PhD Scholarship: Exploring Alcohol and Suicidality Among Australian Military Veterans

The Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention within the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University is offering a PhD scholarship for an exceptional candidate to join an innovative research program exploring real-time alcohol consumption and suicidality among Australian military veterans.

This project sits at the intersection of behavioural health, addiction science, and precision psychology, which aims to utilise real-time, non-invasive monitoring approaches to better understand alcohol-related suicide risk with veterans. The work integrates ecological momentary assessments with continuous transdermal alcohol sensing via wearable wristbands to capture dynamic, within-person fluctuations in alcohol exposure and theoretical contributors of suicidal ideation and suicide capability in naturalistic settings. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team including experts in sociology, epidemiology, psychology, suicide research, and lived experiences.

This is a unique opportunity for a motivated researcher to contribute to world class science with real-world clinical impact, build a strong publication track record, and gain experience with state-of-the-art technologies and methods.

The successful applicant will become part of a dynamic research environment at Griffith University, with access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, sophisticated analytical approaches, and a highly supportive supervisory team dedicated to professional development. This project provides a distinctive opportunity to contribute to a fast-advancing field with strong translational impact that includes the potential to influence how future interventions are tailored to individual patients.

This PhD scholarship is funded through an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grant. The NHMRC Ideas scheme supports innovative, high-impact research that addresses significant challenges in health and medical science. As part of this nationally competitive program, the successful candidate will join a research project that has undergone rigorous peer review for scientific excellence, feasibility, and potential impact.