PhD Scholarships: Shaping AI’s Future Full-time

PhD Scholarships: Shaping AI's Future

Artificial Intelligence – particularly generative AI – is transforming society faster than we can understand it. This gives rise to many questions around AIs influence on social cohesion, the nature of knowledge production and education, cultural advancement, geopolitical challenges, national security, trust in institutions, digital humanities, intimate and personal relationships with AI, environmental impact, and broader questions related to ethics and governance. This creates an urgent need to investigate these many and varied issues to inform future decision-making and to ensure the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences plays a vital role in driving transformative change toward a sustainable and equitable future with AI.

Monash Arts is seeking innovative and socially-conscious researchers who are driven to create meaningful change. Understanding how AI can boost sovereign capability, strengthen national security and build our economic resilience is important. But Monash Arts goes further. We ask questions about how human dimensions – our values, cultures, ethics, politics, languages, histories, health, (mis)communications, geographies, creative practices, policies and institutions – are shaping and being shaped by AI. Research in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), is more critical than ever before. HASS disciplines offer the tools to unpack the social and ethical complexities of AI and how these shape policies that are not only effective, but are also just and inclusive.

Up to five PhD scholarships are available. These scholarships will be awarded to competitive applicants who are interested in advancing research to tackle the contemporary and future challenges associated with AI and the resultant digital and societal transformations. We seek to recruit curious individuals to work alongside a number of exciting research projects underway at Monash Arts. From exploring youth well-being and mental health, to the future of music, and inclusive communications for CALD communities – we have an exciting research program for those ready to take the next step in their career and academic journey.

• Co-designing AI companionship to promote young people's social health and wellbeing (Dr Claire Tanner)
• Public resistance to (and rejection of) AI in everyday life (Prof. Neil Selwyn)
• AI for Inclusive CALD Ageing and Care Communication (Dr Hui Huang)
• AI and the Future of Democratic Life: Participation, Persuasion and Public Trust (Dr Charles Crabtree)
• From generative AI to generative futures in music: mapping future professionalism for evolving music labour markets (Dr Rod Davies and Dr Nicole Canham)
• Human Craft, AI and the Future of Screen Aesthetics (Dr Elliott Logan)
• Human Labour and Automation in the Warehouse and Logistics Industry (Dr Christopher O'Neill)
• Auditing Algorithms: Detecting and reducing discrimination in AI-Driven Decisions (Dr Charles Crabtree)
• The changing nature of digital inequalities in an age of AI (Prof. Neil Selwyn)

If successful, you will join Australia's largest University which has six globally networked campuses and international alliances across Asia and Europe. Successful candidates will be based at either the Clayton or Caulfield campus in Melbourne, Victoria, and will have access to international mobility grants, professional development training and opportunities for industry engagement. Monash Arts is a diverse and vibrant faculty which advances disciplinary, multi- and inter-disciplinary research that operates at a multitude of scales: from the individual, to communities, societies, regions, nations and international.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences and creative arts who are committed to addressing contemporary social, cultural, political and environmental challenges associated with the rapid rise of AI systems in Australia and beyond.

The selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent international) Honour's or Master's degree (in a cognate field aligned with proposed research topic) with evidence of a significant research component, and with first-class Honours/H1 (equivalence) awarded. Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Arts are available at arts.monash.edu/graduate-research/application-process/. Applicants should ensure they familiarise themselves with these requirements before deciding whether they should apply.

Scholarship holders must be enrolled full-time and on-campus. Please note: applicants who already hold a PhD will not be considered.

The successful applicant is expected to commence no later than 12th March 2027.

You are required to discuss your research proposal with an aligned prospective supervisor (see links alongside suggested project titles) before you submit an application.

Applications shall comprise:

• A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant's suitability
• A draft Research Proposal that (i) fits within the scope of this call for research, (ii) aligns, where feasible, with one of the proposed topics, and (iii) demonstrates some understanding of the area of research (e.g., discipline or field of study).

• A detailed curriculum vitae, including a list of any published works, conference presentations and relevant work experience
• A full statement of academic records, degree certificates and official grading system (if available), supported by scanned copies of relevant certified documentation
• English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
• Names and contact details of 2 academic referees

Once you have discussed your proposal with the prospective project supervisor, please submit your application via My.App and upload all supporting documentation in pdf format:

• Select Admission Only as the Application Type
• Select 'Yes' to indicate that you are applying for a scholarship for this research and enter “PhD Scholarships: Shaping AI's Future” as the scholarship name under Research Program Funding of the application.
• Select the relevant project supervisor as the name of the proposed main supervisor (final supervision arrangements to be confirmed upon appointment).

Applications Close: Wednesday 30 September 2026, 11:55 pm AEST