u/Ok-Supermarket-5122

If I am aiming to start my PhD with a scholarship in the 2nd half of next year (July commencement), when should I be emailing my potential supervisor? Is now too early?

For an Australian PhD in STEM (mostly engineering, CS, AI), is it true that applicants REQUIRE a first-authored journal publication? I have several Q1 co-authored papers but not as a first author. Anyone here got in without first authorships?

Title.