Project summary
- Program
- PhD
- Location
- Herston
- Research area
- Health sciences
Project description
This earmarked domestic PhD scholarship will be embedded within A/Prof Benn Sartorius' NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1) commencing in Jan 2025.
Climate change is increasingly recognized as a profound determinant of public health, driving significant changes in infectious disease (ID) dynamics worldwide. Queensland (QLD), with its diverse climate zones and proximity to regions such as Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, serves as a unique setting for studying climate-sensitive diseases. The state reports Australia's highest number of climate-sensitive IDs, posing substantial risks to vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous communities, refugees, and those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Despite this, the specific pathways and magnitude of climate change’s impact on the burden of climate-sensitive IDs in QLD remain poorly understood.
This PhD project aims to fill critical knowledge gaps by quantifying the present and future impact of climate change on ID burden in Australia and Queensland. Through advanced modelling, data integration, and community engagement, the research seeks to inform evidence-based policies and interventions, fostering resilience and improving health outcomes in vulnerable Australian sub-populations.
The project is guided by four overarching aims:
1. Understanding and Forecasting Climate-Sensitive ID Burden
- Develop integrated databases linking climatic, environmental, and socio-demographic data to ID incidence.
- Quantify the relationship between climate and environmental factors (e.g., temperature, precipitation, extreme weather) and ID burden.
- Identify IDs (4-6) that demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with climate change and increased burden of disease.
- Forecast the burden of these IDs in key at-risk regions/areas using climate projections to support health system preparedness.
2. Identifying and Supporting Priority Populations
- Identify vulnerable communities/regions/areas at heightened risk of identified climate-sensitive IDs.
- Provide evidence-based recommendations tailored to local needs for equitable health interventions.
3. Capacity Building and Decision Support
- Enhance local capacity to leverage surveillance data for policy and programmatic decisions.
- Develop scenario analysis tools and risk communication strategies to guide adaptive health responses.
4. Promoting Engagement and Policy Impact
- Engage with stakeholders to co-design interventions and ensure knowledge translation.
- Disseminate findings nationally and globally, enabling scalable solutions.
Research environment
SPIDERMAP will be integrated into the UQ-ODeSI program (led by NHMRC Fellow Prof. Colleen Lau), housed within UQCCR. UQ cultivates a research environment focused on health and social equity, and enhances its reputation through interdisciplinary collaborations with public and private organisations while providing access to world-class facilities (including high-performance computing), cross-disciplinary collaboration, leadership training, expertise, supervision, and funding opportunities. Demonstrating its commitment to capacity building for this Grant, UQ is pledging new central support in the form of one PhD scholarship for a suitably qualified student whose project is aligned with the successful application, subject to the standard UQ conditions for Earmarked PhD scholarships. UQCCR conducts high-impact national and international research, brings together leading clinicians and scientists to foster innovation and knowledge translation, and provides a supportive environment through regular mentoring (senior NHMRC Fellows/Faculty), networking, and professional development. ID research, a key theme at UQCCR, strongly aligns with the proposed program (especially AMR), complementing their outstanding track record in this area. SPIDERMAP will also greatly benefit from being linked to ODeSI, part of UQ's $50M strategic Health Research Accelerator (HERA) initiative. ODeSI works to strengthen public health systems and combat IDs in Australia and PICs. Through ODeSI’s established internal and external collaborations/partnerships (especially in Samoa, Tonga), and funding sources, SPIDERMAP will have access to key stakeholders and tap into a diverse range of expertise and resources, accelerating translation and impact. This exceptional support and interdisciplinary mentorship will be instrumental in developing and sustaining my independent and innovative research program.
Scholarship
This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.
The scholarship includes:
- living stipend of $36,400 per annum tax free (2025 rate), indexed annually
- your tuition fees covered
- single overseas student health cover (OSHC).
Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.
Supervisor
Principal supervisor
Preferred educational background
Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.
We take into account your:
- previous academic record
- publication record
- honours and awards
- employment history
A working knowledge of infectious disease epidemiology and modelling would be of benefit to someone working on this project.
You will demonstrate academic achievement in the field/s of epidemiology and the potential for scholastic success.
A background or knowledge of statistics is highly desirable.
How to apply
This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 1, 2026. To allow time for your application to be processed, we recommend applying no later than 30 September, 2025 30 June, 2025.
You can start in an earlier research quarter. See application dates.
Before you apply
- Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
- Prepare your documentation.
- Contact Associate Professor Benn Sartorius (b.sartorius@uq.edu.au) to discuss your interest and suitability.
When you apply
You apply for this scholarship when you submit an application for a PhD. You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application.
In your application ensure that under the ‘Scholarships and collaborative study’ section you select:
- My higher degree is not collaborative
- I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship
- UQ Earmarked Scholarship type.