La Trobe Industry Research Scholarship (LTIRS) - Assessing Climate Change Risks and Sustainability Strategies in Healthcare in the Loddon Mallee Region
Background
Scholarship code: IND-25121
There is an urgent need to reduce emissions while maintaining high-quality, safe, and sustainable health care. The Australian health system is a major contributor to emissions and material waste, particularly through high-acuity and procedure-intensive hospital care. Ensuring care is appropriate, effective, and resource-efficient can improve patient outcomes, enhance efficiency and patient flow, reduce costs, and reduce avoidable environmental impact.
This industry-based research degree (offered as either a PhD or professional doctorate) will be led by the successful candidate and will focus on improving sustainability across high-acuity and procedure-heavy care at Bendigo Health and within the region it serves. Using a whole-of-system and lifecycle perspective, the candidate will design and lead a program of research to identify opportunities to optimise care quality, safety, efficiency, and equity, while reducing emissions, waste, and unnecessary practices.
The project will generate new knowledge from a regional health service context, addressing an important evidence gap with relevance beyond the local setting. The successful candidate will be fully supported by an experienced supervisory team and the La Trobe University Graduate Research School, while retaining intellectual leadership of an interdisciplinary, applied research project.
This scholarship is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents, and New Zealand citizens, and will remain open until filled.
Benefits of the scholarship
- a La Trobe Research Scholarship for three and a half years, with a value of $36,000 per annum (pro-rata), to support your living costs (2026 rate)
- a fee-relief scholarship for up to four years
- relocation allowance and publication/ thesis allowance
- opportunities to work with Australia's largest rural health school and the Violet Vines Marshman Research Centre, collaborating with leading researchers and accessing a comprehensive suite of professional development programs.
Are you eligible to apply?
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:
- meet the entrance requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy or Professional Doctorate - Doctor of Public Health
- be an Australian and New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident
In selecting the successful applicant, we prioritise applications from candidates who:
- will be enrolled full-time and undertaking their research at a La Trobe University regional campus (Bendigo, Shepparton, Mildura, or Albury-Wodonga)
- have completed a Masters by Research or another significant body of research (such as an Honours thesis or lead authorship of a peer-reviewed publication) assessed at a La Trobe Masters by Research standard of 75 or above
- have a background in healthcare or a closely related field, with demonstrated understanding or experience relevant to healthcare systems, public health, or health services delivery
How to apply
If you wish to apply for this scholarship follow Step 3 and 4 on the Doctor of Philosophy or the Doctor of Public Health Apply Now webpage, to submit your full application for scholarship and candidature.
Select the 'La Trobe Industry Research Scholarship (LTIRS)' option when prompted in the application portal, and use the scholarship code IND-25121.
Please note: As part of your application you are not required to identify a potential supervisor – Associate Professor Lisa Hanson is the designated supervisor for this project.
Selection process
The University will carefully review your application and consider you for this scholarship. The successful candidate will be made an offer for candidature and scholarship.
As part of the application process, interviews will be undertaken with Bendigo Health and La Trobe University.
This scholarship will remain open until filled.
Who to contact for further information
Associate Professor Lisa Hanson, L.Hanson@latrobe.edu.au