HDR Scholarship - Anti-Doping Among Women

There is a growing consensus that the use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) such as anabolic-androgenic steroids among women is increasing, and that support personnel such as coaches have an oversized influence on women’s decisions to use or avoid PIEDs. Utilising a qualitative approach, and informed by a co-design process with national anti-doping and sporting organisations, this project aims to;

1. investigate the role of support personnel (e.g., coaches, trainers, partners) in facilitating or preventing PIED use, and
2. to understand the broader psycho-socio-cultural factors that contribute to facilitating or preventing PIED use among female athletes.

This is a multisite project, being conducted in Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The project team is lead by Associate Professor Matthew Dunn from Deakin University, and includes researchers from Deakin University (A/Prof Severine Lamon, Dr Jonathan Robertson) and Griffith University (Dr Timothy Piatkowski) in Australia, Heriot-Watt University (Dr April Henning) in Scotland, and Linnaeus University (Prof Jesper Andreasson) in Sweden. The project is funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Applications close 5pm, Sunday 9 March 2025

This scholarship is available over 3 years.

• Stipend of $35,550 per annum tax exempt (2025 rate)
• Relocation allowance of $500-1500 (for single to family) for students moving from interstate
• International students only:  Tuition fees offset for the duration of 4 years. Single Overseas Student Health Cover policy for the duration of the student visa.

To be eligible you must:

• be a domestic or international candidate. Domestic includes candidates with Australian Citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship.
• meet Deakin's PhD entry requirements
• be enrolling full time and hold an honours degree (first class) or an equivalent standard master's degree with a substantial research component.

Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page for further information.