What you'll investigate

The successful applicant will undertake an innovative research project aligned with NSW Government domestic, family and sexual violence priority research areas. Projects should address evidence gaps and contribute to policy, practice and service improvement through applied, multidisciplinary research. Projects addressing one or more of the following priority areas are of particular interest:

• Children and young people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence
• Perpetration, behaviour change and violence prevention
• The social, developmental and psychological drivers of men's violence

Successful applicants will work with their supervisory team and relevant government and sector partners to refine their project and become part of a collaborative research community committed to strengthening evidence-informed responses to domestic, family and sexual violence across New South Wales.

Scholarship package

The successful applicant will be awarded a scholarship package consisting of:

Your research community

Principal supervisor

Associate Professor Megan Willis

Associate Professor Megan Willis is a member of the NSW ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Research Network. Her research focuses on understanding the causes, consequences and prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence, with particular interests in the intersection of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, including both perpetration and victimisation.

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Faculty

Faculty of Health Sciences

Research at the Faculty of Health Sciences is driven by a commitment to improving health outcomes and advancing evidence-based practice across diverse communities. With a strong interdisciplinary focus, our researchers collaborate across nursing, allied health, public health, and biomedical sciences to address pressing health challenges locally and globally.

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Affiliation

Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS)

ICPS aims to enhance outcomes for children, young people and families through quality research, evaluation, training and community education. Our research strengths include promoting children's participation, strengthening service systems, informing practice, and supporting child-safe communities. Established in 2005, we have built a strong reputation for our expertise in research excellence, building workforce capacity, child protection, and abuse prevention. Our partnerships with government agencies, service providers, and community organisations have helped create safer environments for children across Australia.

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Industry partner

NSW and ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Doctoral Training Centre

This scholarship is offered through the NSW and ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), a collaborative initiative involving Australian Catholic University, 11 partner universities, NSW Government agencies, and sector partners. The DTC supports government-aligned research that addresses defined policy needs through multidisciplinary collaboration, embedded applied research, and integrated knowledge translation. Successful candidates will have opportunities to engage with government and sector partners, ensuring their research is informed by policy, practice and community contexts. Through this collaborative model, the DTC aims to strengthen the evidence base for domestic, family and sexual violence prevention and response, while supporting the translation of research into policy, practice and improved outcomes for communities across New South Wales.

How to apply

Applications close: Monday 14 September 2026, 11:59 pm AEST

Step 1: Assess your eligibility

Eligibility

Before you apply, confirm you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• This opportunity is open to domestic applicants only.
• The eligibility criteria for the PhD program at ACU can be found in the Higher Degree Research Policy.
• The eligibility criteria for research scholarships can be found in the ACU Research Training Program Scholarship Policy.

Requirements

In addition to the eligibility criteria, the successful applicant should have:

• strong interest in domestic, family and/or sexual violence research
• commitment to applied, practice-based research with real-world relevance
• interdisciplinary perspective or experience across health, social work, law, justice, psychology, or related fields
• existing or emerging connections to policy, service delivery, or community contexts relevant to DFSV, prior sector experience is highly regarded

Conditions

By applying, you acknowledge and accept the following conditions:

• The scholarship package is subject to satisfactory progress and full-time study mode.
• The scholarship conditions align with the ACU Research Training Program Scholarship Policy.
• The successful applicant will be required to assign their intellectual property (IP) to ACU as a condition of enrolment.

Step 2: Express your interest

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Associate Professor Megan Willis prior to applying for the PhD program and scholarship, to express their interest and discuss the project in detail.

Email: megan.willis@acu.edu.au

Step 3: Submit your application

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit all documentation required for an application to the PhD program at ACU, as detailed in the How to Apply instructions, plus:

• A CV outlining relevant academic and practical experience; and
• A cover letter detailing demonstrated interest and/or relevant experience and describing how their proposed project aligns with the strategic priorities of the NSW State Government and NSW/ACT DFSV Research Network and Doctoral Training Centre to prevent and respond to DFSV in NSW.

When completing the PhD application form, please indicate that you are also applying for a stipend scholarship and include the name of this project "Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Doctoral Training Centre PhD Scholarship".