Structure of a PhD

At ANU the examinable component of a PhD in Mathematical Sciences consists solely of research presented in the form of a substantial thesis, usually after three to four years for full-time students, or about double this for part-timer students. The length of a PhD course is nominally three years, and this is reflected in the timeframe of most PhD scholarships.

Each PhD student has a supervisory panel consisting of a primary supervisor and at least two other staff members. The role of the supervisor and panel is to help you find a suitable research project, direct you to relevant background mathematics, and provide a formal ‘sounding board’ for you while you pursue your research.

Students are required to submit annual reports of their progress to the University's central administration, and after 18 months each student must present a mid-term review. This normally takes the form of a seminar presentation of the research area, followed by a discussion with the supervisory panel. This a convenient time to meet with the entire panel and discuss the progress of your research project. Students must present a final seminar on their PhD research before submitting their thesis for examination.

Daily life as a PhD student

How you spend your time as a PhD student will change rather dramatically over the course of the three years. Initially you will probably identify the broad area of mathematics that you are interested in, and spend quite a while ‘getting up to speed’ with that subject by attending courses and reading textbooks and research papers. Guidance from your supervisor will help make this process as efficient as possible.

After 3-6 months you will begin to formulate a research project to pursue for the remainder of the course. It will likely take another few months of reading in more detail about the specific area of mathematics concerned before you are ready to embark on genuine research.

A large portion of study time is dedicated to researching your chosen problem. The intention is that you make a 'substantial and original contribution' to the subject. This sounds daunting at first, but in practice your supervisor and panel will help you find an area where this is a practical proposition.

During this time you will be free to attend any courses and seminars offered that interest you, and to generally pursue ideas which seem valuable. To help stay on track during this time, most students arrange a regular meeting with their primary supervisor. During these meetings progress can be discussed and any difficulties sorted out before they become too great.

In addition to your supervisor and panel, you will meet many members of staff with wide ranging expertise, and benefit from the MSI visitors program. This will allow you many opportunities to discuss mathematics with people from a variety of disciplines.

There is no formal teaching requirement for PhD candidates. However, it is often possible for students to obtain part-time work as tutors for Mathematical Sciences Institute undergraduate courses. This can provide valuable teaching experience, and provides extra money to ease the burden of living on a PhD scholarship. It also offers a welcome change of pace from life as a research student.

Sometime in the third year of your studies you will start writing up the results of your research into a thesis. This can be a lengthy process often taking up to six months. Once completed, the thesis is submitted and the process is in the hands of the examiners.

Research Topics

For an idea of the kind of research currently being pursued in MSI, and to find projects you may be interested in, please visit the research groups page and explore the links to the individual research groups.  

Your actual PhD project will be determined in consultation with your supervisor.