Thank you for taking the time to click this link, and thank you for getting in touch.

If you have been redirected here, it is most likely because you emailed me to ask about the possibility of a PhD position in my research group. I genuinely appreciate that interest. I receive a large number of such enquiries every week, ranging from very carefully targeted messages to brief exploratory emails.

This page exists for one simple reason: to help you engage with me more effectively, and to help both of us decide whether it makes sense to continue the conversation. Being sent here is not a judgement on the quality of your email, your background, or your potential — it is simply a way of streamlining a process that otherwise becomes unmanageable.

If, after reading this page, you decide that a PhD with me is not the right fit, that is a successful outcome too.

Before you write (or write again): some questions to think about

Rather than listing requirements or rules, I find it more useful to pose a small set of questions. If you can answer these clearly and concretely, then you are very likely to get a meaningful response from me. If you cannot, it may be worth pausing before proceeding.

0. Are you actually eligible for PhD research at The University of Auckland?

• Have you read the UoA Doctoral Entry Requirements and do you meet them?

1. Are you interested in a specific PhD topic?

•  Are you enquiring about an advertised PhD position (for example, one listed on FindAPhD or a university webpage)?
  • If so: which one, exactly?
• Or are you making a general enquiry about whether I might supervise a PhD student?

General enquiries are fine — but they need more work on your part to be productive.

2. Have you matched your background to this research?

A PhD is not just “doing research in physics/astronomy/space science”. It is specialised training.

• What skills, techniques, or experience do you already have that are relevant to the topic you are asking about?
• Where did you acquire them? (Courses, projects, employment, independent work.)
• Which aspects of the PhD topic do you already feel comfortable with, and which would be genuinely new territory?

I am not expecting you to be an expert already — but I am looking for evidence that you understand what the work actually involves.

3. Have you read any of our research papers?

This is one of the strongest signals of genuine engagement.

• Have you read at least one paper written by me or by students in my group that is directly related to the topic you are asking about?
• If so:
  • • Which paper(s)?
    • What interested you about them?
    • Where do you see your interests or skills connecting to that work?

You do not need to understand every technical detail. You do need to show that you have taken the time to look.

4. Do you understand the funding reality?

In New Zealand, most PhD positions depend on competitive scholarships.

• Have you run your academic record through the University of Auckland’s GPE (Grade Point Equivalent) calculator for doctoral scholarships?
• Do you have a realistic sense of how competitive those scholarships are?

If your grades are well below the threshold, that does not mean your career is over, but it does change what conversations are productive right now.

5. Why this group, and why now?

Finally, the hardest but most important question:

• Why do you want to do this PhD, in this research area, with this supervisor?
• Why is now the right time for you to do it?

Good answers here are rarely long — but they are specific.

What a strong enquiry looks like

A strong enquiry does not need to be long or overly formal. It does usually include:

• A clear reference to a specific research area or project
• Evidence that you have read relevant papers
• A brief, concrete description of your background and skills
• An indication that you have checked eligibility and funding constraints

If you can naturally address most of the questions above in an email, you are doing exactly the right thing.

A final note

I enjoy supervising PhD students, and I care a great deal about making sure that students who start a PhD are well matched to the topic, the environment, and the expectations. This page is intended to make that matching process clearer and fairer, for you and for me.

If, after reading this, you feel that your interests and background align well with my research, you are very welcome to get in touch (or to follow up). If not, I hope this still helps you refine your search and approach other potential supervisors more effectively.

Either way: thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your next steps.