PhD Scholarship: Modelling the health and environmental impact of food systems at Griffith University

Griffith Health is one of Australia’s leading health educators. Through leadership and innovation in teaching, research and community engagement, Griffith Health helps to create sustained improvement in health and healthcare for local, national, and international communities. Griffith Health students benefit from award-winning Learning and Teaching staff, state-of-the-art facilities, and world-renowned research programs within a purpose-built Griffith Health Centre. Griffith Health has five schools, School of Applied Psychology, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing and Midwifery and School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences.

In the School of Medicine and Dentistry, our Public Health & Economics Modelling Team focuses on the economics of prevention. We use robust epidemiological and health economic modelling methods to estimate the health impacts and cost-effectiveness of preventive policies and interventions. As part of our team, you will benefit from high quality training in the above areas to support a transition to independent research.

The successful candidate will be based at Griffith University, Gold Coast. As Griffith is a multi-site University you may be required to work across other locations.

Griffith University sites are located on the lands of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera, Turrbal, Yugambeh and Kombumerri peoples.

The Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Food, Healthy Planet, Healthy People is a multi-disciplinary collaboration of 6 Universities and 8 affiliated partner organisations. It aims to support a healthy and environmentally sustainable food supply in Australia and globally. Dietary patterns and the environmental footprint of foods will be assessed at The George Institute for Global Health and Deakin University, respectively. The successful candidates will use this information to develop models that will enable us to estimate the effects of changes in food systems and population diets on health outcomes, environmental outcomes, and economic outcomes. The work for Australia is currently well underway. The focus for the successful candidate will be on the global packaged food supply, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The successful candidates will benefit from an innovative training programme in world-leading epidemiological modelling methods. You will be part of a diverse multicultural team of students and academics and work closely with academic and policy partners in Australia and around the world.

A fully funded scholarship is available for domestic and international students in the Public Health & Economics Modelling team.

The selection of applicants for the award of higher degree research scholarships at Griffith University involves consideration of your academic merit and research background. To be successful within this role, you will be able to demonstrate expertise in epidemiology, econometrics, statistics, mathematics, environmental science, and/or nutrition science. You will have evidence of a passion for quantitative research. Experience in predictive modelling and coding (e.g. R, python) is desirable.

• Expressions of interest are welcome from domestic and international applicants.
• Applicants must have completed, or expect to complete, a bachelors degree with honours equivalent to first class honours or a Masters degree (AQF Level 9) incorporating a significant research component of a standard comparable to a bachelor honours degree or be regarded by Griffith University as having an equivalent level of attainment in accordance with Schedule One of the HDR Scholarship Procedure.  For further information on the eligibility requirements for the program refer here.

International applicants should ensure that English Language Proficiency requirements for the program are met before formally applying. Applicants to research programs will need to show they meet:

1. A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS (Academic) with no band score less than 6.0 OR
2. A minimum score of 575 on the paper-based TOEFL including a score of no less than 5.0 on the TWE OR
3. A score of 79 on the internet-based (iBT) TOEFL with no sub-score less than 19

About the scholarship
The 2025 Griffith University Postgraduate Research Scholarship has an annual stipend of $34,752 (indexed) for a period of up to three years of full-time study. Please see the GUPRS Conditions of Award for more information.

A successful International applicant will also be awarded a Griffith University International Postgraduate Research Scholarship to cover tuition fees for up to three years. Please see the GUIPRS Conditions of Award for more information.

What Griffith offers
As a scholarship holder, you will study with a University that ranks among the top 2% worldwide and spans across campuses in South East Queensland. At Griffith University, we’ve worked hard to create a culture that will challenge you to be curious, creative and courageous. We also support the professional and personal development of all our HDR candidates and invest in the skills of our people. Griffith University values diversity, inclusion and flexibility and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and people of all backgrounds to apply. Griffith's strategic goals are to also increase the proportion of women in senior academic and administrative roles and in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).

EoI process
Please do not select the “APPLY” button. All expressions of interest must be submitted to [email protected] containing:

• Statement addressing your suitability for the project/scholarship
• Evidence that you have completed a program with the required grades as detailed in the about you section, including a  copy of your academic transcript
• A curriculum vitae (CV) using the Griffith CV template.
• Names of two referees

Closing date for expressions of interest is: Friday 19 September 2025 5pm AEST

The preferred applicant will then be invited to apply for the program and scholarship on-line

For project related enquiries please contact:
Professor Lennert Veerman
Email: [email protected]

For administration enquiries please contact:
Griffith Graduate Research School
Email: [email protected]