Time to move? Integrating activity opportunities for mothers into family sporting commitments

About the project

Increase opportunities for physical activity 

If you are passionate about a career in allied health and driven to increase physical activity opportunities in the Australian population, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD within Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA).

Nearly half of Australian children engage in organised sport at least once a week. Parents spend many hours per year supporting their children’s sporting commitments, making sacrifices in their personal and social lives to do so. 

These commitments often reduce opportunities for their own physical activity, particularly for mothers. We need to identify strategies to increase the physical activity levels of mothers that align, rather than compete, with existing commitments.

Our project aims to co-design, implement, and evaluate a physical activity program for mothers that can be integrated into their children’s sporting commitments. We will use person-centred approaches to co-create solutions to challenges identified by participants, including mothers and service providers (e.g., sporting organisations). 

We will then develop and implement a program and examine the effects on a range of outcomes, including physical activity and wellbeing. Our objective is to identify how we can support mothers to engage in physical activity, which contributes to local, national, and international priorities.

You will be based within the ARENA research centre. This is a supportive research environment that includes a vibrant cohort of senior, mid- and early-career researchers and graduate students. We focus on real-world issues and bring bold ideas to create solutions which optimise health, function, and wellbeing. 

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will be involved in the co-design, delivery, and evaluation of a physical activity intervention for mothers with our multidisciplinary team. You will be required to travel to data collection sites within South Australia. 

You will need to be an effective problem-solver and critical thinker and be able to work collaboratively with the research team. We will provide training in different data collection techniques, including co-design, and help you further develop skills in quantitative and qualitative data analyses.

There will be opportunities to present your research both within the University and externally, which will bolster your networks and communication skills. You will be supported by the supervisory team to present your research findings through publications and presentations at local/national/international scientific conferences.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based in ARENA. We investigate the role of exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle activities in improving clinical and health outcomes. Physical, psychological and sports performance in populations is studied across a wide cross-section of society, ranging from children to elite athletes and people with chronic disease.

Our research focus "Healthy lives through healthy living" centres around the grand challenge of tackling the growing epidemic of chronic diseases. We focus on real-world issues and bring bold ideas to create solutions which optimise health, function, and wellbeing.

Our mission is to be the leading Australian voice on a global stage by championing research in exercise, nutrition, preventative health and other lifestyle behaviours across the lifespan. We work with diverse research partners, end-users and our communities to identify and evaluate solutions, and translate these outcomes into products and changes in policy and practice. Financial Support  

This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $32,500 (2025 rate) per annum is available to eligible applicants. Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants will be eligible to receive an increased stipend rate of $52,352 (2025 rate) per annum. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information for domestic students or international students.

Eligibility and Selection 

This project is open to application from both Domestic and International applicants. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. 

Additionally applicants must meet the project selection criteria: 

• A South Australian Working with Children Check is required. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Full driving licence

All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.

The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and to be based at our City East Campus in the east of Adelaide. Note that international students on a student visa will need to study full-time.

Essential Dates 

Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close on Monday, 25 November.