Degree type
PhD
Closing date
1 February 2025
Campus
Hobart
Citizenship requirement
Domestic / International
About the research project
Australian sorghum's five-year-average export worth is $286.6 million (GRDC, 2018). The profitability of the malting sorghum market is based on yield and quality. 'Adequate' to 'high' yields ensures sorghum cropping sustainability by reducing growers risks if the Sorghum is sold as feed and maximizes profits if sold as malting sorghum. However, without suitable malt quality characteristics growers and the beyond-farm-gate value chain can't reliably achieve the malting sorghum premium.
Baijiu is a liquor produced from Sorghum in China, Korea and Japan (Hong et al., 2020). While high-quality Australian sorghum could potentially be exported to such countries for Bailiu fermentation the Australian brewing and distilling industry, though dynamic, agile and constantly innovating to reduce costs and improve product quality and diversity, currently underutilises Sorghum. However, Baijiu is an emerging spirit in the Australian beverages industry, being produced currently by two Australian businesses, including Sanyou (http://www.sanyou.com.au) in Launceston (ABCNT, 2021). Baijiu is the most popular spirit in the world. The potential export markets for Baijiu and sorghum-for-Baijiu are enormous.
This study, will collaborate with Charles Sturt University's Functional Grains Centre, to:
- Identify optimal sorghum varieties for high quality Baijiu production,
- Define optimal Qu ('Choo'; yeasts, fungi mashed grains – the inoculum for the process) production parameters (temperature, humidity and time),
- Understand, and develop reliable prediction methods, for the sorghum saccharification process and Baijiu distillation quality and yield to:
- deliver sorghum that performs predictably and consistently with high yield,
- meet expectations of our international/domestic Bailiu processors,
- promote and technically support the 'gluten free' and saccharification quality advantages of Australian sorghum varieties to Australian grain breeding companies (e.g., InterGrain). - Define quality parameters, using genomics methods, to produce malting sorghum varieties that will surpass the quality of our competitor's varieties.
- Enhance Australian research capacity to support Grain Growers and GRDC sorghum quality priorities.
Primary Supervisor
Funding
Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:
- a living allowance stipend of $33,511 per annum (2025 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
- a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
- a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)
If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.
As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.
Other funding opportunities and fees
For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees of undertaking a research degree, please visit Scholarships and fees.
Eligibility
Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.
Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.
Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:
- Applicants must be able to undertake the project on-campus.
Selection Criteria
The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.
Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:
- The applicant should ideally have demonstrable training and expertise in grain biochemistry and microbiology/fermentation of grains for beverages.
Application process
- Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
- Contact Prof John Bowman to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
- In your application:
- Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
- Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
- Apply prior to 1 February 2025.
Full details of the application process can be found under the 'How to apply' section at Research degrees.
Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.
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