How to find a postgraduate research supervisor
A researcher must agree to supervise your research before your application for a postgraduate programme can be approved.
You can either enquire about a specific project that is currently available (opportunities) or contact academic staff to enquire about potential projects that may interest you. It is advisable to talk to all the academics that are offering projects you are interested in to find out more about the projects and see if it is suitable for you. If you are not at Otago you can arrange to talk to them via telephone.
All researchers at the University of Otago are potential supervisors. This means you can, in certain circumstances, do a postgraduate degree in Anatomy, but undertake your research in another department.
It also means that students doing their postgraduate degree in another department, or in another major, can do the research component of their degree in the Department of Anatomy.
Look in the following places to find the right person to supervise you.
- Our Staff lists (Links to staff profiles can be found here)
- Staff expertise database (Division of Health Sciences website - includes all research and academic staff within Health Sciences)
- Individual research areas within the Department. Anatomical Sciences Education, Biological Anthropology, Clinical Anatomy, Neuroscience, Reproduction, Genomics & Development. Here you will find a short summary of the research each Principal Investigator (PI) is undertaking.
I want to do a research project in Anatomy and have found a researcher that I would like to be my supervisor. What do I do next?
Once you have identified a researcher that you would like to be your supervisor we assume that you have discussed this with them and talked about a potential project. If not contact them via email including the information below:
- The qualification you wish to enroll in, e.g. BSc(Hons), PGDipSci, one-year or two-year MSc, or PhD.
- Approval that the staff member can access your academic transcript (including the papers you have studied, your grades, and your qualifications) if you have done your undergraduate studies at Otago. If you are not an Otago student, please provide a copy of your academic transcript.
- The reason that you would like this person to be your supervisor.
- When you want to start studying.
Finally, for PGDipSci, Honours and first-year MSc applications read about the application process for this year, and complete the online application form. Send any enquiries to the Department's Undergraduate Administrator:
Anne Stansfield
Email: anatomy.400-level.admin@otago.ac.nz
You will be contacted via email regarding your application, so ensure you check your University email address regularly.
For any other questions, or if you are having trouble contacting or finding a supervisor / project within the Anatomy Department for PGDipSci, Honours or first-year MSc applications please contact the 4th year postgraduate admissions coordinator:
Associate Professor Tim Hore
Email: anatomy.400-level.admin@otago.ac.nz
For all enquiries concerning research towards a PhD or Research (Thesis) Master's degree, please contact the Department's Postgraduate Administrator:
Anne Stansfield
Email: anatomy.postgrad.admin@otago.ac.nz
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