LTU "PhD Research Scholarship in Substance Use, Public Health

PhD Research Scholarship in Substance Use, Public Health and Sociology – Critical moments in responses for children affected by family substance use

La Trobe University

Job description

Amount

$35,000 per annum, for three and a half years (fortnightly stipend). Plus, a tuition fee scholarship for 4 years, and thesis and relocation allowances.

Who is it for?

One – two future PhD candidates

Where is it available?

Melbourne (Bundoora)

Description

This PhD scholarship, established by La Trobe University, is related to a new public health project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in conjunction with: Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA); Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF); Australian Institute for Family Studies (AIFS),   Youth Affairs Commission - Victoria (YACVic); Uniting;  Monash Health; Queen's University Belfast;  University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS).

Description of the PhD project

Child maltreatment, where familial alcohol or other drug use is involved, is responded to by multiple systems, including child protection, health, family services, juvenile justice and police. The public health research project will use individual and/or linked service system and/or survey data to study outcomes and pathways for intervention and support for children and families in systems (e.g. child protection) that are involved when harms to children from their families' alcohol and drug (AOD) use occur.

The successful applicant/s will collaborate with the chief investigators to develop a thesis project related to one or more of the project's aims:

1. To identify critical moments, trajectories and contexts in children and young people's lives with family AOD use, describing and exploring predictors of child outcomes in and across Victorian and Australian service systems
2. To investigate service engagement and an array of critical outcomes (e.g. social, academic, developmental) for Australian children in the general population when there has been a history of family AOD use and
3. To estimate potential health, social and economic benefits of reducing the burden of family AOD use.

The student would develop the project with their supervisors to make it their own and uniquely contribute to greater understanding of, young people's pathways and outcomes, and how services and systems can best their needs.

The scholarship is located at La Trobe's Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) – an innovative, multi-disciplinary world-class research facility at the forefront of alcohol research. Our research is used to promote and inform the development of evidence-based, effective alcohol policy in Australia and internationally. Our team of established and emerging experts, both in alcohol and related fields and research methods, offers doctoral candidate's opportunities to develop their skills, networks and careers.

Supervisor

Dr Anne-Marie Laslett - NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow CAPR

Are you eligible to apply?

To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must have:

• A Masters by research degree in a relevant discipline (public health, humanities/social science, etc.) completed within the last ten years assessed at a La Trobe Masters by research standard of 75 or above; OR

• A Bachelors (Honours) degree, Masters by coursework or ungraded Masters by research degree completed within the last ten years where you achieved a weighted average mark of 70 or above across any coursework subjects; AND

Any of the following assessed at a La Trobe Masters by research standard of 75 or above:

• A research thesis of approximately 15,000-20,000 words; or
• The degree includes a written research component comprising at least 3/8 of one year; or
• You are the lead author of a peer-reviewed publication or other research published within the last ten years.

This Australian systems-based PhD is only available to domestic students, i.e., Australian or New Zealand citizens or Australian Permanent Residents.

The closing date for applications is 31 October 2025.

Successful applicants must be available to commence their degree between 1 February and 30 June 2026, at La Trobe University's Bundoora campus. These scholarships are competitively awarded, and selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the selected project.

How to Apply

[For Ethical Jobs applicants] Please do not use the apply now button.

If you wish to apply, please contact the supervisor, Dr Anne-Marie Laslett at , using the subject line: Critical moments in responses for children affected by family substance use -- application via EthicalJobs, or on

More information

More information on La Trobe's Graduate Research Scholarship Program can be found at Graduate Research Scholarships - Research Training Program (RTP) and La Trobe Graduate Research Scholarship (LTGRS), Study with us, Scholarships, Other Scholarship opportunities, La Trobe University