Study with us
Help us address the 21st century’s most compelling and complex health challenges by undertaking a PhD or postdoctoral research through the Institute. With the support of our world renowned researchers and access to our partners across the health sector, you’ll make your mark with research that transforms the design and delivery of prevention and care.
Current projects are detailed below.
Find out more about becoming a research student at Deakin and available scholarships.
PhD opportunities
For general enquiries about studying as a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) student with the Institute for Health Transformation please contact:
Deakin University School of Nursing and Midwifery HDR Coordinator Associate Professor Pat Nicholson
Phone: +61 3 924 46114
Email: p.nicholson@deakin.edu.au
Deakin University School of Health and Social Development HDR Coordinator Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin
Phone: +61 3 522 78462
Email: genevieve.pepin@deakin.edu.au
or Deakin University School of Health and Social Development Deputy HDR Coordinator
Dr Kim Robinson
Phone: +61 3 522 78205
Email: kim.robinson@deakin.edu.au
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HDR project proposals
Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research
For more information about HDR opportunities with the Centre for Patient and Quality Safety Research (QPS), click here.
Health economics
Focusing on the measurement of health-related quality of life for use in economic evaluation within the context of Aboriginal youth mental health. The successful candidate will ideally have a Masters of Health Economics or Public Health (with a specialisation in health economics) or strong skills in psychometric measurement. If interested, please send your expression of interest including a CV and the latest transcript of your academic results to Professor Cathy Mihalopoulos: cathy.mihalopoulos@deakin.edu.au
Sustainable healthcare
Project title: Improving environmental sustainability in healthcare: evaluating costs, benefits and performance.
Nationally, Australia’s health system contributes between 4.2% to 7% of national greenhouse gas emissions. The Victorian Government has made improving the environmental sustainability of healthcare a priority, with net zero emission targets in place for 2050. This PhD will develop practical measurement and evaluation tools to support healthcare sustainability improvement activities, with a particular focus on valuing the economic costs, benefits and co-benefits of healthcare environmental impacts and interventions. Focus areas will include i) practical methods for incorporating environmental impacts in the economic evaluation of healthcare interventions and programs and ii) measurement tools for environmental sustainability performance, audit and improvement in healthcare services and policies. Based in the Health System Financing and Sustainability stream within Deakin Health Economics, the candidate will work closely with other Institute for Health Transformation members and partners, especially the Health, Nature and Sustainability Research Group and Barwon Health, Victoria’s largest regional healthcare provider.
Supervisors: A/Prof Martin Hensher (Deakin Health Economics), Dr Rebecca Patrick (Deakin Health, Nature, Sustainability Research Group), Professor Peter Vuillermin (Barwon Health), Dr Mike Forrester (Barwon Health).
Essential requirements: Honours or Masters Degree in a relevant discipline with a strong quantitative component; experience of quantitative research or analysis and data management; strong communications and stakeholder management skills and experience.
Desirable: Training and/or work experience in health economics, economics, public health or environmental sciences; experience of working in healthcare settings, either as a health professional or in a support/administrative role.
Scholarship available.
Contact: Dr Rebecca Patrick
Social inclusion
Project title: Ageism, loneliness, and sense of purpose: Investigating intergenerational knowledge sharing
Supervisors: Sharon Brennan-Olsen, Dr Shane Kavanagh and Jesse Zanker
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from August 2020
Epidemiology
Project title: Longitudinal Study of Teenagers with Endometriosis, Period and Pelvic Pain (LongSTEPPP)
Supervisors: Professor Catherine Bennett, Dr Shane Kavanagh
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from July 2020
Primary contact: Professor Catherine Bennett
Commercial and political determinants of health
Project title: The impact of gambling sponsorship on sport
Supervisors: Professor Samantha Thomas and Dr Hannah Pitt (Deakin University), and Professors Bev John and Gareth Roderique-Davies (University of South Wales)
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from July 2020
Primary contact: Professor Samantha Thomas
Project title: The marketing of gambling products to women
Supervisors: Professor Samantha Thomas and Dr Hannah Pitt (Deakin University), and Professors Bev John and Gareth Roderique-Davies (University of South Wales)
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from July 2020
Primary contact: Professor Samantha Thomas
Project title: Young people’s recall and receptivity of e-cigarette marketing
Supervisors: Professor Samantha Thomas and Dr Hannah Pitt
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from July 2020.
Primary contact: Professor Samantha Thomas
Climate change
Project title: Youth engagement in climate change advocacy and activism
Supervisors: Professor Samantha Thomas and Dr Hannah Pitt
Timeframe for commencement: Anytime from July 2020.
Primary contact: Professor Samantha Thomas
Project title: Climate change, mental health and young people
Supervisors: Dr Rebecca Patrick, Dr Claire Henderson-Wilson and Professor Tony LaMontagne
Timeframe for commencement: From October 2020
Primary contact: Dr Rebecca Patrick
Physical literacy
Project title: Measuring physical literacy in children
Supervisor: Associate Professor Lisa Barnett
Timeframe for commencement: July 2020 onward
Primary Contact: Associate Professor Lisa Barnett
Mental health
Project title: The lived experience of carers of people with a mental illness: co-designed strategies
Supervisor: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin, partnering with Deakin’s School of Psychology
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin
Project title: Implementing and evaluating an innovative support group for siblings of people with a mental illness
Supervisor: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin
Project title: Student mental health and wellbeing
Supervisor: Professor Tony LaMontagne
Timeframe for commencement: Available now
Primary contact: Professor Tony LaMontagne
Project title: Suicide prevention in male-dominated work settings
Supervisor: Professor Tony LaMontagne
Timeframe for commencement: From end of 2020 (grant awarded, but agreements still being set up as of August 2020). A three-year full-time scholarship is available.
Primary contact: Professor Tony LaMontagne
Project title: Environmental workplace mental health promotion
Supervisors: Dr Rebecca Patrick, Dr Claire Henderson-Wilson and Professor Tony LaMontagne
Commencement: From October 2020
Primary contact: Dr Rebecca Patrick
COVID-19
Project title: The impact of major disruption on occupational roles of health care professionals
Supervisors: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin and Dr Danielle Hitch
Commencement timeframe: 2021
Primary contact: Associate Professor Genevieve Pepin
Project title: The changing nature of public health messaging during COVID-19
Supervisors: Professor Samantha Thomas (Deakin University) Associate Professor Matthew Hopcraft (University of Melbourne)
Commencement timeframe: From July 2020 onwards
Primary contact: Professor Samantha Thomas
Project title: Engagement of low income women and with welfare and charity
Supervisors: Dr Fiona McKay and Dr Hayley McKenzie
Timeframe for commencement: Available now
Primary contact: Dr Fiona McKay
Project title: Faith communities, social support and COVID-19
Supervisor: Professor Beth Crisp
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Professor Beth Crisp
Project title: Loss, grief, and meaning-making during a global health crisis
Supervisor: Dr James Lucas
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Dr James Lucas
Nature and sustainability
Project title: Switched on Nature – developing a typology of experience in nature with EEG responses
Supervisors: Dr Justin Lawson and Dr Rebecca Patrick
Number of students the project can accommodate: 1-2
Timeframe for commencement: July 2020 onwards.
Primary contact: Dr Justin Lawson
Disability
Project title: Inclusion and belonging for people with disability from refugee or asylum seeker background
Supervisors: Associate Professor Angela Dew and Dr Jo Watson
Timeframe for commencement: End of 2020, beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Associate Professor Angela Dew
Social determinants
Project title: How do people on low incomes make choices about their health?
Supervisors: Dr Matthew Dunn and Dr Fiona McKay
Timeframe for commencement: Available now
Primary contact: Dr Matthew Dunn
Social work
Project title: Social Workers working from home
Supervisors: Professor Beth Crisp and Dr Sarah Epstein
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Professor Beth Crisp
Project title: Social Work education fit for practice for 2030 and beyond
Supervisors: Professor Beth Crisp, Dr Rojan Afrouz, Dr Angela Daddow, Dr Sarah Epstein, Dr John Fox, Associate Professor Sophie Goldingay, Dr Norah Hosken, Dr James Lucas, Dr Kim Robinson, Dr Sevi Vassos
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Professor Beth Crisp
Project title: Religion and belief literacy for social work practice
Supervisor: Professor Beth Crisp
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Professor Beth Crisp
Asylum seekers and refugees
Project title: Working with asylum seekers and refugees – community development and engagement strategies
Supervisors: Dr Kim Robinson and Dr Rojan Afrouz
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning 2021
Primary contact: Dr Kim Robinson
Project title: Working with asylum seekers and refugees – community engagement strategies in regional Australia
Supervisor: Dr Kim Robinson
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning 2021
Primary contact: Dr Kim Robinson
Family violence
Project title: Family violence and working with asylum seekers and refugees/or CALD communities
Supervisors: Dr Kim Robinson and Dr Rojan Afrouz
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Dr Kim Robinson
Project title: Family violence help-seeking in the time of COVID-19
Supervisors: Dr Rojan Afrouz and Professor Beth Crisp
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Professor Beth Crisp
Young people
Project title: Therapeutic life story work: supporting young people in out-of-home care
Supervisors: Dr James Lucas and Dr Judi Parson
Partner organisation: MacKillop Family Services
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Dr James Lucas
Project title: Seasons for Growth: supporting young people with change, loss, and, grief
Supervisor: Dr James Lucas
Partner organisation: MacKillop Family Services
Timeframe for commencement: Beginning of 2021
Primary contact: Dr James Lucas
Post-doc opportunities
Our early to mid-career researchers play a vital role in our research and we provide a supportive environment in which to build their careers and attract funding. Some of these opportunities include:
- Deakin University Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.
- National Heart Foundation post doctoral and Future Leader Fellowships
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Fellowships: Discovery Early Career Research Awards (DECRA) and Future Fellowships
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Fellowships
- A number of international organisations offer postdoctoral funding for non-Australian researchers to spend time in Australia.
If you’d like to talk to us about post doc opportunities within the Institute, please contact us at health-transformation@deakin.edu.au or phone 03 9244 5791. We’d love to hear from you.