PhD Scholarship -Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) Full-time

PhD Scholarship – Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE)

Applications are invited from outstanding domestic and international candidates for a PhD scholarship embedded within the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) program.

RISE is an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research program developing and evaluating nature-based and hybrid infrastructure to improve health, environmental quality and climate resilience in informal settlements. As the program moves from successful pilot projects towards municipal and national implementation, these PhD projects investigate the scientific, technical and institutional innovations required to enable large-scale impact.

Successful candidates will join the Transforming Cities Hub at Monash University and work within an international network of researchers and implementation partners across Australia and Indonesia.

Potential PhD Projects:

1. AI-Aided Site Reconnaissance and Rapid Assessments for Settlement Upgrading

How can spatial analytics, remote sensing, and machine learning models be combined into rapid, low-cost assessment workflows to map environmental vulnerabilities, trace contamination pathways, and prioritise targeted water cycle infrastructure interventions across informal urban settlements?

2. Optimisation of Hybrid Infrastructure Systems and Fit-for-Purpose Technologies

How can green-grey hybrid water infrastructure be optimised and technical guidelines adapted to support consistent, fit-for-purpose technology selection across diverse socio-technical contexts at national scale?

3. Social and Institutional Frameworks for Upscaling Participatory Design

What elements of participatory co-design and community-based infrastructure implementation are essential for achieving long-term sustainability and how can these be institutionalised within state-led programs to enable scaling?

Why Study with Us?

Successful candidates will undertake an embedded PhD in the Monash Department of Architecture, conducting research within RISE's international Living Lab alongside government agencies, communities, practitioners and researchers. This immersive approach enables candidates to engage directly with implementation, access unique longitudinal datasets, and generate interdisciplinary research that informs policy, practice and climate-resilient urban transformations. Where relevant, opportunities for industry placements with government and NGO partners can be explored.

Candidate Requirements

We welcome applicants with First Class Honours or a Master's degree in a relevant discipline. Depending on the project, suitable backgrounds may include:

• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• GIS and Spatial Science
• Architecture
• Landscape Architecture
• Urban Design
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Science
• Public Policy
• Social Sciences

Applicants should demonstrate:

• excellent analytical and research capability
• interest in interdisciplinary and applied research
• motivation to work collaboratively with government and community partners
• excellent written and oral English communication skills
• capacity to undertake independent doctoral research.

Applicants must satisfy Monash University PhD admission requirements.