Empowering households as active agents of change in resource-efficient sustainability transitions

Empowering households as active agents of change in resource-efficient sustainability transitions

This doctoral scholarship is part of a multidisciplinary research project funded by the Australian Research Council's Discovery Project "Empowering households as active agents of change in resource-efficient sustainability transitions ". The project is a collaboration between RMIT University, Monash University and the University of Manchester.

The PhD will advance knowledge of household practices in sustainability transitions, by mobilising insights from social practice theories, household consumption studies, and studies of relational consumption.The research will co-design intervention and policy programs with householders, industry experts, intermediaries such as service providers, and decision makers and policy makers, to support multi-sector change across energy, water, food and waste. Using Change Points workshops, the research will combine interpretive social science with policy work to advance knowledge. The PhD researcher will be supervised by Professor Ralph Horne and Dr Bhavna Middha and will be based across the Post-Carbon Research Centre and Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University.

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$36,245

31 August 2026

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You must have:

  • a Masters by Research degree; or
  • Master by Coursework degree with a significant research component graded as high distinction or equivalent; or
  • an Honours degree achieving first class honours in Social science or another related field; or
  • equivalence including academic publications. 

Australian citizens, permanent residents or onshore international candidates.

To apply, please submit the following documents to Professor Ralph Horne (ralph.horne@rmit.edu.au) and Dr. Bhavna Middha (bhavna.middha@rmit.edu.au). 

Expressions of interest should contain the following information:

  • a one-page cover letter briefly outlining your interest in the project
  • evidence of research ability:
    • a digital copy of a Master's or Honours' thesis; and a digital copy of academic transcripts
    • a CV including any publications, awards, and relevant professional experience.

This scholarship will be governed by RMIT's University Research Scholarship Terms and Conditions

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