Renee Barnes

The University of the Sunshine Coast is offering a PhD scholarship for research on political deepfake videos and their impact on democratic processes in Australia. This project, funded by a National Intelligence Discovery grant, seeks to address the urgent challenge posed by AI-enabled deepfake videos, which threaten electoral integrity and public trust. The research will focus on identifying which individuals are most susceptible to deepfake disinformation and developing behavioural interventions to mitigate their spread. The successful candidate will investigate demographic, cognitive, emotional, and relational factors that contribute to vulnerability to deepfakes. The project will also explore behaviours such as sharing, reporting, and fact-checking of political deepfake content. Expected outcomes include advances in theoretical understanding and practical methodologies to disrupt the mass dissemination of disinformation and protect vulnerable communities. Supervision will be provided by Associate Professors Renee Barnes and Rory Mulcahy, both leading researchers in the field. The scholarship offers a tax-free stipend of $56,558 per annum. Applicants should have a strong academic background in political communication, psychology, media studies, or related disciplines, and a keen interest in the intersection of technology, politics, and human behaviour. For more information and to apply, visit the application portal linked in the post. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research with real-world impact in the fields of political science, communication studies, psychology, and media studies.