Graduate Research Training

The MUARC graduate research program continued to provide a vibrant research environment for MUARC’s PhD, Masters, Honours and vacation students in 2025. Our graduate students undertake transformative and interdisciplinary research that is at the forefront of finding sustainable, social, economic, environmental and technical solutions to preventing injury. Studying at MUARC provides students the opportunity to learn from the world’s leading injury prevention researchers.

PhD program

MUARC’s graduate research program is coordinated by Professor Jennie Oxley and Associate Professor Sjaan Koppel. The administration of the program and ongoing student support is provided by Ms Samantha Bailey. Together, the team has nurtured MUARC students through their graduate research journey for more than a decade.

MUARC offers three prestigious PhD scholarships, named in honour of former MUARC pioneering road safety researchers: Professor Peter Vulcan AM, Dr John Lane; and Professor Tom Triggs. Valued at $40,000 per annum for the duration of the PhD, the scholarships are awarded to the top domestic student applicants in the injury prevention and safety science field.

MUARC also welcomes international PhD students to study with us, with joint PhD opportunities through the Monash-IITB India program, joint projects with Monash University Malaysia’s GEMS program, and visiting students from partner universities.

In 2025, MUARC welcomed seven new PhD students to our graduate research program: Christopher Ainsworth, Mohammed Ali, Salsabila Arista, James Armstrong, Imogen Brown, Olivia Crivari and Jiaxin Lu. Coming to MUARC from Australia and internationally, each brings their experience and passion to their unique research projects. We were also fortunate to host visiting PhD students Andrea Raimondi (Italy), Hengyan Pan (China), and Karamjeet Sarna (IITB).

PhD students 

  • 20 MUARC-enrolled PhD students
  • 14 Domestic
  • 6 International
  • 4 MUARC co-supervised PhD students
  • 3 Visiting PhD students

MUARC-enrolled PhD completions

  • Dr Arzhaginiyal (Iniya) Arularasu

    Building a dynamic systems model to explore the potential road safety benefits of Conditional, High and Full Driving Automation in light vehicles in Victoria

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  • Dr Suresh Pokharel

    Urbanisation, risks and vulnerabilities and urban resilience: A study of the journey of resilience building of Kathmandu

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MUARC co-supervised PhD completions

  • Dr Briohny Kennedy

    Assault-related death and homicide in community-dwelling older Australians: a descriptive epidemiological study

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  • Dr Emily Sarah Fitzgerald

    Sleep Quality and 24-Hour Rest-Activity Patterns via Actigraphy in Premanifest Huntington’s Disease: Relationship with Cognitive Function and Disease Severity

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Coursework research students

MUARC also supports coursework students to experience academic research and collaboration with industry through a range of research programs. Coordinated by Dr Amanda Stephens, the program welcomed 16 students across the year, who had the opportunity to work closely with, and be supported by, our research staff. We are particularly proud of our four psychology honours students completing with great results: Bryn Smith, Diva Bhatia, Bridget Harland and Mahmood Humam.

  • 4 Honours students

  • 1 Psychology Intern

  • 1 Industry Experience Intern

  • 10 Vacation Research Program students