Lisa Williams (UNSW), Jill Newby (UNSW), and Barbara Masser (UQ) are looking for candidates to apply for a funded Scientia PhD Scholarship at UNSW to work on a project at the intersection of social and clinical psychology, affective science, and virtual reality. The Scholarship includes a 4-year stipend of $40k/year and an additional $10k/year career development fund. Tuition fees will be waived.
This project will investigate the efficacy of virtual reality technologies to promote blood donation. Leveraging state-of-the-science understanding in the fields of emotion, clinical psychology, and human-computer interaction, the project will involve developing and testing virtual and augmented reality environments designed to alleviate negative emotions such as anxiety and fear of needles and to augment positive emotions such as happiness. Virtual environments will guide users to engage in emotion regulation and clinical treatment techniques (e.g., distraction, graded exposure). Insights produced by this project will inform psychological theory, technological innovation, and best practice for blood collection agencies.
The ideal candidate for this project will have a degree in a related field (e.g., psychology, medical science), experience with data collection from human participants, facility with relevant statistical analysis and software, demonstrated independence in carrying out research projects, and enthusiasm for academic research in psychology. Minimum entry requirements for the PhD program at UNSW apply. (click here for more info)
Find more information and link to apply here: https://www.2025.unsw.edu.au/apply/scientia-phd-scholarships/putting-virtue-virtual-reality-technological-approaches-promote-blood
Contact Lisa Williams () with any queries. Expressions of interest are due 20 July 2018.