Jim Willis Studentships

2025/2026 Applications are now open

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria invites applications for vacation studentships honouring the late Dr James Hamlyn Willis, distinguished former senior member of staff at the National Herbarium of Victoria. You will be in the third or fourth year of a Science degree, with interests in plant and/or fungal systematics. The studentship will allow you to participate, under supervision, in one of the research programs at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. 

There are three studentships available and each is awarded for an eight-week period during December to February, and remuneration is $2,795.40 gross per fortnight.  Applications will be assessed on the merit of the applicant. 

The following three projects in mycology are offered for 2025/2026:

Contribution to the description of the Fungi of Australia

Fungi are among the most diverse group of organisms on Earth and play vital roles in ecosystems as decomposers and symbionts with other organisms. Despite their importance, Fungi are among the most understudied organisms, with >90% of species yet to be described. This project will focus on the formal description and publication of three new species of cup-forming fungi in the genus Paragalactinia (Ascomycota, family Pezizaceae). These ectomycorrhizal species are typically found on sandy soil in woodlands and sclerophyll forests. They frequently occur in post-fire habitats and contribute to forest recovery after wildfires.

During the project, the student will undergo the various steps of formally describing new species of Fungi,
following the format of the Australian Journal of Taxonomy. By doing so, the student will gain skills in fungal
nomenclature, taxonomy, microscopy, phylogenetics and scientific writing.

Supervisors: Camille Truong (03 9252 2442, camille.truong@rbg.vic.gov.au), Luke Vaughan
(luke.vaughan@rbg.vic.gov.au).

Australian fungi: new and old taxa in the endemic fungal family Mesophelliaceae

Mesophelliaceae is a family of truffle-like basidiomycete fungi endemic to Australia. Species in this family are essential elements of Australian forests and woodlands, where they serve as mycorrhizal symbionts and food for wildlife. The family harbours significant undescribed diversity and is the focus of ongoing revisionary taxonomic research at RBGV.

Building on previous work by the supervisor and collaborators, this project will engage students with multiple aspects of a family-wide revisionary systematic project, including producing phylogenetic figures, writing and testing taxonomic keys, and collating formal descriptions. It may also entail generating new DNA data in the molecular laboratory, DNA sequence annotation and alignment, and/or microscopy, depending on the status of the project and the interest of the student. Results from this project will advance fungal taxonomy, support environmental sequencing efforts, and shed further light on the food resources of mycophagous mammals.

Supervisor: Naveed Davoodian (03 9252 2328, naveed.davoodian@rbg.vic.gov.au)

A multi-faceted problem – the placement of an Australian club fungus

The southern hemisphere fungal genus Brahmaculus was described only recently, for four species, each known from one collection. The Australian Brahmaculus packhamiae has a tiny, multi-headed, bright yellow sporing body. Surprisingly, DNA sequence data place a small pinkish club-fungus from Nothofagus forests in south-eastern Australia within Brahmaculus.

This project will document the microscopic characters of this club-fungus and compare them to known species of Brahmaculus. Already generated DNA sequences will be analysed to work out the relationships of the club-fungus. Historical literature and fungarium collections will be checked to establish if there is an existing name for the club-fungus. A formal description of the club fungus and a discussion of its relationships will be prepared for publication in Australian Journal of Taxonomy.

Supervisors: Tom May (03 9252 2319, tom.may@rbg.vic.gov.au), Camille Truong (camille.truong@rbg.vic.gov.au) & Luke Vaughan (luke.vaughan@rbg.vic.gov.au).

Apply now

For general enquiries contact Rebecca Miller (03 9252 2498, rebecca.miller@rbg.vic.gov.au).

Applications should include a curriculum vitae (including university transcript), two referees, and a brief cover letter explaining how the applicant would benefit from the Jim Willis Studentship and how they can contribute to research at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and reasons for their preference of a particular project. 

Applications (single PDF only) should be emailed to Dr Rebecca Miller, Manager Research (Acting), Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, rebecca.miller@rbg.vic.gov.au by Friday 10 October 2025.