Associate ProfessorKatrina Champion

PhD Project Opportunities

Title: Adolescent Risk Behaviours and Wellbeing

Summary of opportunity:

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic researcher to undertake a PhD focused on adolescent health risk behaviours and wellbeing.

This opportunity is based at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, a flagship centre dedicated to the prevention and early intervention of mental health and substance use problems.

As part of the Healthy Lifestyles team, led by Dr Katrina Champion, the successful candidate will contribute to a growing body of research aimed at reducing adolescent risk behaviours (e.g. vaping, risky alcohol use, poor sleep, screen time) and improving mental wellbeing through digital and school-based approaches. Our research is interdisciplinary and policy-relevant, with strong potential for real-world impact.

Opportunity synopsis:

Potential PhD projects include:

• Applying a novel methodological framework (the Multiphase Optimisation Strategy) to optimise and evaluate a digital parent-based intervention to improve the health of adolescents experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.
• Establishing a new cohort study in Australian high schools to evaluate how changes in school prevention programs/policies relate to changes in adolescent risk behaviours.
• Analysis of existing large-scale datasets (e.g. national surveys, longitudinal studies) to investigate patterns, predictors, and outcomes related to adolescent risk behaviours and mental health.
  
  

These projects offer flexibility and can be tailored to align with the candidate’s interests and expertise.