university of south australia research projects

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2. Find a research project

You will need to submit an application to an established research project. Our research projects have been set up by expert research teams, with a nominated Principal Supervisor and, in some cases, financial support like a scholarship to streamline the application process to UniSA.

You can browse research projects by the field of research, your need for financial support (like a scholarship), or keywords related to your interests. 

Browse research projects

When you apply to a research project you will need to address specific selection criteria. Alongside your other qualifications and experience, your responses to the selection criteria will be used to assess your suitability for the role.

If you wish to develop your own project please review our  guidelines  about this, and contact the  Graduate Research Admissions team if you have any questions.  Note that UniSA only offers research degrees in the fields of research provided in the left hand menu on our Research Project listing page .

Find out more about our world-class research through our Research  Institutes, Centres, Alliances and Concentrations . 

If you're applying for a Visual Arts by Major Studio Project , please note there are specific portfolio requirements for your research degree application. Read the requirements.

  Step 3: Organise referee reports

• Research degree graduate qualities minus-thin plus-thin Generic indicators
• UniSA Opportunities for Current Students minus-thin plus-thin Ability Grants for research degree students Vice Chancellor and President’s Scholarships Completion Scholarships Maurice de Rohan International Scholarship Fee-relief scholarships International Travel Grants The Gould Experimental Science Grant Ian Davey Research Thesis Prize Dr Terry Farquharson Pharmacy PhD Top-Up Scholarship Scheer Science Research Grant

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

• Apply now Enquire now

Study at UniSA

Accounting and Finance Business Management and HRM Marketing Property Tourism, Sports an Events

Architecture Communication Contemporary Art Creative Industries Design Film, Television and Visual Effects Journalism Urban and Regional Planning

Biomedical Science Health Science Human Movement, Sport, Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory Medicine Medical Radiation Science Nursing or Midwifery Nutrition and Food Sciences Occupational Therapy Pharmacy Physiotherapy Podiatry Speech Pathology

• Law & Criminal Justice

Aboriginal and Australian Studies Arts Human Services Languages Psychology Social Work

Aviation Construction Management Defence Engineering Environmental Science Information Technology Mathematics Science

• Teaching & Education
• What can I study
• Entry pathways
• Find an education agent
• Sponsorships
• Living in Adelaide
• UniSA Online
• Scholarships
• Postgraduate study
• Research degrees
• Executive Education
• Regional students
• Aboriginal students
• Discover our research Partner with us
• Research projects
• How to apply
• Check your eligibility
• Research scholarships
• Concentrations
• Cooperative Research Centres
• Research studies & volunteers
• Research experts
• Industry & collaboration
• Mawson Lakes
• Mount Gambier
• Psychology Clinic
• Health Clinics
• Disability Hub
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• Museums and galleries
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• Enterprise Hub

About UniSA

• Our history
• Vice Chancellor
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• Strategic action plan
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• UniSA Business
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What is a research degree

What is a research degree.

A research degree is an advanced program of study allowing you to investigate a topic with relevance to your field. Under the supervision of world-class researchers you will learn and apply advanced research methodologies to produce new knowledge and provide solutions to challenges within your discipline area.

Completing a research degree means becoming an expert in your field. It’s your opportunity to take a topic that interests you, explore it in depth, tackle intellectual, creative and practical challenges, and communicate your findings. You will also find by undertaking a research degree you will:

Challenge yourself

You will need to work hard, be dedicated and think analytically at a high level.

Tackle completely new research and different research methods, or extend research already undertaken.

Expand your career opportunities

A research qualification provides evidence of independent thought and the ability to manage a research project in a given timeframe.

Your research could allow you to develop a new specialisation, academic field or career.

Make your ideas public

Your research findings may be published, presented at conferences, provide a commercial return and have a positive impact on society.

Contribute to society

Discover new methods, understandings and techniques, and solve a real-world problem.

Choice of research projects

We offer research projects across a wide range of disciplines. You could complete a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a Master of Research, or a professional doctorate in Education .

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs (up to four years full-time equivalent), provide training and education with the objective of producing graduates with the capacity to conduct research independently at a high level of originality and quality. By the end of the degree program, the PhD candidate will be capable of independently designing and executing original research that generates new knowledge.

Professional doctorate

A professional doctorate (three to four years full-time equivalent) is a rigorous program of advanced study and research, designed specifically to meet the needs of industry and professional groups in particular disciplines. Professional doctorates usually consist of a blend of coursework and research.

Master of research

Master of research programs (two years full-time equivalent) aim to train candidates in analysing their thesis topic at an advanced level, applying research methodology and techniques to contribute new knowledge to their field, under appropriate supervision.

Expert supervision and candidate support

Every research candidate is supported by a supervisory panel consisting of expert academic supervisors, and enabling multidisciplinary expertise and end-user advisors from outside of the University.

In addition to their supervisory panels, research candidates are supported by staff in their school, and by services centrally. Regular planning, review and other quality assurance processes promote success.

Research performance

Through our  research excellence , we create knowledge that is central to global economic and social prosperity. Ranked in the top 2% worldwide*, we continue to set the pace for world-class research and solutions for a changing world.

*The world University Ranking 2016-17, International Handbook of Universities 2017.

Financial support and scholarships

The University of South Australia offers many opportunities for research students to be supported financially to pursue their research degree.

Please  note:  living allowance scholarships are associated with a research project , usually  for full-time students . When applying to do a research degree, you will need to apply for a project (and associated scholarship if applicable) as listed on the  r esearch  p rojects page .   

In addition, there are other scholarships offered by the University of South Australia, including:

• University of South Australia Postgraduate Awards, Indigenous Scholarships, and Rural and Isolated Scholarships  for Australian applicants
• University President's Scholarships  for international applicants
• Vice Chancellor and President's Scholarships  for top scholarship recipients
• Funding opportunities linked to specific areas or projects
• Funding for travel and to support the completion of your degree

Find out more about funding opportunities to support your research degree.

National and international partnerships

Multidisciplinary teams work with industry, government, other education providers and the professions, nationally and internationally, on projects relevant and beneficial to industry and the community.

Opportunities also exist for collaborative PhD programs with Australian and international partners.

South Australia - the perfect place to study

Named in the world’s top 10 regions to visit in the Lonely Planet guide’s 2017 Best in Travel collection, South Australia is one of Australia's best-kept secrets. UniSA is located in the state’s capital city, Adelaide – a city surrounded by parklands, pristine beaches, and the lush green hills and valleys of Australia’s premier wine regions.

With a population of just over one million people, Adelaide is renowned for its affordability and quality of life. Ranked in the top five of the world's most liveable cities in the 2017 Economist Intelligence Unit's liveability survey, it’s the perfect place to base yourself in during your studies.

Each year, South Australia hosts more than 400 food, arts and cultural events, as well as a number of prominent sporting events such as the Santos Tour Down Under cycling race.

It’s a beautiful and vibrant place to call home. 

Collaborative PhDs

Collaborative PhDs provide an opportunity for enriching the PhD experience. PhD candidates at UniSA can collaborate in a number of ways.

University Collaborations

Collaborative PhD programs with other universities include joint and dual award programs, and cotutelles with French partners. These programs are established where there is existing research collaboration.

Candidates taking part in a collaborative PhD spend time at each institution, and their supervisory panel includes supervisors from both partners. On successful completion of their PhD, candidates graduate with a single PhD qualification granted by both institutions. This may be evidenced through separate parchments from each university which cross-reference each other, or through a single parchment bearing the crests of both universities.

The objectives of a Dual Award, Jointly Badged or Cotutelle PhD include:

• Enhanced opportunities and quality of the research training environment for research candidates, including increased opportunities to gain experience and exposure to different cultural and university environments and to create professional links at an early stage of their careers
• Attracting high quality PhD candidates
• Increased research collaboration between UniSA and strategic partner institutions.

We have collaborative PhD programs with high quality Australian and international universities in a range of disciplines, including (but not limited to) marketing, public health, engineering and sociology.

Prospective candidates interested in participating in one of our existing collaborative PhDs should discuss this with their intended UniSA supervisor.

For more information about PhD Program Collaboration view the  policy here.  Staff information is available on the  PhD Collaboration website  (Staff access only).

Industry Collaborations

Candidates have a variety of opportunities to collaborate with industry during their research degree, including:

• Participation in the  Australian Technology Network Industry Doctoral Training Centre
• Engagement with mentoring, placement and internship schemes
• Working on collaborative industry projects with their supervisor and research group.

Collaborative Scholarships

UniSA has invested in Research Themes PhD Scholarship -  supporting research candidates to work across traditional boundaries with in the university and externally with partners to address research grand challenges.

In addition, UniSA supports and administers a number of industry funded  scholarships  for candidates to work, in collaboration with partners, on specific research projects.

Short term research opportunities

If you are a  senior undergraduate student ,  postgraduate student  or  research degree student from a university/institute in Australia or overseas , you may be able to undertake a short-term research project in one of the University's research concentrations.

The University of South Australia offers research experience opportunities to help you develop skills relevant to your tertiary education, occupation or field of study. Projects can last from  1–12 months . You will carry out research tasks under the supervision of an academic supervisor. You may be required to provide written and verbal progress reports outlining the work you undertake and the results you achieve.

To participate, you must:

• be in the final stages of an undergraduate degree, or undertaking or having recently completed a Masters or PhD qualification
• have a high-achieving academic background specifically suited to the research project in which you will participate.

Travel and health insurance

As an overseas visitor, you are responsible for the booking and cost of all travel arrangements, including visas. You must have adequate personal travel/health insurance cover for the duration of the visit.

Steps and documentation

• Check the University's  research concentrations  to ensure your study interests correspond.
• Contact the relevant research concentration to discuss your suitability for and availability of a project.
• Forward your CV and a recent language certificate confirming your English language ability to the contact provided by the research concentration.

For further information, please liaise with the contact for the research concentration relevant to your study interests.

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

• Apply now Enquire now

Study at UniSA

Accounting and Finance Business Management and HRM Marketing Property Tourism, Sports an Events

Architecture Communication Contemporary Art Creative Industries Design Film, Television and Visual Effects Journalism Urban and Regional Planning

Biomedical Science Health Science Human Movement, Sport, Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory Medicine Medical Radiation Science Nursing or Midwifery Nutrition and Food Sciences Occupational Therapy Pharmacy Physiotherapy Podiatry Speech Pathology

• Law & Criminal Justice

Aboriginal and Australian Studies Arts Human Services Languages Psychology Social Work

Aviation Construction Management Defence Engineering Environmental Science Information Technology Mathematics Science

• Teaching & Education
• What can I study
• Entry pathways
• Find an education agent
• Sponsorships

Living in Adelaide

• UniSA Online
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• Postgraduate study
• Research degrees
• Executive Education
• Regional students
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• Discover our research Partner with us
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• Check your eligibility
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• Cooperative Research Centres
• Research studies & volunteers
• Research experts
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• Project Management

You're viewing degree information for International students

You're considered an International student if you are:

• NOT an Australian or New Zealand citizen
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Study Project Management at UniSA

Discipline info for International students arrow-small-down

Interested in Project Management?

Project management is recognised as a highly valued discipline in its own right. Organisations have come to rely on specialist project managers, with excellent practical skills and theoretical knowledge, to plan and deliver projects on time, within budget and specifications.

UniSA project management qualifications are endorsed by the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). 

If you are a professional looking to move into a project management role, or if you are looking to build a career in project management, this course of study is ideal. It has been designed to align strongly with the current needs of a diverse industry.

Quick links

Key features.

• Project Management degrees

Your career

What others are saying.

Qualifications endorsed by the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM).

Program curriculum and learning framework based on the Standard for Project Management and A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) as a learning framework as well as relevant other industry standards in the field.

Learn transferable foundational knowledge and project management principles that can be applied across a broad range of industries. 

Gain advanced knowledge, methodologies, tools and techniques in project, program and portfolio management to address the growing complexity of projects across various industries.

Undertake a practical research project that can focus on an issue within your workplace.

First postgraduate project management program offered in Australia (est. 1976).

Flexible study options including part-time course load and evening classes availability to working professionals. We welcome applicants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

• UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people. As one of the World’s Top Young Universities 1 , we’ll ensure you get the experience your future profession demands so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.

1 UNSTOPPABLE® is a Kellogg Company trade mark used under licence. Ranked #52, 2023 THE Young University Rankings.

Take the next steps in your career and begin a degree that features a curriculum embedded in industry knowledge. Our lecturers and facilitators come from both academia and industry. They are project management experts and practising industry professionals with extensive knowledge and experience.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to network, exchange ideas and share experiences with practising project managers as well as other professionals.

UniSA’s project management qualifications are endorsed by the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM), the longest-serving body for project management in Australia. With over 10,000 members they are recognised by Australian business, industry and government as the key promoter, developer and leader in project management professionalism.

UniSA offers a number of project management programs, with flexible study options available: the Graduate Certificate in Project Management , the Graduate Diploma in Project Management , the  Master of Project Management , the  Master of Project and Program Management , the Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Contract Management specialisation) and the  Master of Project and Program Management (Contract Management specialisation).

UniSA offers the following Project Management degrees

Choose your level of study

World-class partners for a world-class university

We are a globally connected university with over 2,500 industry and professional relationships that support student internships, research and community engagement.

Australia’s University of Enterprise

Study at South Australia’s No. 1 university for graduate careers* and unlock your full potential.

*ComparED (QILT) Student Experience Survey 2020-21, Skills Development Indicator (Undergraduate). SA public universities.

With qualifications in project management, you’ll be well qualified to apply for roles such as Project Manager, Project Officer or Project Consultant. These professionals are employed in diverse areas such as: 

• information technology
• construction
• engineering
• assets and facilities
• infrastructure
• biopharmaceuticals
• community development

Global networks

We are a globally connected university; our staff and students come from over 90 countries. We have more than 2,500 industry and professional relationships that support student internships, research and community engagement.

UniSA also has extensive research strengths and partnerships that provide a strong foundation for all our degree programs.

The University of South Australia has more than 200 industry partners. In your courses, you will have opportunities to get real-world experience through projects and placements with our partners.

International students at UniSA

Benefit from our commitment to excellence, quality teaching and world-leading research.

Explore our campuses

Discover the world-class facilities that make UniSA a great place to study and research.

Get assistance with finding long- and short-term accommodation in Adelaide.

There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.

You can access our online International Application System through our How to Apply page . The International Application System is an easy and secure online application and acceptance process. You will have visibility of your application through the secure online portal with the ability to download offer documents, submit your acceptance and make a payment.

Alternatively you can submit an application through one of the University's registered Education Agents .

If you are completing an Australian year 12 qualification in Australia or overseas, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in Australia, you must apply through SATAC http://www.satac.edu.au/.

If you are applying for the UniSA Study Abroad or Study Abroad Plus program, you can submit your application online here .

Postgraduate study by research For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Masters by Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit http://unisa.edu.au/resdegrees .

There is no closing date for submitting your application however the admissions process takes between one and three weeks from the date that we receive your application and all required supporting documentation.

If you are completing an Australian year 12 qualification in Australia or overseas, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in Australia, you must apply through SATAC . Key dates for applications can be found here .

You may be eligible to receive credit or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving credit will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.

The amount of credit you may be eligible to receive is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions team.

The best way to determine your eligibility to receive credit or advanced standing is to apply using our International Application System which can be found on our How to Apply page . You will need to supply detailed syllabus documents with your application.

UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.

Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.

We also have many events throughout the year in Australia and overseas where you can speak with UniSA representatives about your area of interest. View our calendar of events in your home country by selecting the 'International' filter.

Master of Project Management student Shan Bala discusses his experience of studying at the University of South Australia.

Lecturers are really knowledgeable in their areas and I benefited from their industry experience and work on real business projects. The examples and case studies used in lectures were from real life experiences and this made classes more enjoyable and industry-relevant.

Berfu Orhan Bekmez

Graduate Certificate in Project Management

The staff teaching have extensive industry knowledge and the online resources provided the flexibility, which I needed to complete my studies. I work full-time and have a young family, so the ability to study after hours was appealing to me. Studying at such a busy stage in my life was not something that I planned, but I really enjoyed it, and it certainly provided me with extra knowledge that I can apply to my career.

Master of Project Management

Why study at UniSA?

As one of the most innovative universities in Australia and Asia, there are many reasons to study with us. Here are just three:

Accessible, helpful and flexible

We have six campuses, a 24/7 online learning environment, and we offer flexible study options like online and evening courses.

Graduate success

UniSA is South Australia's number one university for graduate careers.* *ComparED (QILT) Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019-21 – Full-time Employment Indicator (Undergraduate). SA public universities.

A five star university

Five stars for research, employability, teaching, facilities, internationalisation, inclusiveness and innovation* *2022 QS Stars Ratings

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

Library buildings are open for UniSA staff and students via UniSA ID swipe cards.   Please contact us on Ask the Library for any assistance. Find out about other changes to Library services .

• Plan your search
• Find information
• Australian social policy
• Counselling skills This link opens in a new window
• Human rights This link opens in a new window
• Human service workers and the law
• Organisations
• BEHL 2009 Group Work
• POLI 1008: Governance and Citizenship in Australia
• SOCU 5011: Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing
• WELF 1014: Human Service Provision
• WELF 2015: Aboriginal Australians and the Human Services
• HUMS 2047 Social Research Methods
• Research projects

Getting started

Need help starting your research? 

• Contact your Library Services team via Ask the Library to make an appointment - meet with a librarian to discuss search tools and strategies
• Explore the library's online research guides
• Attend a research workshop

Like assistance with writing your thesis? PhD, Masters and Professional Doctorate by research students can access a range of services and resources

Find theses

Why look for existing theses?

• Ensure that your topic has not been, or is not being, investigated by another researcher
• Gain knowledge of other related research in your area of study
• Discover the research that has preceded your topic
• Explore methodologies and layouts used by other researchers in your field

Have a look at our  Theses Library Guide

This guide will help you to search databases to find theses, find exemplars and share your thesis through the UniSA Research .

Research methods

Research methods are the techniques, processes, system or procedure followed where data or information is created and then analysed. It is essentially the way you collect your data for your thesis.

SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods  is a comprehensive online collection of resources which you can access through the Library. You can explore methodological concepts to help you design your research project, understand a particular research method or identify a new method, and write up your research.  

Literature review: overview

• An answerable question

This short (approx 2 mins) video from the Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University provides a quick introduction to literature reviews.

For help completing your literature review please see the following links:

• Literature Reviews (UniSA) Explains what a literature review is and gives guidance on how to produce one
• Introduction to literature reviews (Monash University) Provides an overview of literature reviews and the literature review process

Other review types

• Record your search strategy so that you (and others) can replicate the process - this is essential for systematic reviews, but is generally advised to ensure transparency and replicability . Document search tools used, date searches conducted, search terms, any limits (e.g. year, language), and number of hits
• Sign up for accounts with key database providers (e.g. Ovid and ProQuest) so that you can save articles, search strategies, alerts and more for later use
• Set up alerts so that you keep up to date with material as it is published on your topic
• To conduct a comprehensive search, go beyond the major indexed databases to locate grey literature
• Manage and organise your search results using bibliographic management software such as EndNote
• Systematic review methodology was developed for medicine and healthcare, and aspects of the approach prescribed in the discipline may be inappropriate for certain social sciences research questions. Alternatives such as that developed by the UK Social Care Institute for Excellence may be more appropriate

'Successfully retrieving relevant information begins with a clearly defined, well-structured question.'

Davies, KS 2011, 'Formulating the evidence based practice question: a review of the frameworks', Evidence Based Library and Information Practice , vol. 6, no. 2, p. 75.

Developing a Research Question  (Academic Skills, University of Melbourne)

A range of standardised frameworks have been developed to assist in developing focused, answerable questions which can be easily broken down into searchable components for more relevant results.

Examples of framing the question  are available on the  Systematic Reviews Library Guide .

The literature review: where and how to search

• Where to search
• Subject headings
• Search tips
• Tutorials & Guides

Some of the key search tools for Social Work and Human Services include:

• ProQuest Social Sciences Premium Collection Covers sociology, social sciences, social work, education, criminology and linguistics.
• Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) (via ProQuest) Search across hundreds of English-language journals from 1987 to current with a health and social care focus. Covers publications on practical societal problems in the areas of health, social services, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, race relations and education
• Informit Humanities and Social Science databases Use Informit databases to locate published and unpublished material focusing on Australia - policy documents, articles, conference papers and more in areas including sociology, social policy, health policy, economics, criminology, law, rural Australia and Indigenous Australians. Search as a collection or databases individually.
• Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews Produces high quality, open and policy-relevant evidence syntheses, plain language summaries and policy briefs.

Databases for related disciplines and key multidisciplinary databases

• Google Scholar via UniSA Library Google Scholar allows you find scholarly information across a range of disciplines, provided by a wide range of academic institutions
• PsycINFO (via OvidSP) The most comprehensive database for international literature on psychology and related disciplines.
• Scopus One of the largest bibliographic, multidisciplinary database. Covers chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, life and health sciences, social sciences, psychology, economics, and biological, agricultural, environmental and general sciences.
• Web of Science Bibliographic database covering sciences, social sciences and arts & humanities.
• Emcare (via Ovid) includes nearly 5 million records of the scholarly and peer-reviewed literature in nursing and allied health dating back to 1995. 70% of records contain online abstracts. Subject coverage in Clinical Medicine, Health Professions, Nursing, Pharmacology, and Public Health.
• MEDLINE The US National Library of Medicine database. Covers medicine, nursing, bio-medicine, pharmacy and allied health. Can filter by publication type.

Subject headings (also known as descriptors) are the most specific terms available from a set list (or thesaurus) to describe the themes of a publication. An indexer assigns these terms and you can then use them in searching.

Not all databases have a thesaurus. Where they do, however, this can be used as an alternative to or in combination with keyword searching to both increase the relevance of your search and ensure that you are finding material on that theme regardless of the terminology used by the author.  ​

• How (and Why) to Use the APA Thesaurus When Searching PsycINFO via OvidSP (video) From APA Publishing Training
• Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) Information and links via UniSA Library

Tips for searching databases

• How to save time searching databases with truncation/wildcards/phrase searching Different databases use a range of truncation and wildcard symbols as well as phrase searching features. This print-out explains how to use the truncation symbol * and the wildcard ? depending on the type of database.

Use limits to refine your search

Your selection criteria/parameters will determine any limits you will apply when searching, e.g. age range, male/female, English/other languages, and/or type of study.

The limits available vary across databases. You will need to adapt your search strategy to each database (e.g. search for study types as a separate search string, rather than selecting these from a refinement option).

Capture your search strategy

Most database, including Medline and Google Scholar, have a Search History function.

This enables you to view all of the searches that you have performed in a search session (including any limits applied), edit and re-run searches, variously combine searches and save searches for future reference. Copy or export your search history to demonstrate the search strategy used for your review

Help searching ProQuest

• ProQuest Platform Training (YouTube channel) Includes videos on using Advanced Search, the thesauri, setting up email alerts and more
• ProQuest Platform Guide From ProQuest

Help searching PsycINFO and OvidSP

• Introduction to PsycINFO on OvidSP (video)
• Quick Reference Guide (PDF)
• OvidSP Help (online guide)
• OvidSP online training  (for more help)

Grey literature

Video Length:  5 minutes 13 seconds

• AACODS checklist Jess Tyndall, Flinders University, 2010. Guidance on how to evaluate and critically appraise grey literature.
• Grey Literature and Other Sources Research Guide Grey literature defined with key sources and search techniques provided
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• Last Updated: Mar 19, 2024 12:46 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/SocialWorkAndHumanServices

The text within this Guide is licensed CC BY 4.0 . Image licenses can be found within the image attributions document on the last page of the Guide. Ask the Library for information about reuse rights for other content within this Guide.

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Prototype Services

• Encountering New Perspectives: A South Australian Collaboration Exhibition

‘Children learning to live together in a diverse community: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Reggio Emilia Inspired Early Learning Settings’ research project

In May 2018, The South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project accepted the proposal by Professor Lester- Irabinna Rigney to undertake a research project that would examine how educators enact culturally responsive pedagogy in South Australian early learning settings, engaging the Reggio Emilia educational principles within their local context. The research project brings together dedicated early learning services and will develop an Australian theory for early childhood culturally responsive pedagogy that draws on International and Australian Indigenous Studies, Reggio Emilia Studies, New Pedagogy Studies, and new empirical work in education settings.

In pursuing this research project, the research project will:

• establish and sustain a collaborative research community across a cluster of early learning settings to produce new professional and scholarly knowledge about culturally responsive pedagogical practice imbued with Reggio Emilia educational principles
• review the archive of educational research in settler colonial countries for rationales, theories, and descriptions of practice, for culturally responsive pedagogy
• analyse Australian federal and state policy texts in the area of Indigenous schooling, particularly in the early years, to ascertain how problems are named and how solutions are proposed
• develop an augmented approach to action research that brings together data sets from classroom action research over 1.5 years, with data about structures and service culture in various early learning settings
• advance descriptions and theorisations of an Australian culturally responsive pedagogy in early learning settings that are aligned with the Reggio Emilia educational principles in order to inform teacher education, site-based professional development, and education and Indigenous policy in different Australian jurisdictions.

Professor Lester-Irabinna Rigney is a research fellow at Kings College, London and a Professor of Education in the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion, University of South Australia. One of Australia’s most respected Aboriginal educationalists, Professor Rigney is a descendant of the Narungga, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri peoples of South Australia. He is an expert on Aboriginal Minority Education and over the past decade has been a member of several high profile expert committees.

‘The Language of Taste: Halifax Street Children’s Centre and Preschool, The Foundation Reggio Children – Centro Loris Malaguzzi and PAUSE – Atelier Dei Sapori’ research project

The research project will include:

• The creation of a professional learning community involving teachers and kitchen staff of the Halifax Street Children’s Centre and PAUSE – Atelier Dei Sapori at the Loris Malaguzzi International Center (permanent research laboratory on food for the Foundation) in collaboration with Pantarei schools, through face-to-face meetings, online collaboration, sharing of documentation and regular meetings on Skype.
• A report of the project’s findings, outcomes and recommendations will identify the coherence between the Reggio Emilia education principles, the National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework. The report will be published by The South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project and offered to the state, the Foundation Reggio Children – Centro Loris Malaguzzi and the City of Reggio Emilia.

‘Investigating the Reconceptualising of Early Childhood Education in South Australia’ research project

Research suggests that educators’ capacity to enact change is often confined to their own teaching spaces (Sisson, 2016). If South Australia is to be recognised as an innovative state in the area of early childhood it is essential to investigate strategies being used to realise Professor Carla Rinaldis’ recommendations within the broader context and the experiences of those impacted by this re-imagined and reconceptualised practice.

The research project is based on generating new knowledge that will serve to inform policy and practice in early childhood education in South Australia through an informed and thoughtful research plan. It will draw on cultural models theory (Holland et al., 1998) to understand how cultural influences come together to shape policy, practice and experience in reconceptualising early childhood education in South Australia across the state’s three education sectors (State, Catholic and Independent).

The  An Investigation of the Re-imagining of Early Childhood Education in South Australia  report is now available to download.

The South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project congratulates Dr Jamie Sisson, Associate Professor Victoria Whitington and Ms Anne-Marie Shin from the University of South Australia along with all who participated in this project. 

Related Research

Re-imagining Childhood: The Rights of Children Birth - 3 Project

Download a copy of the ‘Re-imagining Childhood: The inspiration of Reggio Emilia education principles in South Australia’ report

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PhD Research Project | University of South Australia

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The PhD research project involves developing urban and regional planning solutions for urban water management challenges, focusing on the empirical context of Australia and considering international experiences. The project aims to analyze current approaches to providing water hazard information for climate change adaptation and its use in urban planning and development processes.

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Potential PhD projects and scholarships

Potential PhD topics:

 1. What ocean do Lagrangian observing platforms (e.g., Argo and drifting buoys) observe ?

In the mid- and high-latitudes the ocean circulation is composed largely of eddies and fronts. In isolation an ocean eddy is relatively stable being in quasi-geostrophic balance and retaining a closed material surface around its core water mass. It is only through the disruption or destruction of this balance through eddy- interactions that an exchange in mass with its environment takes place. Only at these times is it possible for a Lagrangian observing platform to enter or exit the eddy circulation. This poses many interesting questions such as how frequently do these platforms observe eddies and what are the implications for constructing climatologies of the ocean and ocean forecasting. This research would make use of state of the art high resolution ocean models, analysis of altimetry and the in situ Argo and drifting buoy observations available at the Bureau of Meteorology and the global ocean observing system.

2. Characterisation of ocean forecast errors from an ocean forecasting system . A state-of-the-art prediction system makes several assumptions about the errors of the observing system, the ocean models, the atmospheric forcing and data assimilation methodology. Correctly modelling and estimating these errors and validating or improving these assumptions is critical to further improving performance. This project will focus on the available database of forecast innovations and increments from the BLUElink ocean prediction system and determine the systematic bias as well as the statistical distribution. Specific methods will then be developed to deconstruct and attribute error to different components of the system as well as hypothesis testing.

3.  Helen Beggs leads the  GHRSST Tropical Warm Pool Diurnal Variability (TWP+) Project  which aims to quantify diurnal warming of the surface ocean over the Tropical Warm Pool to the north of Australia and to validate and compare various diurnal variation models over this region.

The  International Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) TWP+ data set  would be a great resource for any PhD student with a background in either physical oceanography, air-sea heat exchange, marine meteorology and/or satellite oceanography. Further information on the TWP+ Project can be found at  https://www.ghrsst.org/ghrsst-science/science-team-groups/dv-wg/twp/  < https://www.ghrsst.org/ghrsst-science/science-team-groups/dv-wg/twp/>  .

The  GHRSST Workshop on Tropical Warm Pool and High Latitude SST Issues  (Melbourne, 5-9 March 2012) would be an excellent opportunity for a new PhD student to choose a TWP+ related research project that matches their interests and abilities. The workshop will focus on presentations relating to initial research for the TWP+ Project and using the TWP+ data set during the three working days of the GHRSST workshop. Further information on the GHRSST Workshop can be found at  https://www.ghrsst.org/ghrsst-science/Meetings-and-workshops/workshop-on...  < https://www.ghrsst.org/ghrsst-science/Meetings-and-workshops/workshop-on...  including a draft agenda which lists the current TWP+ research activities.

4. Impact of East Australian Current observations Tasman Sea eddies in an ocean model

Introduction

Can observations of the East Australian Current using a HF ocean surface radar improve model forecast skill of meso-scale eddies in the Tasman Sea?

The study will use observations at Coffs Harbour (30S, 153E) which extend approximately 100 km east across the East Australian Current (EAC) and perform assimilation impact studies on a domain encompassing upstream of Coffs Harbour, the EAC separation (at approximately Smoky Cape, 31 S), and the Tasman front (across to New Zealand), with a particular emphasis on meso-scale eddies.

OSR observations

The HF OSR measures surface currents in the top few tens of centimetres of the ocean, on a few km resolution with a range of around 100km over 10 minute time scales. The OSR is part of the IMOS ACORN facility and is planned to commence operation in February 2012. Routine data delivery could be expected by mid 2012. Observations show the EAC is largely barotropic, so OSR should be representative of the depth-integrated current.

The Ocean Model CLAM? Assimiliation

The HF OSR provides currents in regions where the two radars overlap (and the subtended angles of the ray are greater than ~20 Outside of this region there is another equally extensive area where there is only one useful current vector component resolved. While not suited to visual interpretation, single current vector components can be assimilated into ocean models.

The model already assimilates altimetry, SST and temperature and salinity profiles, so any skill improvement will be in excess of this. The assimilation of HF OSR observations may also be useful in the situation where altimetry is degraded (due to loss of satellites or other problems). It would be useful to quantify the impact of assimilating OSR currents in the absence (or reduction) of altimetry.

Possible candidate data-sets for skill evaluation are feature tracking, surface drifters (these are probably drogue to a few metres depth), or synTS. The first two sources will probably generate sparse data-sets. Maybe the evaluation will be achieved by looking at the increments in SSH?

Links to other Work

We have previously looked at the impact of observations on models using the error estimates in the data assimilation system (Oke  et al. , 2009). It would be instructive to see how data withholding experiments compare to the observation network design study tool.

Oke, P. R., Sakov, P. & Schulz, E.W., 2009, A comparison of shelf observation platforms for assimilation in an eddy-resolving ocean model,  Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans,  48, 121-142, doi:10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2009.04.002.

5. Predictive mapping of seabed cover, benthic habitats, benthic biodiversity using multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data

Coastal marine benthic environment, which is dreadfully under-studied, has significant economic and conservation values. Sustainable management of this marine ecosystem requires high quality physical and biological datasets on the benthic environment and scientific evidence on the interactions between these physical and the biological variables. Modern mutlibeam sonar systems, with different sonar frequencies, are capable of accurately mapping large area of seabed from water depth of a few metres to thousands metres. They can provide high-resolution and near-complete coverage of bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data for mapping seabed substrata, benthic habitats and benthic biota.

The proposed project would involve intensive field campaigns collecting multibeam data, water column data, sediment samples and biological data. The collaboration with OUC is critical for the collection and analysis of these data. We would provide expertise in the areas of data analysis, modelling and result interpretation.

6. Generalised dependence for the ocean sea drag

The sea--‐drag coefficient is the main property which is employed to parameterise the air--‐sea interactions in large--‐scale models, from engineering applications to climate research. Over the last 30 years, however, scatter of the experimental dependences for the sea drag parameterised as a function of wind speed and/or wave age did not improve. The proposed project would intend to develop a generalised parameterisation of the sea drag as a function of multiple environmental forcings, for use in meteorological, climate and ocean engineering applications.

7. Coastally trapped wave observations and modelling around Australia

Program Code: 1082

Supervisors:  Prof. Xiao Hua Wang ( [email protected] ), Dr Ming Feng, CSIRO, A/Prof Moninya Roughan and Dr Andrew Kiss (UNSW)

Australia is surrounded by major ocean boundary currents – with the East Australian Current off the east coast, the Leeuwin Current off the west coast, and the South Australian Current/Flinders Current off the south coast. The Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) has set up shelf circulation monitoring systems for the major boundary current systems over the past six years. The observing systems include shelf moorings, gliders, and surface radar systems. The ocean boundary current systems vary on different time scales, such as seasonal and intra-seasonal. The aim of this study is to utilise the IMOS mooring networks and numerical models to understand the coastally trapped wave propagations around Australia, forced by wind anomalies on intra-seasonal and whether time scales, and their interactions with the ocean boundary current systems. The intra-seasonal variability of the ocean boundary currents are important in understanding the extreme events in these systems.

8. Remote sensing study on the East Australian Current

Supervisors:  Prof. Xiao Hua Wang ( [email protected] ) and Dr Zhi Huang, Geoscience Australia

East Australian Current (EAC) is a significant boundary current that flows poleward. On the way, it separates and generates many large and small eddies that cause lots of oceanographic dynamic. It has significant ecological impact on the eastern margin of Australia from about 25S. This PhD project aims to use time-series remotely sensed data to map EAC’s spatial structures and investigate the spatial and temporal variability of EAC’s characteristics. The remotely sensed data to be used include more than 10 years MODIS SST and Chlorophyll a datasets. We also intend to use satellite altimetry data in combination with the broad scale BlueLink model to help the mapping and validation, especially in the identification of eddies. This PhD project will further develop the techniques used in supervisor’s (Huang) similar study on the Leeuwin Current of Western Australian margin (Huang and Feng, 2015). Co-supervisor Wang’s expertise in EAC system will be utilised in guiding the design of this study and assessing the results of this study, among others. The successful PhD candidate is expected to have a strong research and analytical skills. Experience and skills in either Remote Sensing or Physical Oceanography field or both are highly desirable.

9.  Mapping and modelling the coastal upwelling along NSW

Supervisors:  Dr Zhi Huang and Prof. Xiao Hua Wang ( [email protected] ), Geoscience Australia

Coastal upwelling is important for marine ecosystems and the economy, because of its elevated primary and secondary productivity and large potential for fish catch. Upwelling along the New South Wales (NSW) coastal areas forms a prominent upwelling system. The upwelling system occurs more or less continuously from austral spring to autumn. It is believed that the East Australian Current (EAC) plays a critical role in this upwelling system.

The ability to investigate the development of individual upwelling events became available in recent years since the production of highly frequent remotely sensed SST data. The Himawari-8 (H-8) is a new generation geostationary satellite carrying an Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI), capable of providing geophysical data at a spatial resolution of 2km and a temporal resolution of 10-mins full-disk frequency. This PhD project contains two main stages. Firstly, this project uses the H-8 SST data to identify and explicitly map the development of individual upwelling events along the NSW coast. The project then uses numerical ocean model(s) to simulate the development of these events to investigate the major underlying mechanisms. The results of this PhD research would significantly advance our knowledge on the NSW coastal upwelling system which is likely to be increasingly influenced by the climate change.

These brief research questions are possible projects for research higher degree students under the supervision of A/Prof.   Stuart Pearson .

• What is the Blue Economic Zone and what will its success bring to society, environment and economy? How will it be monitored and evaluated? What does this show about the research needs for China’s environmental law, science and management? [with A/Prof Ma Yingjie]
• Why is eco-compensation so popular in China? What does this show about the research needs for China’s environmental law, science and management? [with Ma Yingjie]
• How is risk of environmental research, environmental management and environmental policy considered in Australia and China? Current topics for PhDs have related to biofuel policy [with Dong Bo], Antarctica’s research program [with Maozeng Jiang] and so what do you think should be studied next?
• Who cares?  Using a social science approach, how can the values, attitudes and dreams of Australia and China’s young professionals be understood and what scenarios can be plausibly developed? Environmental research, environmental management and environmental policy considerations of young people in Australia and China. How does this contribute to government research? [with Yantai Institute and NSW Government]
• How widely and how appropriate is applying the Kuznets curve thinking in China a rational Natural Resource Management response? China’s rapid development and transition to a eco-civilisation is widely discussed as a stage requiring ‘development first and clean-up second’. What is the nature of the evidence used by narrators to justify this and what are the plausible scenarios?

Climate change implications for Estuaries

Climate variation and change will impact estuaries in a manner and to a degree that is presently poorly understood due to the uncertainties regarding future forcing and theoretical impediments to our quantitative understanding of estuarine processes at management timescales. Estuarine habitats, water quality, shoreline stability, long-term sedimentation, groundwater, freshwater management as well as the inundation of adjacent land and built environment will all potentially be significantly impacted by climate change.

The purpose of this project is to determine likely changes in forcing processes and extreme events (floods, droughts, heat waves, coastal storms) on Australian estuarine ecosystems and their future management.

Specific questions that will be addressed are as follows:

How are estuarine ecosystems anticipated to change with climate?

What options can be exercised to address these changes within estuaries and their catchments?

What appropriate strategies can be exercised to minimise ecological, social and financial risk in estuarine systems?

This project would be supervised in collaboration with suitably qualified ecologists.

Geomorphological behaviour of estuaries under climate change

Estuarine geomorphological behaviour and its response to physical modification and bioturbation provides the physical backdrop for estuary change. A contemporary need is to integrate science and engineering approaches to understand estuaries on a range of nested time scales: the storm event cycle; interannual climate variability; multi-decadal climate variability; centennial to millennial sedimentological and geomorphological processes.

Specifically, marine and terrestrial sedimentation determines the rate of estuarine infilling and changes in estuarine form according to its maturity (Roy  et al ., 2001, Structure and Function of South-east Australian Estuaries,  Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science ,  53 ). Floods play a major role in infilling, flood plain sedimentation as well as scouring during major events.

Following a review of the role of time scale in estuary development, detailed assessment of selected sites would be undertaken as case studies.

PhD Scholarships for International Students from UNSW Canberra

UNSW Canberra will provide a living stipend valued at $35,000 per annum for 3.5 years for suitably qualified students.

INFORMATION ON SCHOLARSHIPS:  www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/hdr-scholarships

UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia Telephone +61 2 93851000 Authorised by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) UNSW CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G ABN: 57 195 873 179

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Propel Research Mentorship Program open for applications

Applications for Propel close on Monday, July 1, 2024. 

Click here to apply for Propel 2024-2025. 

• Review Propel program requirements
• Review application materials

The Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) is excited to invite early career faculty members to join our research mentorship program, Propel. The Propel Research Mentorship Program is designed to support faculty members who are new to the federal grants application process or have had success in securing relatively small grant awards, and are ready to apply for an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a relatively large grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Through Propel’s structured workshops, mentorship and editing support, participants will spend nine months developing a polished grant proposal, and will submit the proposal to the targeted funding agency (NIH or NSF) at the end of the program, in late Spring 2025. 

Program activities for the 2024-2025 Propel class will run from August 23, 2024 through May 2, 2025, and participants will submit their proposals no later than June 2025. Prospective participants are encouraged to read more about the Propel program requirements .

The Office of the Vice President for Research will begin accepting 2024-2025 Propel applications on Tuesday, April 9. Complete application packages are due by Monday, July 1, 2024.

How to Apply for Propel

Any USC faculty member that meets the criteria below may apply. To be considered for Propel, faculty members must:

• Hold the title of assistant or associate tenure track professor (including assistant and associate research faculty).
• Be new to the federal grants application process or have received relatively small external grant awards (or subawards) in the past.
• Be employed at USC Columbia, the USC schools of medicine in Columbia or Greenville, a four-year USC comprehensive institution or a USC Palmetto College campus.
• Not have received a large federal grant (such as an NIH R01 or a medium/large NSF award of about $500,000 or more). Propel welcomes faculty members who have applied for large awards but not had them funded.

Note: Participants in a previous Propel class are not eligible to participate in Propel 2024-2025.

Applications for Propel will be administered through REDCap.

Application Materials

The applicant must provide the following materials in their REDCap application:

• Choice of focus: NIH or NSF
• Five keywords related to your research
• Current faculty rank
• Optional: list a funding solicitation (please provide the name and link, if applicable) 

Please direct questions regarding NIH focused applications to Michael Beets, Ph.D. , at [email protected] or 803-777-3003.

Questions regarding NSF focused applications can be directed to Emily Devereux, Ph.D. , at [email protected] 803-576-6787.

Propel 2024-2025 Schedule

Please refer to the Propel Research Mentorship Program page for more details on each workshop and deliverable noted below. A light breakfast and full lunch will be provided for participants at all program sessions.

9 April 2024

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

University of South Florida

College of Engineering

Main navigation, usf college of engineering news, cse professor attila a. yavuz and his lab are taking part in a large-scale post-quantum cryptography research project for smart-grids.

• April 9, 2024

CSE Associate Professor Attila Yavuz and his lab, Applied Cryptography Research Laboratory (ACRL), will be participating in a large-scale research project funded by the Department of Energy: "Zero-Trust Authentication: Multifactor, Adaptive, and Continuous Authentication with Post-Quantum Cryptography." This large-scale research project aims to defend smart-grid systems against powerful state-level attackers, including those equipped with advanced quantum computing capabilities. Professor Yavuz’s research group is part of a nation-wide coalition that was recently awarded $4.5 million, and his lab’s portion of the funds was $650,000. The coalition includes four other universities, including Texas A&M University-Kingsville, one national lab, one research laboratory, and three utilities.

“As a cyber-security expert with a great passion for cryptography, this project allows me to harness my skills to protect our critical energy infrastructure from hackers, and it is an invaluable motivation for me to participate in this project,” said Professor Yavuz. At the heart of any modern computer system lies the Energy-Delivery Systems (EDS), since they form the backbone of the powerhouse that feeds our giant computing nexus, be it a supercluster running battle simulations or a surgical robot in the middle of a surgery. However, these EDS rely on public key infrastructures, which are currently based on conventional cryptographic methods. Emerging quantum computers can break these conventional public key-based (PKC) techniques (e.g., RSA, ECDSA) much faster than classic computers. 

“Imagine an attacker modifying the command ‘decrease power’ to ‘sharp increase power’ during the transmission of the command. Such a false command injection can overload the grid, creating severe damage to the energy infrastructure,” said Professor Yavuz. Preventing such a catastrophe requires cryptographic algorithms that must be secure against quantum-powerful adversaries. One of the most notable outcomes of these efforts is the recent NIST-PQC standards, which are considered a future replacement for the current conventional PKC. However, NIST-PQC standards are significantly costlier than their conventional counterparts since they require more computation and transmission, thereby putting a heavier load on the underlying application, such as EDS.

Unfortunately, current techniques do not meet stringent delay requirements and are also not suitable for low-end devices in EDS systems (e.g., smart meters). Due to the severity of this threat combined with the narrow acceptable parameters, governments and industrial entities have been making billion-dollar investments in Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). Professor Yavuz’s research group will devise novel post-quantum algorithms for secure authentication and integrity techniques that are fast and lightweight enough to meet the speed needs of EDS and low-end smart-grid devices. 

“Our approach is iterative cryptographic algorithm development followed by field tests,” said Professor Yavuz. “We will first design hash-based and lattice-based techniques, supported with secure hardware and blockchains, to craft techniques that meet the performance needs of EDS.” He described how they would afterward construct mathematical proofs and prototype implementations in collaboration with the other research teams and national labs of this project. They’ll then iterate based on their feedback until the results are within the highly stringent parameters. “Finally, with utilities and research labs, we will test the effectiveness of our methods on actual EDS systems in the field.” He finished.

“It was a great experience to be part of this proposal, wherein I found an opportunity to develop novel ideas with a diverse team of collaborators comprised of excellent researchers.” Said Professor Yavuz.

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