The olfactory cocktail party: How animals and humans segregate mixed odours

University of Otago / University of Waikato

 Three PhD Scholarships

The olfactory cocktail party: How animals and humans segregate mixed odours

Host Institutions:            University of Otago, Department of Zoology and Department of Food Science, Dunedin, New Zealand

University of Waikato, School of Psychology, Hamilton, New Zealand

Partner Institution:        Texas Tech University

Supervisor(s):                  Dr Paul Szyszka, Dr Tim Edwards, Dr Mei Peng, Dr Graham Eyres

Start date:                         flexible

Duration:                           36 months

Funding:                             NZD $35,000 base stipend + tuition fees per annum for 3 years.

Project Description: Most animals rely on odours to locate food, mates, habitats, and dangers. Although odours from different sources mix, animals can segregate relevant odour sources. But how they solve this olfactory cocktail party problem is unknown. Recent studies in insects show an exciting clue to this problem – animals use small time differences in odorant arrival to segregate odours. In these 2 PhD projects, we will test the hypothesis that insects (Paul Szyszka, Uni. of Otago - this PhD position is no longer available), dogs (Tim Edwards, Uni. Of Waikato) and humans (Mei Peng and Graham Eyres, Uni. of Otago) can segregate odours using temporal cues, and we will uncover the natural stimulus dynamics that enable odour source segregation. Revealing odour segregation processes in animals has important implications for ecology (foraging), pest control (pheromone traps), scent-detection technology, and neurology (disease indicators).

Eligibility: Equivalent of a New Zealand 1^st class Honours degree or a MSc degree (both with a significant research component) in either Psychology, Neuroscience, Life Sciences, Physics, Computer Science, or Geoscience (or similar). Your research dissertation or thesis will have been awarded first class honours, or a strong upper second (B+).

 Personal attributes:

·          Demonstrated ability to undertake self-directed research activities.

·          Knowledge of (or willingness to learn) programming-based data analysis.

 Documentation to include in your application:

·        A detailed CV

·        The names and contact details of two referees

·        A copy of an academic transcript

·        A PDF copy of your research dissertation or thesis (if available)

·        A written statement (300-500 words) outlining why this project interests you and how you meet the selection criteria

 Contact Information:

For the PhD project involving research with humans, contact Mei Peng ([Email Address Removed]) or Graham Eyres ([Email Address Removed]).

For the PhD project involving research with dogs, contact Tim Edwards ([Email Address Removed]).

The application closes on 31 July 2022, or as soon as a suitable candidate is found.