PhD Scholarship in Communication and Navigation for Blind and Low Vision People
Location: Clayton campus
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration: 3.5 years fixed-term appointment
Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a Research Living Allowance, at current value of $37,145AUD per annum 2026 full-time rate (tax-free stipend), indexed plus allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions at: https://www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures. A tuition fee scholarship and Single Overseas Health Cover (OSHC) will be provided for a successful international awardee.
The Opportunity
This PhD scholarship is funded as an important part of a Monash AI institute collaboration between the Arts and IT faculties around technology for orientation and mobility for Blind and Low Vision people.
The PhD project will undertake detailed linguistic research on how Blind and Low Vision people interact with digital navigational technologies and incorporate multimodal information into their navigational frame of reference. Drawing on video ethnography and multimodal communication they will explore real-world navigational experiences, supplemented with interviews and focus groups with Blind and Low Vision people to gain insight into current experiences and desires in how digital technologies integrate into their experience of environmental navigation. The successful applicant will join a research team that is exploring wider issues around digital technologies for orientation and mobility and particularly the role of Artificial Intelligence in such systems.
Undertaking this PhD as part of a larger project has several advantages. First, the successful candidate will be integrated into an already successful research agenda and will have access to funding to support fieldwork, transcription, travel, and conference attendance. Second, the candidate will benefit from expert supervision from research leaders in social science and IT, and from entering a PhD with a pre-existing structure. Finally, the candidate will benefit from being part of outcomes from the research, which may include co-authored publications (where the candidate’s contributions will be recognised through co-authorship), community engagement exercises, and future grant applications.
Monash University is the largest university in Australia and regularly ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide. Monash has six globally networked campuses and international alliances in Europe and Asia. The applicant will be based at the Clayton campus in Melbourne. Linguistics at Monash is diverse and vibrant, with a strong emphasis on multimodality and the student will also benefit from co-supervision in inclusive technology in IT. We have a strong and supportive research culture, led by internationally recognised scholars successful in attracting national and international competitive funding.
Candidate Requirements
The successful applicant will have an excellent academic track record in Linguistics, multimodal communication or a related discipline. Proven experience in video ethnographic methods will be highly regarded. Engagement with Blind and Low Vision and other disability communities is core to the project and ability to effectively and respectfully engage with Blind and Low Vision people is a requirement for successful selection. We encourage applicants with lived experience of disability to apply.
In its assessment, the selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent international) Honour’s or Master’s degree (both in a relevant field), with a significant research component and with first-class honours/H1 awarded.
Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Arts are available at https://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 will be expected to enrol by February 2027. However, there may be some flexibility as to the date of commencement.
Enquiries
You are required to discuss your research proposal with Dr Shimako Iwasaki, Email: Shimako.Iwasaki@monash.edu before you submit an application.
How to Apply
Applications shall comprise:
- A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability
- A brief Research Proposal that fits within the broad project aims and objectives, and demonstrates some understanding of the area of research
- A 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 Dr Shimako Iwasaki, 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 Scholarship in Communication and Navigation for People who are Blind or have Low Vision” as the scholarship name under Research Program Funding of the application.
- Select Dr Shimako Iwasaki as the proposed main supervisor (final supervision arrangements to be confirmed upon appointment).
Application Close: Wednesday 14th October 2026, 11:55 pm AEST
