Sarah Ailwood

PhD Scholarship Opportunity at the University of Wollongong This post announces a funded PhD scholarship at the University of Wollongong (UOW) in Australia on gender-based violence in the context of work , with a focus on reporting, help-seeking, and access to justice . The project is interdisciplinary and sits at the intersection of law , sociology , social work , criminology , and related policy/practice fields. The scholarship is part of UOW’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Doctoral Training Program and is supervised by Associate Professor Sarah Ailwood (principal supervisor), Dr Rachel Loney-Howes (secondary supervisor), and Dr Laura Vidal (associate supervisor). The candidate will be based in UOW’s Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities HDR environment and will have opportunities to engage with policy and practice communities as well as community legal and social service organisations. Research themes mentioned in the call include barriers to reporting gender-based violence in workplace and employment contexts, experiences of help-seeking and access to legal/organisational/community-based responses, the effectiveness of integrated legal and social service models, and policy/practice/systemic reforms to improve equity, accessibility, and sustainability of responses. Eligibility highlights: applicants should have an Honours degree (ideally first class) or a Master’s degree with a major research component in criminology, law, sociology, social work, gender studies, public policy, or a closely related discipline. The ideal candidate will have a strong academic record, independent research capacity, interest in gender-based violence and work/employment, and preferably experience with qualitative, participatory, feminist, and/or trauma-informed research methods. Funding: the scholarship is open to Australian domestic students and provides a stipend of $36,943 per annum , indexed annually. The successful candidate may hold paid employment provided it does not adversely affect PhD progress. Application window: proposals are due 29 June 2026 , and the successful candidate must commence by 31 August 2026 . Applicants should submit a 3–4 page research proposal, CV, academic transcripts, a one-page cover letter, and referee contact details. Applications are to be emailed to [email protected] .

Funded PhD scholarship at the University of Wollongong on gender-based violence in the context of work , with a focus on how workers report violence, seek help, and access justice in NSW. The project sits within the NSW Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Doctoral Training Program and invites proposals linked to the broad theme of gender-based violence in workplace and employment settings. The research is intended to be interdisciplinary and practice-oriented, with real-world impact through collaboration with community legal and social service organisations. Research areas and themes: gender-based violence, workplace violence, reporting barriers, help-seeking, access to legal and community responses, integrated legal and social service models, policy and practice reform, equity and accessibility for structurally disadvantaged workers. Supervision team: Associate Professor Sarah Ailwood (Principal Supervisor), Dr Rachel Loney-Howes (Secondary Supervisor), and Dr Laura Vidal (Associate Supervisor). Eligibility: applicants should have Honours (ideally first class) or a research Master's degree in criminology, law, sociology, social work, gender studies, public policy, or a closely related field. The post welcomes both recent graduates and experienced professionals, especially those with strong academic records and an interest in qualitative, participatory, feminist, and/or trauma-informed research. Funding: the scholarship is open to Australian domestic students and provides a stipend of $36,943 p.a. , indexed annually. Paid employment may be maintained if it does not adversely affect PhD progress. Deadline: applications close Monday 29 June 2026 . The successful candidate must commence by 31 August 2026 . How to apply: email the required documents to [email protected] . Materials include a 3–4 page research proposal, CV, academic transcripts, a one-page cover letter, and referee contact details including at least one academic referee.