Research scholarships

Full project title: Exploring drivers of behaviour change for sustainability

About the scholarship

This project offers an exciting opportunity for someone interested in advancing theory and understanding how our thought processes shape our actions, particularly in the context of overconsumption and environmental and personal well-being.

The successful candidate will have the unique experience of studying at two prestigious institutions: Macquarie University and the University of St Andrews.

In the first two years, the Global PhD student will work with Professor Melissa Norberg at Macquarie University to investigate how the Breaking Up with Belongings program achieves its effects, focusing on self-control, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation.

In the final 18 months, the student will collaborate with Dr Barbara Dritschel at St Andrews University to explore how future thinking and autobiographical memory influence consumption and sustainability behaviours.

Required skills:

• proficiency in experimental and quantitative research methods
• strong data analysis skills
• excellent organisational abilities and capacity to meet deadlines
• commitment to interdisciplinary research and academic excellence
• ability to clearly communicate ideas, both orally and in writing
• strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to accept and integrate feedback
• ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Key responsibilities:

• design and implement research methodologies to assess the Breaking Up with Belongings program's impact on consumer behaviour, focusing on self-control, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation.
• learn and utilise online software and digital platforms to administer and evaluate the Breaking up with Belongings program and adhere to best practices in privacy and cybersecurity.
• conduct experimental studies on future thinking and autobiographical memory to explore how (un)resolved consumption issues and past consumption and nature-related experiences affect self-regulation and sustainability behaviours.
• prepare, submit, and manage ethics and data management applications and protocols.
• present findings at academic meetings, seminars, and conferences,
• prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Availability

This scholarship is available to eligible candidates to undertake a direct entry full time 3.5-year PhD program commencing in the 2025-2026 academic year (St Andrews), 2025 academic year (Macquarie).

Students will enrol at both institutions from the outset. In terms of their location for study, the entry point for students:

• beginning at St Andrews is 27 September
• beginning at Macquarie is 1 October.

Eligibility

Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met:

• For St Andrews, see how to apply and entry requirements.
• For Macquarie, see PhD entry and English language requirements, and graduate research scholarship eligibility criteria.

Additional criteria

Applicants must not already:

• hold a doctoral degree; or
• be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.

The applicant must hold:

• an Honours degree in psychology (H1 or very high H2.1, or equivalent), and
• a relevant master degree.

Components

The student will be expected to spend approximately half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Funding arrangements are made on the basis that:

• for the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarships will comprise of a full tuition fee award and a stipend paid at the current UK Research Council rate (£19,237 each year at 2024-2025 rates. Note: rates will rise annually in line with UKRI stipend rises).
• Macquarie will fund a living allowance scholarship per position at an annual rate of AUD38,500 (2025 rate, tax exempt), paid pro-rata while the student is in Australia.  A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months.

Macquarie will also provide an airfare allowance for flights between the UK and Australia up to a maximum of $4000 AUD to be arranged by the Graduate Research Academy.

Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:

• any continuation, extension, or resubmission period/fees
• a research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses
• support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.

How to apply

Applicants must submit an EOI detailing their suitability for the project by addressing the required skills and key responsibilities in under 800 words. A CV, a brief description of Honour’s and master’s theses (including mark, word count, and weighting relative to the overall degree), and transcripts for all relevant degrees must accompany the EOI. EOIs will be reviewed on a rolling basis until December 9th.

Students are to submit their EOIs to:

• Professor Melissa Norberg (Macquarie supervisor) at melissa.norberg@mq.edu.au
• Dr Barbara Dritschel (St Andrews supervisor) at bd9@st-andrews.ac.uk
• and cc gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au.

The participating schools at St Andrews and the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie in coordination with the academic supervisors will be expected to complete the selection process.

The Global Office at St Andrews will work with the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie to arrange official notification of scholarship awards, invite scholarship awardees to formally apply for admission to both universities by mid-January 2025, and conclude contractual arrangements which must be in place prior to the start of the degree.

Students who are nominated for the award will be asked to formally apply for candidature through the Macquarie application portal:

Contact us

Further enquiries about the global PhD scholarships may be addressed to: