PhD Projects
Each year the Melbourne Disability Institute provides Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships to PhD students with an interest in truly collaborative and inclusive disability research.
Once awarded, students can apply for a top-up from the Melbourne Disability Research Institute of $2,000 per year (max $6,000 over the course of the project) to support research-related activities.
The funds may be used to support a broad range of research activities, including, but not limited to: conference and publication support, payments for project participants, Easy Read material, interpreting, captioning and other expenses directly related to making projects more inclusive and accessible.
PhD Scholarship - 2024
Aleta Moriarty
Project: Post-school transition to decent work for young people with disability in Australia: what works?
Supervisor: Professor Keith McVilly, Associate Professor Sue Olney, Dr Rae West
Project description:
PhD Scholarship - 2023
Jess Rowlings
Project: Experiences of agency and empowerment of neurodivergent women in online gaming spaces
Supervisor: Associate Professor Jenny Waycott, Professor Keith McVilly
Project description:
Marie Huska
Project: Exploring challenges at the interface between the NDIS and the Primary Health System
Supervisor: Dr Alex Devine, Associate Professor Sue Olney
Project description: Young Australians with disability experience persistent disadvantage in health and wellbeing outcomes. Challenges navigating the interface between the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the health system contribute to these inequalities. My project will investigate the experiences of 15-24year old NDIS participants in navigating the NDIS and Primary Health care. It aims to identify policy and practice opportunities to improve primary health care outcomes for this cohort.
Shweta Bohora
Project: The dynamics of social inequality and disability across the life course
Supervisor: Dr George Disney, Associate Professor Sue Olney, Dr Ankur Singh
Project description:
PhD Scholarship - 2022
Joanna Butchart
Project: Adult health outcomes for people with childhood disability
Supervisor: Dr George Disney
Project description:
Joanna's research will use linked health and administrative data to look at adult health outcomes for people with childhood disability.
PhD Scholarships - 2021
Marlies Wanasili
Project: Gaming devices to increase occupational engagement in adults with upper limb impairment
Supervisors: Dr Cathy Said, Dr. Marlena Klaic, Dr. Vincent Crocher and Dr. Danielle Hitch (Deakin Uni)
Project description: This project aims to explore the use of gaming devices for upper limb rehabilitation from an occupational perspective. The research will look at a) whether gaming is a meaningful occupation for clients and clinicians, and b) whether gaming impacts on participation in meaningful occupation in daily life for clients with upper limb impairment.
Kerry Britt
Project: ENVISAGE for Service Providers: Creating opportunity to change how service providers think, talk about, and approach childhood disability
Supervisor: Professor Christine Imms
Project description: This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a five-week online workshop for service providers who work with families of children with neuro-developmental disability (NDD).
Heidi Peart
Project: Access to social media platforms during emergencies: An analysis of human rights considerations for people with intellectual disability navigating the digital divide
Supervisor: Dr Piers Gooding
Project description: This research aims to better understand how and if social media can be better utilised as a tool to support people with intellectual disability during widespread emergencies, such as natural disasters. The study will also examine whether the Australian government is meeting its obligations under the CRPD to provide communications online that are inclusive of people with intellectual disability.
PhD Scholarships - 2020
Ludmila Fleitas Alfonzo
Project: Young Carers
Supervisors: Dr Tania King
Project description: This project aims to identify the causal pathways that contribute to poorer life outcomes among young carers. It will inform the implementation of programs and policies to support young carers, and in doing so, will reduce disparities and improve the economic, social, health and educational outcomes of this vulnerable group.
Project Findings
John Carey
Project: CycLink, Linking children and young people with disability to community participation in cycling Supervisors: Professor Alicia Spittle, Dr Rachel Toovey, Professor Christine Imms and Profesoor Nora Shields.
Project description: This research will aim to develop and support inclusive cycling opportunities for children and young people with disability in the community.
PhD Scholarships - 2018 - 2019
Johanna Taylor
Project: School Refusal, Disability and Early intervention: Validation of a School Refusal Screening Tool to Promote Access to Intervention
Supervisors: Dr Lisa McKay-Brown, Dr Shiralee Poed
Project description: This research aims to increase the capacity of teachers in Victoria to meet the needs of students who are at-risk of disengaging from school through the development of a screening tool for at risk students and professional learning for teachers to assist in the development of strategies for students at-risk of school refusal.
Marissa Shields
Project: Employment for young Australians with a disability
Supervisors: Dr Allison Milner
Project description: This project aims to create much-needed evidence about the individual, service-related, workplace and contextual factors that contribute to successful employment and health outcomes for young people who either have a disability or who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.