Vacation Research Scholarships

Project Summary:China’s traditional cultural value of filial piety places primary responsibility for caring for aging parents on adult children. However, the one-child policy (1979–2015) has significantly altered family structures, concentrating caregiving obligations on a single child. Recently, a new informal aged care arrangement has emerged: adult children opt out of the labour market to provide full-time care for their parents in exchange for direct financial support from the parents themselves. This project aims to examine this emerging care model, its prevalence, motivations, and implications for families and society.
The study will explore three core questions: (1) How widespread is this intergenerational financial-care arrangement, and what cultural, economic, or policy factors drive its adoption? (2) What are the impacts of this model on adult children’s career trajectories and long-term financial security, as well as on elderly parents’ financial stability and wellbeing? (3) How does this arrangement intersect with existing aged care and social security systems, and what are the implications for policy?
The proposed vocational project is a review of existing polices, studies, reports, or posts available on social media in this emerging area. Expected outcomes include a nuanced understanding of how families negotiate aged care responsibilities under demographic pressures and shrinking family sizes. The study will also try to identify economic and social risks associated with adult children’s withdrawal from the workforce and offer preliminary policy recommendations. Findings may inform strategies for integrating informal caregiving into China’s formal aged care system, ensuring intergenerational equity and long-term sustainability.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation available

Contact person: Dr Lei Xu

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Project Summary: Australia government has set an ambitious target to reach net-zero carbon emission by 2025, and at the forefront is the low-carbon energy transition, which include wide range events ranging from a reduction in the use of fossil fuels, improve energy-efficiency and development of low-carbon energy sources.

While the low-carbon energy transition is well underway across the world, it is less clear how it influences the jobs and skills in Australia. International evidence indicates that such transition can lead to job losses in the energy-intensive industries, especially fossil fuel industry, and create new jobs in other sectors. However, the overall impact varies across countries.

The main task of this project is to review academic research and industry reports to gain a clearer picture on the impact of low-carbon energy transition on job market in Australia. In addition to the overall picture, the review will look into both job losses and job gains and focus on several energy-intensive sectors as well as new-energy sectors such as solar, battery and low-carbon liquid fuels. A complete draft of review paper is expected as a result of this project.

This will be a good opportunity to learn an essential research skill – literature review and gain in-depth knowledge on how a nation’s effort to address climate change shifts the landscape of the job market.

Study Mode: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Xin Deng

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Project Summary:

This project investigates how multicultural artists are represented and supported within Australia's contemporary arts sector, with a focus on cultural equity. Despite Australia’s growing cultural diversity, artists from non-Anglo or migrant backgrounds often remain underrepresented in major arts festivals, funding programs, and public narratives.

The research will explore how multicultural artists are included—or excluded—in festival programming and government-supported arts initiatives. It will examine publicly available data such as festival artist line-ups, grant recipient lists, and strategic policies from bodies like the Creative Australia and state arts agencies. Through this analysis, the project aims to identify patterns of inclusion, highlight systemic gaps, and consider how cultural equity is addressed at the policy level.

This desk-based project is ideal for a student interested in the arts, cultural policy, diversity, or social justice. The student will develop skills in policy analysis, data collection, and critical thinking, while contributing to broader conversations about access, representation, and inclusion in the Australian arts landscape.

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact Person: Dr Boram Lee

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Project Summary: Double Jeopardy, Duplication of Purchase, Negative Binomial Distribution and Brand User Profiles are fundamental laws of marketing and buyer behaviour. These laws have been observed across many countries and categories including fast moving consumer goods, services, retailers, B2B and more. However, there are still some markets and categories which have not been analysed using these laws. This project will extend our understanding of these fundamental laws by conducting research in new categories.

In this project, students will be guided by world leading researchers in the area and will present results weekly to a small group of researchers at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute before a final presentation.

Students will analyse their own data while also working in groups of three. This project will run for 6 weeks.

This program won the Teaching Collaboration and Peer Support Award at the 2021 Staff Excellence Awards.

Contact Person: Alicia Grasby

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Project Summary: Does the wealth of your parents and where you were born determine your future wealth and well-being?  The persistence of intergenerational inequality is widely accepted as a major challenge in all countries.  For example, there is a growing body of evidence that children born poverty are themselves more likely to experience poverty.   At the same time, there are those who are able to escape this poverty trap, and exhibit ‘upward socio-economic mobility’.   The ultimate determinants of these processes are likely related to compositional effects (the characteristics of a person and their parents) and contextual effects (environmental determinants).  One obvious difficulty associated with research in this area is the lack of intergenerational data available.  This work will help bridge this gap using a unique set of WW1 soldier data that has already been linked back to birth certificates and hence has identified parents.  The next stage, and the focus of this work, is to link these data to property valuations held for all Tasmanian properties in the 19^th century.     Comparisons will then be made over compositional effects (value and nature of property ownership, occupation of parents) and contextual (position within a city, proximity to noxious trades, etc) and the occupational status of their children who enlisted in WW1.  The project will enable the student to develop skills in data management, automated linkage methods, and statistical analysis using Stata or equivalent software.

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact Person: Dr John Wilson

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Project Summary: The field of fluorescence microscopy is fundamental to visualising and understanding important biological processes such as trafficking, cell-cell interactions and cellular responses to stress, to name a few. Access to highly sophisticated fluorescent imaging agents is now more critical than ever to ensure compatibility with improved microscope hardware. Current imaging agents suffer from a range of drawbacks including poor photostability, cross-talk, photobleaching, difficult handling and storage concerns. The chemistry community has partially addressed these concerns with various imaging agents now published, with emissions that span from visible to near-IR.

The 1,8-naphthalimide provides an ideal scaffold to develop cell biology probes; appropriately substituted analogues exhibit beneficial photophysical properties including large Stokes shifts, high quantum yields and good photostability. The 1,8-naphthalimide exhibits positive solvatochromic emission, whereby the colour of light emitted (maxima) is strongly influenced by the relative polarity of the local environment.

Imaging agents that stain more than one organelle simultaneously with distinct emission maxima are scarce. The Synthesis of Biologically Active Molecules research group have reported a first-in-class molecule that stains both lipid droplets (LD) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) whereby emission maxima can be distinguished due to the differing polarities of the sub-cellular environments. This molecule is now the first (and only) commercially available imaging agent capable of this function. This project aims to design, synthesise an evaluate a new 1,8-napthalimide imaging agent that can stain both LDs and the mitochondria. Such an imaging tool would be a valuable addition to the toolkit of cell biologists, particularly those working in the lipid biology field.

Contact Person: Dr Shane Hickey 

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Project Summary: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men with more than 24,000 cases diagnosed annually, and ten Australian men succumbing to this disease every day. Due to the dependence of prostate cancer cells on androgens for growth and survival, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has remained the frontline strategy for advanced prostate cancer since the 1940s. Although ADT is initially effective in most patients, it fails to achieve an enduring remission, with a predictable disease recurrence in a median time of 18–20 months. The state of the disease after ADT failure is termed castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and is incurable.

Cells draw on three main pools of fatty acids for energy requirements: saturated (SFAs), monosaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated (PUFAs). In healthy cells, PUFAs play only a minor role in normal metabolic processes, but in late-stage prostate cancer PUFAs become critical molecules for two primary reasons: (i) their double bonds react with reactive oxygen species (ROS) which results in lipid peroxidation, ferroptosis and cell death; and (ii) they are a vital fuel source for cancer progression. We have shown using knock-down studies that targeting enzymes that control the metabolism of PUFA selectively kills late-stage prostate cancer cells. As such, targeting these enzymes is a valid and novel thereapeutic strategy to treat this disease.

This medicinal chemistry project will design, synthesise and evaluate novel molecules that inhibit critical enzymes involved in PUFA metabolism.

Contact Person: Dr Shane Hickey

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Project Summary: Osteoporosis is a disease resulting in reduced bone strength that significantly increases the risk of broken bones. Osteoporosis can be caused by a number of factors and is particularly prominent in older people, with 70% of those over the age of 80 being affected. Currently, osteoporosis is treated with bisphosphonates that have to be taken orally each day over long periods (3+ year) to be effective. Some of the major drawbacks with bisphosphonates taken orally is their very low bioavailability (~0.6%), which means that large doses need to be consumed, and they can cause esophageal ulceration and cancer. Furthermore, patient compliance can be an issue, as with any oral medications that requires frequent doses. To avoid these problems, this project aims to develop a drug-eluting implants, that can provide sustained release of bisphosphonates at the target location over a period of 6+ months.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary:

Professor Claudine Bonder leads the Vascular Biology & Cell Trafficking laboratory in the Centre for Cancer Biology. Together with her team of scientists and clinical collaborators they study the intricate interplay between cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment (particularly blood vessels) to better understand how cancer develops and becomes deadly. With a focus on translating their scientific discoveries into outcomes for better human health, their work aims to provide new opportunities to prevent tumours from growing and metastasising to vital organs in cancer patients. The Centre for Cancer Biology also offers two top up scholarships for an additional $100/week in collaboration with the ‘Fuss Family’ and ‘Lashes of Love’.

Project 1. Targeting better outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological malignancy and is an incurable disease of neoplastic plasma cells (PC). With only 17% of MM patients surviving 10-years post diagnosis, faster detection and earlier intervention would unequivocally improve outcomes. The Bonder lab recently discovered that the cell surface protein desmoglein-2 (DSG2) is overexpressed in ~20% of bone marrow biopsies from newly-diagnosed MM patients and that it is strongly predictive of poor clinical outcome (Ebert et al Molecular Oncology 2022). This summer project uses molecular biology techniques to investigate DSG2 as cell surface biomarker that supports the survival of myeloma and promotes disease progression.

Project 2. Controlling the spread of cancer cells by targeting the tumour vasculature

The growth and spread of a tumour rely on the cancer cells accessing the blood supply. To do this, cancer cells not only promote blood vessel sprouting (angiogenesis) but they also form vessel-like structures themselves (vasculogenic mimicry (VM)). The Bonder lab has identified new VM targets in breast cancer, melanoma and pancreatic cancer (Thompson et al Growth Factors 2024; Tan et al OncoImmunology 2022; Martini et al BMC Cancer 2021; Tan et al, Oncotarget, 2016).

This summer project is an opportunity to learn how blood vessels promote the progression of cancer (e.g. melanoma, pancreatic cancer and breast cancer) by focussing on the function of specific proteins (e.g. desmoglein-2, ICAM-1). Outcomes here will contribute to new hope and opportunities to treat these deadly cancers.

Techniques: Cutting edge imaging technology will be used alongside cell culture, surface antigen expression by flow cytometry, protein detection by Western blot, in vitro blood vessel forming assays, gene expression by real time PCR and immunohistochemistry of human biopsies.

Contact Person: Professor Claudine Bonder

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Project Summary: Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia and globally. Annually in Australia, ~ 160,000 people are diagnosed with cancer and there are ~ 50,000 cancer related deaths. Chemotherapy, alongside surgery and radiotherapy, remains one of the leading treatments for cancer. However, chemotherapy is associated with severe side effects and in some cases can be poorly effective due to the inability to deliver high doses of anticancer drugs directly to the target. To improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutics and reduce adverse effects, anticancer drugs can be loaded into nanoparticle carriers such as polymeric micelles. This project aims to develop targeted and pH-responsive polymeric micelles for the selective uptake into cancerous tissues and the intracellular delivery of large doses of anticancer drugs. The project will involve the preparation of drug-loaded micelles and the investigation of their pH-responsivity and ability to release drugs under physiologically relevant conditions. 

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary: Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS), such as betamethasone, are standard clinical care for women at risk of preterm delivery. ACS activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), maturing the fetal lungs and reducing neonatal lung disease and death. However, clinicians are increasingly concerned about adverse effects of ACS on other organs, particularly the developing brain. In this project, we will test the prodrug ciclesonide, which is only able to signal via the GR in tissues with an activating enzyme present, like the lungs, but not brain. Our goal is to retain the benefits of ACS without adverse off-target effects on the developing brain.

Students on this project will investigate the impacts of existing ACS and ciclesonide in our preclinical model. They will investigate underlying mechanisms using MRI and molecular approaches to investigate changes in brain structure and metabolism. The candidate can learn a range of molecular (realtime PCR, Western blotting, LC-MS/MS, histology) and hands on animal (fetal surgery, MRI, physiological monitoring) techniques. They will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support their studies.

Contact Person: Prof. Janna Morrison, Associate Professor Kathy Gatford & Mauritz Herselman

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Project Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, exacerbated by the lack of new antimicrobial agents. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Acinetobacter baumannii are among the critical pathogens for which research and development of new antibiotics are urgently needed.

One therapeutic strategy is to develop new agents with a mechanism of action that act on novel target site, the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ for which there is no clinically available antibiotics. A series of furazan FtsZ inhibitors were chemically synthesized from 1,2,5-oxadia-zoles and pyrazines. Their in vitro antimicrobial activity, on-target and off-target effects, toxicity in mammalian cells as well as their drug resistance development have been previously studied.

Two compounds from this series demonstrated promising results as lead candidates for further study. Therefore, this project aims to build on previous findings by assessing their in vivo efficacy and toxicity using murine models of scald wound infections and sepsis. Bioluminescent imaging will be used to monitor bacterial burden, infection progression and wound healing that was optimised using a recombinant luciferase-expressing MRSA USA300 strain. Results obtained from this study will provide insights into their efficacy in vivo.

Contact Person: Dr Wern Chai (Primary Contact) ,Associate Professor Rietie Venter & Dr Susan Semple

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Project Summary: In Australia, Maternal, Child and Family Health Services (MCaFHs) provide scheduled support for families from infancy until a child is 4–6 years old, promoting healthy development and positive family outcomes. Traditionally, these services are delivered by registered nurses, often with dual midwifery registration and postgraduate qualifications in the field. However, workforce shortages have led to renewed interest in enabling midwives to work in MCaFHs. While no regulatory barriers exist, uptake is limited by a lack of evidence, differing state and territory legislation, and varied stakeholder perspectives.

This project seeks to generate evidence to guide decision-making and reforms by examining the views and experiences of nurses, midwives, consumers, and stakeholders regarding the feasibility and acceptability of midwives working in MCaFHs. A three-stage sequential exploratory mixed-methods design will be employed. Stage 1 is an environmental scan to map the current landscape of Australian and international evidence. Stage 2 is a national survey targeting nurses, midwives, and consumers. Stage 3 is a comprehensive stakeholder consultation on the findings of Stages 1 and 2.

The successful student will ideally have studied or be studying nursing and/or midwifery. They will contribute to the early stages of the project’s design and execution, including assisting in the design and conduct of an environmental scan to systematically map and synthesise current knowledge, practices, and policy settings regarding the inclusion of midwives in MCaFHs. The student will also assist in writing the associated environmental scan manuscript, allowing the student to contribute, and be listed on a peer-reviewed publication. Further roles may include assisting in the development of a HREC protocol and collaborating with industry partners to develop research tools.

Through completion of this project, the student will gain gain valuable research and industry collaboration experience, and a unique opportunity to establish a network across the university and industry.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Micah Peters & Jarrod Clarke

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Project Summary: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects almost 20% of women and is commonly diagnosed by excess concentrations of androgens (e.g., testosterone). During pregnancy, excess androgens result in serious complications including preeclampsia and poor fetal growth as well as increasing the mother and child’s risk of developing heart disease in later life. The exact reasons behind these risks remain unclear, but it is believed that impaired function of the placenta plays a critical role. There are currently no effective therapies that protect against damage caused by excess androgens. Our project therefore aims to test whether a simple, cost-effective nutritional supplement restores normal blood vessel function during pregnancy. We will use advanced MRI techniques, coupled with a suite of molecular toolkits, to investigate the efficacy of this supplement compared to standard treatment with metformin. Ultimately, the advanced knowledge gained through this project will improve cardiovascular health outcomes for mothers and their babies.

The candidate will learn a range of molecular (realtime PCR, Western blotting, LC-MS/MS, histology) and hands on animal (fetal surgery, MRI, physiological monitoring) techniques. They will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support their studies.

Contact Person: Prof. Janna Morrison, Associate Professor Michael Wiese, Dr Ashley Meakin 

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Project Summary: Our research seeks to understand how lymphatic vessels are built during development and how this process goes wrong in human disease states including cancer, lymphatic vascular malformations and lymphoedema. We investigate mouse and human genetics in addition to cell, molecular and developmental biology, in order to define the genes and signalling pathways that underpin lymphatic development and function in health and disease. We are particularly interested in understanding the genetic and developmental basis of human lymphatic diseases, defining how the identity of cells in the lymphatic system is programmed during development and investigating the process by which lymphatic vessel valves are built. Our ultimate aim is that by understanding these processes, we will be able to develop more effective treatments for patients affected by lymphatic vascular diseases. This project will focus on understanding how transcription factors important for programming lymphatic vessel identity work together to regulate gene expression in the lymphatic vasculature and how variants in genes encoding these transcription factors cause human lymphatic disorders. 

Contact Person: Professor Natasha Harvey

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Project Summary: Almost every cell in an individual has identical DNA yet can differentiate into all the specialized cells of the body. This is accomplished via epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Our laboratory investigates how allergy associated T cells called Th2 cells are epigenetically programmed to drive diseases including asthma. Gata3 is a key driver of Th2 cell differentiation, and we have defined an intronic enhancer region of the Gata3 gene that is important for epigenetic programming of Th2 cells. This project will extend these findings to determine how epigenetic regulation of Gata3 occurs in CD4 T cells using CRISPR DNA deletion technology.

Contact Person: Dr Damon Tumes

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Project Summary: Until recently, eosinophils were viewed as homogenous effector cells that attack parasitic worms and viruses and often underlie chronic asthma. We have defined several new subsets of eosinophils in the airways of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma and this project will determine their functions using flow cytometry and gene expression analysis.

Contact Person: Dr Damon Tumes

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Project Summary: Fetal growth restriction (FGR), where a baby weighs below the 10th percentile for their gestational age, occurs in 6.5 % of live births. Human studies show that babies whom are born small as a result of FGR are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, in adult life. However, we do not yet understand the molecular basis of this association and therefore we are limited in our capacity to implement effective intervention strategies. Determining how the fetal heart is affected using a pre-clinical model of umbilical artery occlusion may reveal molecular markers that can be targeted to improve outcomes for these babies and into their adult life. The candidate will learn a range of molecular (realtime PCR, Western blotting, LC-MS/MS, histology) and hands on animal (fetal surgery, MRI, physiological monitoring) techniques. They will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support their studies. 

Contact Person: Professor Janna Morrison & Dr Mitchell Lock

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Project Summary: Fetal growth restriction (FGR), where a baby weighs below the 10th percentile for their gestational age, occurs in 6.5 % of live births. Nearly 50% of all pregnancies complicated by FGR go undetected until after birth, despite improvements in obstetric imaging and management. A major risk in these babies is respiratory distress syndrome. This project will use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the fetal lung to comprehensively model and measure markers of maturation, growth and function in FGR. We hypothesise that MRI in early gestation used to measure fetal growth and oxygenation will correlate with gene and protein expression of molecular markers of the regulation of lung development in late gestation. The candidate will learn a range of molecular (realtime PCR, Western blotting, LC-MS/MS, histology) and hands on animal (fetal surgery, MRI, physiological monitoring) techniques. They will also have access to an extensive BioBank of fixed and frozen tissue with extensive clinical records and in vivo physiological data to support their studies.

Contact Person:  Prof. Janna Morrison & Dr Mitchell Lock

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Project Summary: Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely each year with underdeveloped lungs. While advances in neonatal medicine have improved survival rates for increasingly younger neonates, the need for ventilation and supplemental oxygen during resuscitation remains. However, these lifesaving interventions can lead to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease with severe implications for respiratory health throughout childhood and which often persists across the life-course. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a novel therapy to minimize lung injury during neonatal resuscitation and prevent the onset of BPD.

This project will characterize different severities of VILI in a preterm lamb model and assess a novel intervention aimed at reducing inflammation in the preterm lung. The candidate will learn and apply techniques such as histological assessments and/or immunohistochemistry to collected lung tissue samples and have the opportunity to learn hands on experimental animal techniques. 

Contact Person: Dr Jack Darby & Prof. Janna Morrison

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Project Summary: Depression, affecting approximately 280 million people globally, is a neurological disorder driven by neurotransmitter imbalances, particularly serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Currently available conventional oral antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), have certain limitations, including low bioavailability, extensive first-pass metabolism, and variable plasma concentrations, leading to poor remission rates and side effects like anxiety and insomnia. Daily dosing for 6-8 weeks is often required, reducing patient adherence. To address these challenges, the study aims to develop a long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation using biodegradable polymers to deliver SSRIs or SNRIs, aiming for a sustained drug release over at least seven days.

The LAI formulation employs biodegradable polymers or lipids to create a controlled-release system, minimizing dosing frequency and maintaining therapeutic plasma levels. The study focuses on formulating these drugs into colloidal systems, such as polymeric microspheres or in situ forming gels, to enhance bioavailability and bypass first-pass metabolism. The development process involves optimizing the formulation using a quality target product profile (QTPP) based on critical quality attributes such as polymer type, solvents, and process parameters. Followed by in vitro release and cell viability studies. An in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) model will be established to predict in vivo pharmacokinetic performance based on in vitro data. This approach aims to overcome the drawbacks of oral formulations, such as variable drug concentrations, and reduce side effects by ensuring consistent drug release. By improving patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy, this LAI formulation represents a promising advancement in depression treatment, potentially offering a more effective and convenient alternative to current therapies, with further clinical validation needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.

Contact Person: Professor Sanjay Garg

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Project Summary: Invasive species, such as feral cats and foxes, pose a tremendous threat to native Australian species and livestock. The ACTB group are developing a series of novel technologies for the protection of native animals and livestock from these predators. These include implant technologies that render native animals poisonous to introduced predators, and non-lethal baits that train introduced predators to avoid preying on native animals and livestock.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary:Vancomycin is an essential antibiotic for the treatment of the “superbug” methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); however, despite long-term use of vancomycin, the best treatment practice for the use of this vital antibiotic remains largely empirical. This project will be conducted in collaboration with SA Pharmacy and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), and will involve the review of vancomycin management in adult patients with MRSA infection. This work will form a component of a larger research project that aims to establish optimal dosing and therapeutic drug monitoring practices for vancomycin in this patient population.

Contact Person: Professor Stephanie Reuter Lange

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Project Summary:

Ovarian cancer is one of the most serious and life-threatening gynaecological cancers. It is often diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment is more difficult and survival rates are lower. This is partly because its early symptoms – such as bloating, abdominal pain, and fatigue – can be vague and are often mistaken for less serious conditions. Improving early diagnosis is essential, and understanding how people experience the process of being diagnosed can help us identify where delays, miscommunications or problems may occur.

This research project will focus on the analysis of written (qualitative) responses already collected as part of a symptom survey, which was completed by people who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The student will look at what respondents said about how they were diagnosed, and their descriptions of their experience. This will include looking at how people noticed symptoms, how they communicated them to doctors, how those symptoms were interpreted, and how they felt when they eventually received a diagnosis. The aim is to identify themes in how the diagnostic process is experienced and understood.

This project will be useful for students interested in bioethics or the medical humanities. It offers a chance to work with real data and think about important questions around communication, trust, and how people experience illness. This project will provide the opportunity to gain experience in qualitative research methods (e.g. thematic analysis).

No previous experience with qualitative research is needed, but an interest in health and ethical issues in medicine is essential. The student will also be encouraged to share their findings in a short report or presentation at the end of the project.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact Person: Dr Hilary Bowman-Smart

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Project Summary:

In Australia, clinicians have recognised an alarming increase in the frequency of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who, despite an apparently successful resection of the primary tumour with clear margins, still experience clinical recurrence. Patients presenting with a localised tumour (TNM stage I/II) are often deemed suitable for surgery, but many subsequently present with metastasis in the liver, raising questions as to whether the patient was appropriately staged at diagnosis. Currently, the technology to accurately detect small lesions is limited and thus patients are undergoing surgery, and not afforded other treatment regimens, including the newly listed immunotherapies, for metastatic patients who have poorer overall survival rates (5-year survival rates – 15-30% at Stage III/ IV [1-3] compared with 85% at Stage I/II [3]).

Sporadic CRC arises from mutations in three key genes and can be described as two unique developmental sequences; 1) the Adenoma Polyp-Carcinoma sequence, and 2) the Serrated Polyp-Carcinoma sequence [4, 5]. The flow on effects of these two carcinoma sequences have been extensively studied, including chromosomal instability, DNA methylation, and DNA mismatch repair genes, but none of these provide improved CRC detection [6-9]. The current challenge for accurate patient staging is the inability to visualise small lesions by routine histology.

Our primary focus is to develop innovative technology that defines primary CRC pathogenesis and residual disease, enabling accurate patient staging to facilitate precision management for therapeutic interventions. We have identified biomarkers that report on the primary pathogenesis for CRC and here we will validate the scientific discovery process and demonstrate that the endosomal-lysosomal system is directly involved in the primary pathogenesis of CRC.

AIM 1: Validate the technology using a retrospective cohort of patient tissue samples to define the primary pathogenesis and accurate staging in CRC.

AIM 2. Develop a digital pathology imaging and AI classification solution for accurate CRC subtype detection using Deep Learning in combination with patient bioinformatics

Contact Person: Dr Jessica Logan

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Project Summary: While adoptive cell therapies, such as engineered immune cells are highly effective for the treatment of bloodborne cancers, their efficacy for the treatment of solid tumours has been limited in part due to difficulties in achieving high doses of the immune cells at the target site. A promising solution is the application of a delivery system that anchors the immune cells at the target site and provides a sustained release profile. Therefore, in this study the aim is to develop injectable hydrogel systems that gel in situ and provides a sustained release of T-cells through gradual degradation of the hydrogel matrix.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary:

Conjugates consist of a combination of two components covalently coupled together and are used extensively in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and life-science industries. For example, antibody-drug conjugates consist of a targeting antibody that can recognize a specific target (e.g., cancer cell) and a drug which is delivered to the target. This combination allows for selective drug delivery and reduced off-target effects. Conjugates are prepared using highly efficient coupling chemistries, however, there is significant scope for the development of new coupling chemistries that proceed rapidly at low temperatures, don’t require complex precursors or catalysts, and are selective to particular functionalities. The project will involve the development of a new type of conjugation chemistry based on Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The aim will be to optimise the system to proceed rapidly in water, without the addition of catalysts.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary: The proliferation and accessibility of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) enabled tools, such as ChatGPT, has rapidly altered how students engage with academic tasks. This project seeks to examine the impact of GenAI among health science undergraduates, evaluating student motivation, self-regulation of learning, and assessment practice.

Within health science higher education, non-invigilated assessments are intentionally designed to cultivate research skills, critical thinking and self-directed learning. Traditionally written assessment modalities (e.g., essays, case studies, reflective journals) support student learning by engaging in the process of completing the task. The challenge lies in discerning whether the optional use of GenAI-enabled tools enhances or undermines students' motivation to engage with their coursework and assessments, and whether the assessments and tasks remain fit for purpose

In this project the candidate would potentially review published literature and analysis of collected data from student participants from current projects to produce a report of their findings.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact Person: Dr Sarah Davey & Dr Tim Barnes

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Project Summary:

Many pharmaceutically active molecules fail to progress into medical treatments due to their poor solubility and permeability and inability to cross biological barriers.  This project will focus on the development of new drug delivery technologies to advance the absorption and biodistribution of small molecule therapeutic agents. Lipid based drug delivery technologies will be compared with antibody drug conjugates (ADC’s).  Innovative pharmaceutical formulation approaches will be utilised to improve the encapsulation and delivery of novel pharmaceutically active molecules.  These formulations will advance into in vitro and in vivo models to demonstrate improved pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, toxicity and efficacy.  The project will have implications for the development of new and improved medicines to fight cancer and infectious disease.

The summer vacation student will receive invaluable research  training in medicinal chemistry, drug delivery technologies and nanomedicine.

Contact Person:  Professor Clive Prestidge

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Project Summary: There is significant ongoing interest in tackling the challenge of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. This issue becomes even more critical when microorganisms form biofilms, which can boost their resistance up to 1000-fold compared to their planktonic counterparts. Alternative treatment strategies are increasingly focusing on overcoming resistance mechanisms through nanotechnology-enabled approaches, such as nanoparticle drug delivery systems. These systems support multimodal therapeutic methods by incorporating elements like biofilm-penetrating enzymes, quorum sensing inhibitors to disrupt intracellular communication, and multiple therapeutic agents targeting different parts of bacterial cellular machinery.

In this project, you will work with advanced lipid-based nanomedicines that incorporate multiple therapeutic modalities (e.g., biofilm penetration, disruption of cellular communication, and targeted therapeutics) to overcome bacterial resistance mechanisms and penetrate biofilms for improved therapeutic outcomes. Based in the Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation within the purpose-built Bradley building research laboratories, you will develop technical skills in various advanced physicochemical formulation and material characterisation techniques.

Contact Person: Dr Tim Barnes, Professor Clive Prestidge & Anam Ahsan

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Project Summary: Many registered nurses continue their education beyond pre-registration bachelor’s degrees by undertaking postgraduate studies to further their knowledge, clinical practice and career pathways. Postgraduate nursing education is often offered as fully online and asynchronous with limited face to face opportunities. Online delivery offers clinicians the ability to build their theoretical knowledge whilst working clinically. The challenge for academics in delivery of a fully online program is in building confidence, exposure and psychomotor skills in the higher-level skills that comes through undertaking postgraduate education. Computer gaming has been around for some time with the intention to entertain. However, serious games and gamification in education is a more recent approach. Serious gaming utilises gaming with the intention to use as an education tool whilst gamification uses components of games. This new approach is starting to emerge in healthcare education but what are the most effective gamification strategies or gaming technologies for enhancing learning outcomes in postgraduate nursing education?

This vacation scholarship will provide a student with the opportunity to assist the research team in exploring innovate approaches to postgraduate nursing education with the use of gaming technology or gaming components. The vacation scholarship student will actively participate in research activities such as conducting a survey and semi-structured interviews with nurses to determine their knowledge and skill in gaming technology. The aim is to understand our nursing population and if gaming technology or gaming components is a beneficial approach to their knowledge and skill development. 

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact Person: Ms Vivienne Leigh & Dr Allison Roderick & Dr Michelle Freeling

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Project Summary:Polymers are essential in many biomedical applications ranging from nanomedicine and drug delivery to tissue engineering to wound dressings. With the drive towards more sustainable and functional biomaterials, there is a constant need for new polymers that are biocompatible and biodegradable. Moving away from fossil fuel derived polymers, we have been working to engineer new polymers from sustainable sources that maintain the same functionality, such as polymers derived from food waste.

Contact Person: Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

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Project Summary:

Medicine shortages are a persistent and growing concern in Australia, with significant implications for patient care, health service delivery, and medicine safety. This project will explore the landscape of recent medicine shortages using national datasets, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) item-level aggregate dispensing data and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Medicines Shortages Reports Database. The aim is to characterise the extent, duration, and impact of shortages across various medicine classes and therapeutic areas.

The researcher will gain hands-on experience in analysing real-world data, developing and applying statistical methods to describe trends and patterns in medicine availability and utilisation. Opportunities will be available to investigate case studies of critical shortages, identify patterns in substitute prescribing, and assess the timeliness of shortage reporting and resolution.

This project will suit students interested in pharmacoepidemiology, public health, pharmacy practice, or health data science. Ideally you will be a pharmacy or pharmaceutical science student. The project will contribute to the growing evidence base required to inform risk mitigation strategies, regulatory responses, and policy development to ensure continuity of medicine supply in Australia.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact Person: Dr Jack Janetzki

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Project Summary: Currently several other dementia support programs are available in Australia. Some of these programs offer information to increase awareness and reduce stigma (National Dementia Support Program), provide carer education and respite care, palliative care support provided by specialist nurses and Occupational Therapists (The Nightingale Program) and specialised training for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals (Dementia Training Australia courses). However, there is a severe lack of a comprehensive program which offers all of these services from a single provider. Also, most of these services are more accessible to those living in capital cities and metropolitan areas. There is a large gap in rural and remote areas where such services are equally needed. The Dementia Support Pharmacist program run by clinical pharmacists, aims to transform dementia care across community, home settings, and aged care facilities in rural and remote South Australia.

This project aims to (i) determine services and activities that have been provided by the clinical pharmacists through this program; (ii) explore the role of pharmacists working in dementia care in rural and remote areas and (iii) explore the real-world impact of this service through the lens of clients of this service.

Contact Person: Dr Vijay Suppiah

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Project Summary:Vacation scholars will have to opportunity to undertake research activities in working with the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogies and Early Childhood Research Team within the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion. A range of project possibilities are available including literature searches, literature reviews, data analysis and translating research into practice-based materials. Scholars will learn about large research projects and collaborate with teams. Please contact me to discuss options.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation available

Contact person: Associate Professor Jamie Sisson 

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Project Summary:The project explores neurodiversity-affirming practices in South Australian organisations that have been identified by the Office for Autism as modelling best practice in the workplace.
The goal of the project is to identify strategies that can inform curriculum design in university courses, so that neurodivergent students are supported, and all students (both neurodivergent and neurotypical) learn to work in an environment that affirms and values neurodiversity as an asset. In other words, practices implemented in external organisations will serve as models for designing neurodiversity-affirming curriculum and learning activities in university courses (e.g. group projects).
Project data includes policy documents and other information provided by organisations, as well as interviews with members of the organisation. Project outcomes include guidelines for curriculum design and resources for the professional development of teaching staff, as well as academic publications.
The student-researcher may be asked to support with academic literature review related to the project as well as with data collection and preliminary analysis, depending on their skills and interests.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation available

Contact Person: Antonella Strambi

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Project summary:

At the Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L), we’re confronting a question that sits at the frontier of education and artificial intelligence: Can Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) accurately identify and assess human skills such as leadership, critical thinking, empathy, and conflict resolution?

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly automates routine and technical tasks, these deeply human capabilities are emerging as our last and most vital competitive edge. And yet, educators currently lack the tools to detect and nurture them effectively, particularly in real-world, collaborative problem-solving settings.
We’ve developed a platform that uses conversational data to surface and analyse human skills in real time. This 8-week full-time research project invites you to join our team in evaluating GenAI’s ability to perform that same task and to benchmark it against human judgment.

Your Role:
You'll help annotate conversational transcripts for human skills using established educational frameworks, working alongside experienced researchers to produce a high-quality, human-coded benchmark. You’ll then evaluate GenAI’s performance on the same tasks by comparing its outputs to this benchmark. Using interrater agreement (IRA), Cohen’s kappa and t-tests, you’ll assess how closely the AI aligns with expert human judgment. For those inclined, there are opportunities to undertake data processing and analytics using AI tools.

Why this matters:
If GenAI can match or even approach human accuracy in recognising complex skills, it could revolutionise how we assess learning and support human development at scale. Your work will contribute to the early research shaping this future.

What you will gain:
Co-authorship on a peer-reviewed publication (pending results).
Mentorship and networking with leading scholars in AI and education.
A strong foundation for future Honours, Master's, or PhD pathways.
If you're not content to sit on the sidelines of the AI revolution, this is your chance to get in the game.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Andrew Zamecnik

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Project Summary: My colleagues and I have been working with a large school in Sydney for the past 5 years. The project has entailed a professional development program for 300 staff across 4 campuses to become vision driven or in other words to question whether they are achieving what they aspire. Each year we conducted a school review to assess the impact of our professional development through qualitative (focus groups and classroom observations) and quantitative (surveys) methods. This project is an opportunity to learn how to code and analyse data for emergent themes that chart the journey of each of the four campuses.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation available

Contact Person: Associate Professor Nadeem Memon

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Project Summary: In 2021, I was part of the author list for Patston, T. J., Kaufman, J. C., Cropley, A. J., & Marrone, R. (2021). What is creativity in education? A qualitative study of international curricula. Journal of Advanced Academics, 32(2), 207-230.

Our research (Marrone and Vieira) provides evidence that creativity is a transdisciplinary skill, and yet the bias remains that creativity is found predominantly in the arts.

Given the current World Economic Forum 2025 jobs report, which lists creativity as an essential human skill, we would like to replicate the above paper and see how curricula across the globe has changed (or not). Part of this replication includes expanding the curriculum beyond English-only documents i.e., into Spanish, Portugese and Dutch. We need a vacation scholarship to help us check the curriculum.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Rebecca Marrone

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Project Summary: Much contemporary educational research notes an increase in the diversity of linguistic and cultural backgrounds represented in school student cohorts across Australia. Observations have been made that teacher workforces do not reflect the same linguistic and cultural backgrounds as students.

At a time when there is an increasing need to recruit and retain teachers from diverse backgrounds, little is known about the linguistic and cultural diversity amongst pre-service teachers in Australian teacher education. The aim of this research project is to understand how multilingual and multicultural pre-service teachers are recruited, engaged and retained in initial teacher education programs in Australia. The multilingual and multicultural pre-service teachers in focus in this project include both local and international students, who bring different sets of experience, languages and knowledges to teaching.

Research Questions: 
* Who are the multilingual students in teacher education programs? 
* What are the experiences of these pre-service teachers in course work and placement? 
* How is a multilingual stance developed through teacher education programs? 
* How can recruitment, engagement and retention of these pre-service teachers be improved across all curriculum areas? 

Potential research activities:
* Examine relevant literature in languages you know
* Analyse numerical data on teachers in training
* Analyse multilingual content and perspectives in UniSA education courses
* Assist with focus group discussions, particularly using your multilingual skills
* Process and analyse data from questionnaires or focus group discussions
… and we are keen to negotiate around your ideas and multilingual expertise

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact people: Dr Mei French

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Project Summary: This study analyses the inherent complexity of how numeracy is conceptualised and implemented across different learning areas within the Australian curriculum framework for Years 7-10. Whilst the general capabilities section provides an overarching definition of numeracy, each of the eight learning areas contains discipline-specific numeracy statements and summary statements detailing their contribution to mathematical understanding across subjects.
As part of this project you will contribute to investigating the relationship between mathematics as a discrete subject and numeracy as a cross-curricular capability, with particular focus on secondary school implementation contexts. The role will involve supporting analysis of curriculum materials and contributing to understanding variations in how learning areas interpret and apply numeracy concepts

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Associate Professor Lisa O'Keeffe

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Project Summary: This project explores a whole-community approach to promoting international student wellbeing as a means to foster collective flourishing in Australia. Drawing on both sociological and psychological lenses, it engages with three key concepts: wellbeing, resilience, and community engagement. The project has collected both quantitative and qualitative data from five sources: (1) large-scale official panel data on international student numbers and experiences; (2) cross-sectional survey responses from 1,367 international students in South Australia; (3) focus group interviews with 16 international students; (4) individual interviews with 9 community members; and (5) longitudinal survey data (collected over seven weeks) and follow-up interviews with Master of Teaching international students at UniSA.

Co-led by Associate Professor Michael Mu and Dr Hannah Soong, the project has supported previous VRS scholars in conducting literature reviews, analysing research data, and using tools such as EndNote and NVivo—culminating in the submission of two manuscripts to top journals in the field. The project has also gained wide public visibility, having been featured in major international and national media outlets such as ABC and Times Higher Education, with one VRS scholar interviewed by ABC.

Michael and Hannah now invite VRS scholars to join their project and engage in: (1) information retrieval and review (e.g., mapping national and state-level resources, programs, and services that support international students; collecting, organising, and reviewing relevant scholarly literature); (2) quantitative and qualitative data analysis; (3) research skills development (e.g., Nvivo for qualitative data analysis, SPSS for quantitative data analysis, academic databases for retrieving scholarly literature, EndNote for write-and-cite); (4) academic writing with co-authoring opportunities; and (5) connecting with and receiving mentorship from current doctoral students.

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Associate Professor Michael Mu & Dr Hannah Soong

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Project Summary:Despite the advocacy of inclusive education at a global policy level, students remain systemically excluded, encountering challenges in schools across each of these pillars. Educators continue to struggle to ensure all learners are attending and their needs are met in their mainstream neighbourhood schools. Aligned with UniSA’s strategic priority 4, ‘Shaping a better world together’, the aim of this project is to identify practices that educators can employ to include students with disabilities ensuring their presence, participation and achievement.
The vacation research scholar will work closely with the research team to conduct a desk-based research coding and analysing NCCD podcasts offering support strategies for educators teaching students with various types of disabilities. The aim of this project is the production of an academic publication and in the spirit of research translation, key summary/ies of the identified enabling practices for educators.
Research Team: Dr Foteini Pasenidou (UniSA), Dr Lia Tsermidou (University of Athens, Greece), Dr Kate Quane (UniSA)

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Foteini Pasenidou

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Project Summary: The integration of GenAI in education is a rapidly evolving area with significant implications for teaching and learning. While AI-driven tools are increasingly being adopted, there is limited empirical research on their actual effectiveness, impact on student learning, and ethical considerations. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Generative AI (GenAI) in Education by evaluating its impact on student learning, cognitive engagement, and academic performance. Specifically, this research project will aim to assess how AI-driven tools such as ChatMate enhance student experiences and their level of cognitive engagement while using these tools within a higher education context. The study will analyse empirical data of students' chat logs with the tool to identify their engagement, and also analyse survey data to investigate students' perceived engagement with the tool. Overall, the study seeks to provide empirical evidence on the benefits and challenges of GenAI adoption in university settings.

Contact person: Dr Abhinava Barthakur

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Project Summary: Are you curious about the relationship between AI and creativity? This is your chance to be part of a dynamic research project exploring how artificial intelligence can support the development of creativity in adolescents.
As a summer scholar, you’ll work alongside leading educational researchers in Australia and abroad, contributing to a project at the forefront of innovation in learning and creativity. This is an exciting chance to gain experience in interdisciplinary research, build international connections, and contribute to a project that has real-world impact.
You will play an important role in curating and analysing qualitative data collected from schools, including video recordings and other materials that capture students' creative engagement in AI-supported learning environments. Your work will contribute to innovative research that seeks to understand and enhance how young people think, create, and learn with AI.
Ideal for students interested in creativity, learning sciences, psychology, or education, this scholarship will help you develop research skills while working in a supportive, future-focused team.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation available

Contact People: Maria Vieira & Professor Maarten de Laat

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Project Summary:This desk-based project involves a systematic literature review focused on the concept of student voice in Australian educational research. The study aims to critically examine how student voice has been conceptualised, captured and enabled in research across different educational settings and levels. By analysing peer-reviewed journal articles, the review will identify dominant themes, gaps and methodological trends in the field. The project seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge and inform future research and practice by highlighting how student perspectives are valued and captured within Australian educational research.
The vacation research scholar will work closely with Dr Foteini Pasenidou to conduct a systematic literature review coding and analysing peer-reviewed journal articles to explore how students’ right to be heard is currently understood and how it can be meaningfully realised in educational research. Outcomes of the project may contribute to an academic publication and/or report, as well as creative dissemination methods such as visual posters.

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Foteini Pasenidou 

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Project Summary: This project will explore the role[s] of collegial academic-professional staff relationships in supporting the regional student experience. The Vacation Research Scholar [VRS] will collaborate with regional staff to conduct a literature review of the topic, design a research proposal, and work towards preparing an ethics application. The VRS will be supported by an Education Futures academic and Student Support and Project Officer [professional staff member] throughout eight weeks of the vacation period.

Our regional campus in Whyalla encompasses a diverse geographic and contextual footprint across the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. The regional student cohort are representative of equity groups, including, first-in-family, low-socio economic, non-school age, students with disabilities, and Indigenous students. Attending internal classes, actively engaging in campus activities, connecting with peers and local staff builds genuine and reciprocated relationships that promote and enhance learning. As an academic-professional team, we depend upon each other’s knowledge, skills and expertise, and our on-campus proximity, to support our students to be successful. Our collegial approach is commonly instigated, establishing connections early in our regional students’ academic journey, which is continued throughout their student lifecycle. Through this collaborative method, we provide timely responses to students, along with a certainty of follow up for both academic and systematic enquiries. This is a team effort, built on a respectful professional relationship and genuine collaboration. Our personal commitment to supporting the students, and each other, embraces the joys and challenges of learning and campus life.

MODE OF STUDY: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Sharron Jones (Whyalla Campus)

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Project Summary:Approximately thirty percent of all Australian schools have a student population of fewer than 200 students, resulting in classes that have multiple year levels. Students attending small schools are diverse, not only in their geographical location and socio-economic status but in other aspects as well, including cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and disability. The Curious Case of Small Schools project seeks to unearth the complexities of small schools across Australia. This project aims to gain deeper insights into small Australian Schools. Potential VRS students could explore data around student attendance rates, index of social disadvantage, historical changes of student numbers at particular sites and geographical relationships. The vacation scholarship can be involved in various components of the research, including using MySchool and ABS data to collate, organise, display Australian school population data over time and produce a summary of findings. It is anticipated that an outcome of the VRS project will be a journal article and conference presentation(s).

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Kate Quane & Dr Bec Neill 

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Project Summary: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is seen to be widely adopted as a framework for accessibility in inclusive education environments (CAST, 2024). The use of UDL to teach mathematics in inclusive settings is a progressive approach that aims to accommodate the diverse needs of all students, not just students with disabilities (Craig et al., 2023). As a Vacation Research Scholarship student, you will have the opportunity to work on an exploratory research project. The project has two key aims:
1. To identify examples of success in implementing UDL in mathematics classrooms.
2. To develop illustrations of practice that demonstrate how UDL principles can be
embedded into mathematics teaching.
We hope to highlight the transformative potential of UDL in creating inclusive mathematics classrooms thus promoting just and equitable access to mathematics for all. The project aims to generate practical insights that can guide professional learning, curriculum design, and policy development aimed at strengthening inclusive mathematics instruction. The vacation scholarship can be involved in various components of the research, including conducting a literature review, translating research into practical advice for teachers, and create illustrations of practice. It is anticipated that an outcome of the VRS project will be a journal article and conference presentation(s).

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Kate Quane

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Project Summary: I am seeking a Vacation Research Scholar to support me with a range of research activities related to my research on digital education platforms. This research is focussed on two areas, a) parental experiences with education platforms, and b) the ways education platforms are implicated in school discipline processes and practices. Vacation scholars will have an opportunity to work with both local and international experienced researchers who are involved with this research. Possible research activities include:
• Qualitative data analysis
• Drafting an ethics application
• Desk-based inquiry into national & international parent groups & organisations
• Developing & managing an Endnote library
• Study participant recruitment
• Internet-based documentary data collection (policies)
• Drafting interview protocols

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Jamie Manolev

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Project Summary: This project will involve the undergraduate student in the practical translation of the PEM (Physical, Environmental, Mental/Emotional) Model for student well-being into school contexts. The PEM Model offers a complexity-informed, relational framework that addresses current limitations in fragmented and deficit-based approaches to well-being in education. The student will contribute to this innovative work by supporting its application in real-world educational settings.

Under supervision, the student will assist in the co-design and development of professional learning materials for teachers, helping translate complex theoretical concepts into accessible, practice-oriented formats. This will include contributing to the design and functionality of a web-based platform that hosts the model and associated resources for school use. Their role will also involve engaging in collaborative planning for teacher professional development (PD), ensuring that materials are contextually relevant and responsive to educator needs.

In addition to supporting translation efforts, the student may also have the opportunity to assist with early-phase data analysis related to pilot implementations. This includes tasks such as data cleaning, coding, and conducting basic analyses to inform ongoing refinement of the model and resources. The student will gain insight into applied research practices, from stakeholder engagement to dissemination of findings, including potential contributions to conference presentations or reports.

This project provides a mentored introduction to interdisciplinary, impact-focused research and translational practice. It supports the student's development in educational research, design thinking, communication, and digital literacy. Aligned with UniSA’s commitment to research career development, the initiative supports strategic priorities within the Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L) and the Education Futures Academic Unit, particularly the focus on well-being, public health, and systems transformation in education. By involving a student in this high-impact work, the project fosters capacity-building and supports the future research pipeline in education and well-being.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Claire Murray 

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Project Summary: The project will involve the vacation scholar in conducting an integrative literature review on children’s perspectives and experiences of literacies they use to participate as active global citizens (AGC). The scholar will work with the project's international research team to search, collate, analyse and synthesise the review’s findings, from which a child-voiced framework of AGC literacies will be developed and integrated into the team’s existing AGC Literacies Framework.

Professor Pauline Harris and her research team will support and mentor this work and the scholar will become part of the research team for the duration of the scholarship. The review will lead to co-authorship of a journal article with the research team and vacation scholar.

This project will advance new and much needed knowledge about literacies and related educational practices that enable young children’s participation as global citizens to build a better, more just world. For the vacation scholar, their research capacity will be enhanced in relation to conducting integrative literature reviews and working remotely with a renowned international research team spanning Australia, New Zealand, U.K. and U.S.A.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Professor Pauline Harris

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Project Summary: In this project primary school age children in two schools – one in South Australia and one in Wyoming, United States will be invited to write and create texts that tell stories about their own lives and the lives of people near to them. Project leads, Dr Jill Colton (UniSA) and Professor Cindy Brock (University of Wyoming) will support one teacher in each of their locales to engage children in telling stories through the composition and production of written and multimodal texts. These texts will be shared with children from the other school through a shared platform. The project aims to explore how children engage in writing for authentic audiences, as they compose and share with peers in another place. The activity will be studied as an opportunity for developing writerly identities and transnational communities through the sharing of stories. As part of the project a review of literature about children and writing will be conducted with a focus on: writing identities, writing for pleasure, writing for authentic audiences and writing engagement in primary school. This project will contribute to knowledge about writing instruction in primary school contexts, and the recent work conducted in the UK and Australia that investigates children’s engagement in writing.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Jill Colton

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Project summary: Circadian misalignment, when biological rhythms are out of sync with environmental or behavioral cycles, has emerged as a critical factor in health and disease. While its effects have been extensively studied in men, research into its impact on women remains limited, despite growing evidence of sex-specific vulnerabilities. This project will consist of a   literature review which aims to synthesize current findings on circadian disruption in women, with a particular focus on those engaged in shift work. Women comprise a substantial portion of the global shift working workforce, spanning healthcare, emergency services, manufacturing, and hospitality. These roles often require irregular hours, night shifts, and rotating schedules, all of which challenge the body’s natural circadian rhythm. The review will explore how such misalignment affects reproductive health, metabolic function, mental well-being, and chronic disease risk in women.

In an era where female participation in shift-based careers is rising, understanding and mitigating the health consequences of circadian disruption is not only timely, but also essential.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact people: Dr Crystal Yates & Dr Linda Grosser

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Project summary: Deaf Trauma is trauma specifically related to deafness. Deaf Trauma typically involves six key areas experienced by young Deaf individuals:  language deprivation, communication barriers, inadequate social interaction, educational delays, insufficient parental bonding, and identity conflict as a result of varying communication methodologies imposed upon the deaf child. Trauma often continues into adulthood. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based treatment for trauma. EMDR may be ideally suited for use with the Deaf populations due to its somatic focus.

The Vacation Research Scholarship offered will involve completing a literature review involving Deaf Trauma (basic information from the USA and special information from Australia) as well as the use of EMDR for trauma (focusing upon Australian resources but citing key USA research … possibly with a special focus on disability and EMDR variations). Specific information regarding psychological treatment variations involving the Deaf will be reviewed as well (especially EMDR).

It is hoped that the literature review will serve as the basis for a research trial of EMDR for Deaf Trauma and an ethics submission for same.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Nadine Pelling

(Nadine is hard of hearing. The project will involve contact with Deaf community members and when needed an Auslan interpreter will be provided. The main contact for Nadine with the Deaf community is Dr Donovan Cresdee).

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Project summary: Delirium is a common Neurocognitive Disorder in hospitalised older adults. It is associated with a range of poor outcomes, including a 5-fold increased risk of dementia. Vacation Scholars would be embedded within two funded delirium projects; students can focus on one project or work across the two.

1. Neurophysiological indices of delirium risk. We are currently running a large study, collecting EEG and delirium data, funded by the NHMRC. This would suit a student interested in cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuropsychology, or data science.
2. Co-producing a delirium rehabilitation intervention. We are currently developing a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention for those who have experienced in-hospital delirium, funded by The Hospital Research Foundation. This would suit a student interested in health or clinical psychology, behaviour change, or allied health science.

Students are also welcome to get in touch to discuss other possibilities in the field of cognitive ageing and cognitive impairments in late life. Regardless, please get in touch before applying for further information. 

Contact person: Professor Hannah Keage

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Project summary: Language plays a central role in how we participate in and manage social life. Through everyday talk, people negotiate meaning and manage relationships. In digital communication, where contextual cues are limited, differently structured, or where interaction may be observed by (un)intended audiences, the management of meaning and social relationships can become particularly complex.

This project investigates how people navigate interactional trouble in digital contexts. Drawing on principles from interactional pragmatics and discourse analysis, it explores moments where communication breaks down or becomes sensitive – for example, when intentions are misunderstood, offence is taken, responses are misaligned, or moral judgements are implied or contested. The focus is on digital contexts, including private messaging apps, social media comment threads, and online or media-based video content (e.g., YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or streaming platforms). The student may analyse conversational trouble within chat exchanges, video-based interactions (e.g., reality shows or viral videos), or public comments where users negotiate meaning and manage social relationships through language.

This project is ideal for students with an interest in language and social interaction and applied linguistics, particularly those keen to develop foundational knowledge in pragmatics. The successful candidate will engage in hands-on research by identifying, selecting, and analysing real examples of interactional trouble in digital contexts. Through this project, the student will gain practical experience in data collection, transcription, and qualitative analysis, while deepening their understanding of key theoretical concepts in pragmatics and applied linguistics. They will benefit from close supervision and tailored support to strengthen their theoretical and analytical skills. This opportunity also provides a strong foundation for future Honours, Masters, or PhD research, and may lead to longer-term collaboration.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Amir Sheikhan

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Project Summary: Although sleepiness is a daily experience, it is difficult to measure objectively, and harder still to measure using biomarkers, such as the signals derived from the EEG. This project seeks to acquire data to understand how best to measure sleepiness via the EEG, and will involve collecting data from participants in both well-rested and sleep-restricted states, while they undertake behavioural tasks to measure their cognitive functioning, as well as several nap bouts to measure how quickly they fall asleep.

The successful applicant will be responsible for EEG setups, maintaining signal quality on these, and undertaking data collection. Analysis of this data is possible, time permitting.

Contact person: Dr Alex Chatburn 

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Project Summary:Over the past two years, we have been evaluating the impacts of extended transition support for first year students through embedding academic skills in first year curricula delivered with the support of PASS leaders. This year we have run the initiative across three courses from diverse disciplines within UniSA and have collected data on student confidence with academic skills, sense of belonging, and also conducted interviews with key stakeholders. The vacation research scholar would support the evaluation of this initiative through transcribing interview data, identifying and summarising key themes and outcomes, and contributing to the preparation of conference presentations and/or publications pertaining to the outcomes of this project.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact Person: Associate Professor Elissa Pearson

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Project summary:Literature suggests that astronauts' mental well-being is just as important as their physical condition, especially for long-term manned missions. Although plant cultivation is already strongly considered in closed-loop Life Support Systems (LSS) to fulfill the essential functions for human survival in space (such as atmosphere revitalization, water recovery, food production, and waste management), it is also suggested as a means of countering astronauts'
psychological problems. This project proposes to study the psychological benefits of the presence of plants and their cultivation, to determine how they might be used to make it possible for humans to be in space for long periods, despite isolation, confinement, and prolonged separation from family and friends. The project will include a literature review, as well as the potential to develop evaluation tools (questionnaires, experimental tasks, measurements, methodology, etc.).

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Crystal Yates

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Project summary: This project explores how countries around the world address work-related psychosocial hazards, which are the psychological and social aspects of work that can cause harm, such as excessive workload, poor social support, bullying, and harassment. There is a strong focus on understanding the role of national policy such as legislation and how they are applied in practice. By December, initial data collection will be underway, but there are exciting opportunities for students to:
• Contribute to further data collection
• Assist with data cleaning and organization
• Help analyse quantitative and qualitative data
• Conduct literature reviews
• Be part of a major academic publication and/or international report

This research is attracting strong interest from global policy agencies and aims to drive real-world change for healthier, safer workplaces. Students will gain hands-on experience in international research, policy analysis, and occupational health, making it an ideal opportunity for those interested in psychology, public health, sociology, law, or international relations.

Mode of Study: This project has the option for remote/online participation.

Contact person: Dr Rachael Potter

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Project summary:This project explores the importance of developing a flexible design interface tailored to managing fatigue, particularly in high-demand environments. Fatigue impairs cognitive performance, increases error rates, and compromises safety. A responsive interface adapts to user workload, circadian rhythms, and task complexity which can support better decision-making. By integrating ergonomic principles, real-time feedback, and customizable features, such systems empower users to maintain alertness and efficiency. As modern work demands intensify, designing technology that actively mitigates fatigue is essential for enhancing productivity, and well-being in 24/7 environments. The potential vacation scholar may also work with the team to develop a questionnaire relating to people’s experiences using AR/VR technologies which is being introduced as an aid teams in the Military context. The BBB includes students as part of the team and they will be welcomed to participate in team meetings, professional development sessions and social activities. Students will learn about working on industry projects as part of a large team, and how to translate the research to real world contexts.

Study Mode: Remote/online participation option available

Contact people:  Dr Crystal Yates & Professor Siobhan Banks

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Project summary:Cognitive decline is pervasive among older adults and can severely impact quality of life. Cognitive reserve is a powerful concept for explaining why some individuals are able to stay sharp of mind in their later years. However, we know very little about how cognitive reserve is implemented in the brain, thus limiting our ability to harness its power to promote healthy brain ageing. This project will use electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the effects of noise in the brain’s electrical activity (so-called neural noise) on cognitive performance and reserve in human ageing. The results will advance knowledge in cognitive ageing theory and provide the first empirical evidence linking neural noise to cognitive reserve. Benefits extend from developing neural markers for measuring cognitive reserve to new strategies for building resilience to age-related cognitive decline.

Contact person: Dr Mitchell Goldsworthy

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Project summary: “Newsinfluencers” (Hurcombe, 2024) are content creators on social media sites who inform and entertain a growing number of adults who only get their news from these spaces (Stocking et al. 2024). The impact of these influencers have been recognized in recent elections across the democratic world including the United States and in Australia. Most research has tended to focus on social media sites like X, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube, with little attention given to newsinfluencers operating on TikTok.

Over a 6 week period, this project will investigate the linguistic frames used by identified newsinfluencers and the responses to the content posted on TikTok. The public data will be collected and analyzed over a two week period. As appropriate, findings will be compiled into a report that may inform future policy development and communications.    

Study Mode: Remote/Online participation option available

Contact person: Dr Kerrilee Lockyer

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Project summary: This applied linguistic research focuses on the way AI chat bots discursively accomplish ‘support’ in response to questions around scams. The growing use of strategic language in scamming activities (Schaffer, 2012; Li, Chan & Ali, 2023) has contributed to a reported loss of AU$2.74 billion in Australia in 2023 (ACCC, 2024) and US$1.026 trillion internationally (GASA, 2024). While losses to scams have grown significantly in the last two years, the number of scams being reported to the ACCC and affiliated organizations has dropped (ACCC, 2024). It is reported that people experiencing scamming activities are turning to online communities (“Scams going unreported as victims turn to online communities”, 2022) and popular AI chatbots for support. AI chatbots could be prompted into providing support and detecting scams, however this requires a lot of user training (Prakash et al., 2024). This project aims to investigate how popular AI chatbots are responding to requests for support by scam victims.

The project will run over 4 weeks and the research will be build on prior data collection of scam victims stories supplied to reddit and compare the discursive responses that AI chatbots give to the same posts. As appropriate, findings will be compiled into a report that may inform future policy development and communications.  

Study Mode: Remote/Online participation option available

Contact person: Dr Kerrilee Lockyer

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Project summary: The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013 to support Australians with disability to live with greater autonomy, inclusion, and dignity. However, ongoing tensions between policy language and participant experience raise questions about how disability is conceptualised within the scheme. Applied linguistics research has contributed to understanding how social policy can subtly shape, inclusion, identity, and access (Koller & Davidson, 2008; Davidson, 2013). This project will take a critical metaphor analysis approach to social policy analysis (Schön, 1979) to explore how relevant NDIS policy in Australia linguistically positions, people with disability.

The project will run over six weeks and involve gathering relevant NDIS social policy, followed by a systematic metaphor analysis of the policy documents. As appropriate, findings will be compiled into a report that may inform future policy development and communications.

Study Mode: Remote/Online participation option available

Contact person: Dr Kerrilee Lockyer

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