (or other comparable primary scholarship). The University will supplement this with funding for fieldwork, conference travel funds and exciting training and development opportunities.

The PhD student will be supervised by Associate Professor Myfany Turpin and Dr Georgia Curran, as well as mentored by other researchers with experience in the Warlpiri region across music, anthropology and linguistics.

The University of Sydney is a one of the world’s top research universities. Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Research Centre for Musical Diversity (RCMD) aims to support musical and cultural diversity, including Indigenous cultural diversity. PARADISEC, an award-winning Australian cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary research data facility (with partners at the University of Melbourne and Australian National University) is also housed in SCM.

Interested applicants should contact Georgia Curran georgia.curran@sydney.edu.au for further details.  

1. Background

a. This Scholarship has been established to provide financial assistance to a PhD student who is undertaking research, in collaboration with Warlpiri people living across the Tanami desert region of Central Australia, into understanding of the power of performance of ceremonial songs in reproducing the social interconnections and associated links to places that are fundamental to Indigenous wellbeing.

b. This Scholarship is part of the Australian Research Council (ARC) project Rethinking the dynamics of place in Warlpiri performance.

2. Eligibility

a. The Scholarship is offered subject to the applicant having an unconditional offer of admission to study full-time in a PhD within the Sydney Conservatorium of Music or allied discipline at the University of Sydney.

b. Applicants will conduct research in one of the following topics:

I. Warlpiri performance ethnography,

II. Music or language of Warlpiri songs, or

III. media and/or arts initiatives and development in Warlpiri communities.

c. Applicants must hold one of the following with an average mark of at least 80%:

I. an Honours degree (First Class or Second Class Upper) or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or

II. a Masters degree.

d. Applicants must have a background in one or more of the following fields:

I. music research,

II. anthropology,

III. linguistics,

IV. media studies,

V. community development, and/or

VI. history.

e. Applicants must demonstrate excellent research skills and sensitivity to working in culturally diverse locations.

f. Applicants must be willing to undertake fieldwork for 15 months as part of their PhD candidature living in a Warlpiri community (either Yuendumu, Lajamanu or Willowra), remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia, and assist community initiatives involving media, language and music documentation.

g. Applicants must apply for a primary scholarship from the University of Sydney that provides a stipend allowance. E.g. a Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend scholarship or a comparable primary scholarship.

h. Applicants will be supervised by Associate Professor Myfany Turpin (primary supervisor), Dr Georgia Curran (supervisor) and a supervisor in an allied discipline if necessary.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship on the basis of:

I. academic merit,

II. area of study and/or research proposal,

III. previous research experience,

IV. curriculum vitae with education qualifications, any publications and other relevant experience (e.g. fieldwork, relevant internships),

V. other material supporting their application (e.g. relevant articles, or other material), if relevant, and

VI. a one paragraph research proposal addressing how it relates to the broader project.

b. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship on the nomination of:

I. Associate Professor Myfany Turpin (primary supervisor),

II. Dr Georgia Curran (supervisor), and

III. any other relevant research supervisor(s),

4. Value

a. The Scholarship is valued at $7,000 and is tenable for the duration of the 15 months fieldwork.

b. The Scholarship value will be paid as two equal payments after the census date of Research Period 2 and Research Period 3. The Scholarships Office will pay the recipient upon receipt of approval from Associate Professor Myfany Turpin or Dr Georgia Curran.

c. The Scholarship is for commencement in relevant research period in which it is offered and cannot be deferred without prior approval of Associate Professor Myfany Turpin (primary supervisor), Dr Georgia Curran (supervisor) and a supervisor in an allied discipline if necessary.

d. The Scholarship cannot be transferred to another area of research without prior approval.

e. No other amount is payable.

f. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funding.

5. Eligibility for Progression

a. Progression is subject to passing the annual progress review.

6. Leave Arrangements

a. The same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of the primary stipend scholarship excluding any paid maternity and parental leave.

7. Research Overseas

b. The same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of the primary stipend scholarship.

8. Suspension

a. The same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of the primary stipend scholarship.

9. Changes in Enrolment

a. The Scholarship recipient must notify HDRAC, ARC and their supervisor promptly of any planned changes to their enrolment including but not limited to: attendance pattern, suspension, leave of absence, withdrawal, course transfer, and candidature upgrade or downgrade. If the award holder does not provide notice of the changes identified above, the University may require repayment of any overpaid Scholarship funds.

10. Termination

a. The Scholarship will be terminated:

I. on resignation or withdrawal of the student from their research degree,

II. upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the award,

III. if the student ceases to be a full-time student and prior approval has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,

IV. upon the student having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,

V. on receipt of another supplementary scholarship(s) that increases the overall supplementary amount paid to a student to more than 75% of the primary amount. In such circumstances, the supplementary scholarship of the higher value prevails,

VI. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or

VII. if the student ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified for this Scholarship, (other than during a period in which the Scholarship has been suspended or during a period of approved leave).

b. The Scholarship may also be terminated by the University before this time if, in the opinion of the University:

I. the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the terms of this offer,

II. the student fails to maintain satisfactory progress, or

III. the student has committed misconduct or other inappropriate conduct.

c. The Scholarship will be suspended throughout the duration of any enquiry/appeal process.

d. Once the Scholarship has been terminated, it will not be reinstated unless due to University error.

11. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the student to repay payments made in connection with the Scholarship. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Code of Conduct for Students and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

b. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the Scholarship period. In addition, by accepting this Scholarship, the student consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this Scholarship being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.

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