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The journey of discovery starts here

As a leading Australian research-intensive university, UWA’s Faculty of Science is at the forefront of discovery. Our global vision focuses on research that addresses challenges facing humanity over the next 50 years.

Being 'in the zone'

UWA is very much 'in the zone' meaning we're ideally situated within the Asian time zone that's home to 30% of the global population and many of the world's emerging economic powerhouses. It's a region that's playing an increasingly influential role in international business, innovation and industry, and we're at the heart of it.

A biodiversity hotspot

We are also located close to an international biodiversity hotspot in Australia's South West – an area of 300,000 square kilometres, with 13,500 kilometres of coastline. In addition to more than 1500 plant species and a host of endemic mammals, we have World Heritage-listed Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef – one of the world's largest fringing reefs – on our doorstep.

Read more about our unique environment and some of the many research opportunities it presents.

1st in Australia and 17th in the world for Agricultural Sciences (ARWU 2020)

1st in Australia and 21st in the world for Environmental Science and Engineering (ARWU 2020)

24th in the world for Ecology (ARWU 2019)

22nd in the world for Oceanography (ARWU 2020)

23rd in the world for Anatomy and Physiology (QS 2020)

20th in the world for Sports-Related Subjects (QS 2020)

29th in the world for Earth and Marine Science (QS 2020)

Ranked first in Western Australia for Psychology (QS 2020)

Learn how to harness the power of science to change lives for the better. Your studies will involve not only the theory, but the crucial technical skills of your chosen field. Whether it's in our world-class laboratories, on exciting field trips or in real-world industry placements, we give you the chance to become immersed in the hands-on side of science.Professor Tony O’Donnell,  Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean Faculty of Science

Bettering the world

The diverse nature of our Faculty and Western Australia's resource-rich environment give our students unique research opportunities. Our Faculty focuses on meaningful change for the world and humanity in six areas:

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Our facilities

The Faculty of Science is home to a wide range of facilities which support world-class research and teaching activities.

Earth and Environment Analysis Laboratory

Chemical and physical analyses in environmental and agricultural areas.

The UWA Centre for Sleep Science

UWA’s Centre for Sleep Science is committed to researching sleep and sleep disorders and offers a variety of educational opportunities.

Group therapy session with psychology students

Robin Winkler Clinic

The Robin Winkler Clinic clinic provides individual and group psychological treatment and assessment for people of all ages and backgrounds is linked with UWA’s School of Psychological Sciences.

Plant Growth Facilities

A high-quality, practical growing site for carrying out controlled experiments with the capacity for a wide range of research and teaching.

UWA Exercise and Performance Centre

The UWA Exercise and Performance Centre (EPC) provides individual and group exercise services for people of all ages and backgrounds to improve health, function and physical performance.

Bayliss Building

The Bayliss Building is a stunning five-storey facility that’s the largest and most technically complex building on our campus. Home to the School of Molecular Sciences, the building was named after Emeritus Professor Sir Noel Stanley Bayliss (1906-1996), an eminent Australian chemist whose name was given to the mineral ‘baylissite’.

Barry J Marshall library

Extensive study spaces and a wide range of convenient facilities

Remotely Piloted Aerial Sensing Platform

The Remotely Piloted Aerial Sensing Platform provides the latest in drone and sensing equipment to support UWA students, researchers and collaborators.

Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management

The Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management (CENRM) is an Albany-based research centre of the University of Western Australia (UWA)

Histology

UWA’s Histology Laboratory produces high-quality work for teaching and research purposes within the University and broader scientific community.

Cell and Molecular Life Facility

The Cell and Molecular Life Facility teaches and supports research staff and students advanced molecular biology techniques.

3 people standing in a mining construction quarry

UWA Mining Innovation Network

MINe works in collaboration with industry, government, research and training institutes, and civil society organisations, to co-create solutions to local, national and global challenges facing the mining industry.

Imaging at Science

Imaging at Science is one of the leading biological imaging facilities in Western Australia.

Shenton Park Field Station

The Shenton Park Field Station is a 67-hectare facility supporting research by plant and animal biologists.

Affiliated centres and institutes

The Faculty of Science contains centres, institutes, initiatives and infrastructure that undertake research across various disciplines.

Joint PhD Program with Nagoya University

Our people

We are home to award winning researchers and academics who are experts in their field.

Professor Gary Kendrick

Gary Kendrick is a research and teaching Professor at The Oceans Institute and Head of Biological Sciences, the University of Western Australia. Gary Kendrick’s long-term research goal is to develop a predictive framework for understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics between marine species distributions, their biology and the physical environment.

Winthrop Professor Daniel Green

Winthrop Professor Daniel Green is a cardiovascular exercise physiologist in the School of Human Sciences studying ways to prevent chronic disease.

Dr Sharyn Hickey

Dr Sharyn Hickey’s research interests focus on geographical elements of environmental systems, and how spatial and temporal models can examine environmental change and the drivers of change.

Dr Cyril Grueter

Dr Cyril Grueter is a senior lecturer and researcher in biological anthropology, studying the social organisation of primates as a basis for understanding human behaviour.

Dr Louise Naylor

Dr Louise Naylor is a senior lecturer and researcher in exercise physiology whose research investigates exercise as medicine to treat disease.

Emeritus Professor John Pate

Professor John Pate is a distinguished biologist and plant physiologist with a career spanning decades of scientific research and discovery.

Professor Annette George

Professor Annette George is Head of the School of Earth Sciences and researcher in petroleum geoscience and early Earth environments.

Professor Richard Hobbs

Professor Richard J Hobbs FAA, is a Professor of Ecology and IAS Distinguished Fellow, former ARC Australian Laureate Fellow, and Head of the ERIE Research Group at The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Professor Daniel Murphy

Professor Daniel Murphy's research focuses on improving soil and its impact on sustainable agriculture in Australia and worldwide.

Professor Shayne Loft

Professor Shayne Loft is the Director of the Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology Laboratory and Deputy Head of The University of Western Australia’s School of Psychological Science.

Professor Jane Pillow

Professor Jane Pillow is a clinical scientist and neonatologist whose work focuses on improving outcomes for premature infants.

Professor Shane Maloney

Professor Shane Maloney's research focuses on the thermal physiology of humans and animals.

Dr Dominique Blache

Dr Blache takes an integrative approach to animal welfare using his expertise in neuroscience and endocrinology to study stress, metabolism, and reproduction.

Eun-Jung Holden

Professor Holden’s multi-disciplinary research spans the boundaries of computational science and geoscience, and links academia with industry.

Professor David Pannell

David Pannell is Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia.

Professor Colin MacLeod

School of Psychological Science Professor Colin MacLeod is an ARC Laureate Fellow, and Director of the Rutherford Memorial Centre for the Advancement of Research on Emotion.

Associate Professor Carmela Pestell

Associate Professor Carmela Pestell is a clinician, researcher and lecturer in clinical psychology and neuropsychology, and Director of the Robin Winkler Clinic

Dr Nat Benjanuvatra

Dr Nat Benjanuvatra is a researcher and lecturer in UWA’s School of Human Sciences working with elite athletes and coaches to optimise performance.

Professor Stephen Powles

Professor Stephen Powles is one of the world’s most highly cited agricultural scientists and is widely regarded as an expert in herbicide resistance in plants.

Professor Charlie Bond

Professor Charlie Bond is a dedicated structural biologist driving research with far-reaching applications

Winthrop Professor David Badcock

Winthrop Professor David Badcock is an expert in behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, focusing on visual processing and perception.

Dr Archa Fox

Dr Archa Fox is a senior lecturer and leading researcher in the School of Molecular Sciences whose research has uncovered a new cellular structure, paraspeckles.

Professor Romola Bucks

Professor Romola Bucks is an award winning researcher whose research investigates cognitive disorders related to the process of ageing.

Professor Sarah Dunlop

Professor Sarah Dunlop is a highly regarded researcher leading an integrated team in basic and clinical research to promote recovery after neurotrauma.

Dr. Amin Mugera

Research to help feed the world's growing population and improve its standards of living.

Dr Tristan Clemons

Dr Tristan Clemons and his team use nanoparticles to revolutionise how we treat injuries and diseases, such as burns and cancer, by improving drug delivery and avoiding negative side effects.

Nik Callow

Associate Professor Nik Callow is a geographer, working across the areas of hydrology, geomorphology, Geographical Information Science (GIS) and remote sensing.

Simon Farrell

Professor Simon Farrell is Head of the School of Psychological Science, his ongoing research examines how people pursue goals and how we make decisions in social contexts

Professor Ryan Lister

Professor Ryan Lister is an award winning scientist at UWA whose research focuses on the information contained in the DNA of plant and animal genomes.

Associate Professor James Fogarty

Associate Professor James Fogarty’s research focuses on helping the water industry make better decisions by working on approaches that allow the environmental and amenity benefits of urban water projects to be incorporated into project evaluations.

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Welcoming our first PhD student cohort for 2018

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