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DST offers scholarships for Modelling Complex Warfighting initiative

DST offers scholarships for Modelling Complex Warfighting initiative

Five scholarships are up for grabs for “high-performing students” to undertake a PhD at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, working on projects associated with DST’s Modelling Complex Warfighting initiative.

Five scholarships are up for grabs for “high-performing students” to undertake a PhD at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, working on projects associated with DST’s Modelling Complex Warfighting initiative.

In addition to the scholarship, successful candidates will be given the opportunity to undertake a six-month APR internship with DST.

The department's five-year Modelling Complex Warfighting Strategic Research Investment program "will enable DST to better advise the government on the complex geopolitical, social, technological, economic and cultural factors impacting the current and future force", according to DST.

"We expect that the Modelling Complex Warfighting Strategic Research Investment program will revolutionise how we undertake operations analysis, and that will enable us better understand the complexities of the current military environment," DST Modelling Complex Warfighting initiative lead Dr Maria Athanassenas said.

Dr Athanassenas also noted that "decisions about military equipment, force design and future defence operations are often made under conditions of high uncertainty", something the initiative aims to help solve.

Four "broad research themes" will be focused on by the program:

  • Conquering uncertainty – Scientific methods to enable robust force design decisions to produce a resilient force through the understanding and management of uncertainty in Defence.
  • Innovative simulations  Novel modelling and simulation techniques to enable exploration of whole-of-force warfighting concepts and force options.
  • Knowledge synthesis  Synthesis of analytical and simulation results to support development of a joint force that is integrated by design.
  • Modelling complexity  Methods to enable understanding of properties of the joint force emerging as a result of nonlinear interactions between the many constituent elements.

The scholarships are open to Australian citizens, and not limited to any department, project area or discipline.