PhD Biology

Maynooth University

Students entering the Structured PhD Programme in Biology will be under the supervision of an experienced researcher. All academic staff members in the Biology Department are experienced and active researchers and can supervise PhD students. Information about their research can be found on the Biology Department Website (https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/biology/our-research) and interested students should initially contact researchers directly to discuss potential PhD projects. In most but not all instances, your stipend, university fees, consumable, equipment and travel costs will be paid from a research grant from a national or international grant agency or charity. Your supervisor usually competitively obtains this grant, but students can also obtain their own scholarships, such as from the Irish Research Council (IRC). Scholarship awards, such as the John Hume Scholarship, are also available from Maynooth University via an annual call. There is usually no support available for extra time required to complete your degree, so you should try and manage your research and thesis writing to take place within the allocated timeframe (usually 3-4 years). Upon entering the programme each student will be assigned two additional mentors, an Advisor and an Assessor. The Advisor provides additional mentorship for the student throughout the four-year programme and is someone the student can discuss issues with in addition to their supervisor. The Assessor is a member of staff who will provide an annual constructive critique of the students work programme and will aid, together with the Advisor, in outlining possible future research plans.

Faculty of Science and Engineering