PhD Scholarships 2017

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for two PhD scholarships related to new ARC-funded sociological research projects in the area of alcohol and other drug use.

The research projects are qualitative in method, and address the following issues:

  1. Performance and image-enhancing drug (PIED) use:interview-based, observational and cognate methods will investigate how men who inject PIEDs give meaning to their use and how they understand the health aspects of PIED use. [One scholarship]
  2. Uptake of naloxone, the lifesaving medication for reversing opioid overdose:interview-based, observational and cognate methods will investigate experiences of naloxone administration and the reasons for Australia’s relative lack of progress in expanding use of this important medication. [One scholarship]

The projects are based in the Social Studies of Addiction Concepts (SSAC) Program, NDRI Melbourne. This program draws on cutting edge social theory including new materialism, science and technology studies and governmentality theory to generate original socially grounded perspectives on drug use and related issues. In doing so it uses a range of methods including policy analysis, interviews, field observation and cultural studies analysis.

Project collaborators include Monash University, Burnet Institute and King’s College, London.

The Scholarships

The two scholarships will each support the overall aims of the respective projects. Successful applicants will collaborate with the chief investigators to identify thesis projects able to contribute directly to the aims of the larger projects while also reflecting the interests and aspirations of the students.

Each scholarship carries an annual tax-free stipend of approximately $26,288 (quoted here at 2016 rate) per year for three years. Both scholarships start in early 2017 (exact timing negotiable), and are based at NDRI’s Melbourne offices, located on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. PhD candidates may also have access to additional paid work.

The Institute

NDRI is a centre for excellence in alcohol and other drug research and receives core funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. It is one of the largest centres of alcohol and other drug research expertise in Australia, employing about 30 research staff in Perth and Melbourne across a range of disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, psychology and public health. It has a strong national and international profile, and is involved in collaborative research in Australia and overseas.

The Application

The successful applicants will:

  •           be Australian or New Zealand citizens or Australian Permanent Residents;
  •           hold or expect to obtain First Class or Upper Second Honours or equivalent results and experience in sociology, gender studies, anthropology, or a related discipline (e.g. youth studies); and
  •           be able to undertake field research (interviews, observation) or other empirical research in diverse settings.

Experience of qualitative research in a relevant field will be highly regarded.

Expressions of interest containing a current CV, academic transcripts and statement of interest including brief description of: 1. research interests and relevant experience; 2. methods and approaches of interest (two pages maximum including references) should be emailed to Professor Suzanne Fraser at:

suzanne.fraser@curtin.edu.au

DUE DATE: Friday December 16, 2016.

Please consult Curtin University’s guidance on preparing PhD scholarship applications for information about structuring your CV and statement of interest.

For further information, contact Professor Suzanne Fraser at:

suzanne.fraser@curtin.edu.au

or go to addictionconcepts.com