Wisdom of the crowd is concept that describes collective intelligence derived from large numbers of individuals.  Social scientist Professor Damon Centola, Director of the Network Dynamics Group from the University of Pennsylvania, has developed platforms and models documenting that democratised and decentralised networks can produce important information about relevant topics that is both precise and accurate (see Link Here)

About the PhD Stipend Scholarship
MMIHR is seeking new ways to gather expertise to develop an Evidence Map about supplement use in High Performance Sport as a companion activity to the AIS Sports Supplement Framework. A PhD program has been established to develop tools and strategies that harness the collective wisdom of Australian and international experts in sports science/nutrition. This “Wise Crowd” will be used to address nuances in our knowledge about the use of supplements and sports foods in high performance sport.

The outcomes of this research will be tested against other contemporary models that can be used to establish ideal solutions in this space (e.g., artificial intelligence, knowledge aggregation using meta-analysis of research findings.  The successful PhD student will also investigate the effect of the experience of being a participant in Wisdom of the Crowd and explore how to create incentives for retaining a Wise Crowd.  The project will be supervised by Professor Louise Burke (MMIHR Chair of Sports Nutrition), Dr David T. Martin (applied sports scientist, ACU) and Dr Andy King (Academic Lead, Research Translation and Impact).  The project will take place between February 2023 to January 2026.

The successful recipient of this PhD scholarship will have the opportunity to be integrated into an ACU university start-up company. The PhD student will earn partial company ownership and research projects will be designed to be academically rigorous while at the same time contribute to company patents, operational methodology and other company intellectual property. The learning that takes place during this PhD program will prepare the student for the unique demands of a senior scientific-technical role within an emerging start-up company.

The project team is seeking interest from applicants in any, or a combination of, automated data collection, network analysis, natural language processing, computational text analysis, machine learning, social anthropology and/or psychology.

PhD Eligibility criteria

PhD Eligibility criteria
The eligibility criteria for the PhD program at ACU can be found in the Higher Degree Research Regulations
Scholarship criteria
In addition to the PhD program eligibility criteria, applicants must demonstrate evidence of:

Australian First Class Honours degree or Masters degree by research/coursework in any of the fields of Computer Science
Potential experience and/or study in Data visualisation
Academic excellence, including, but not limited to, academic awards and grants
Professional experience, relevant training and/or research experience in in automated data collection, network analysis, natural language processing, computational text analysis, machine learning, data visualization, social anthropology and/or psychology.
Highly desirable: Academic publications and/or conference presentations, especially in the area of the PhD Scholarship, relative to their career to date
Study mode and location
Full-time for three (3) years based at the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research (MMIHR), Melbourne, Australia.
Commencement Date
Domestic applicants: these scholarships are for commencement in Research Term A 2023
For International applicants: these scholarships are for onshore commencement though temporary offshore commencement may be possible in certain circumstances (refer 1 ‘If you receive an offer’ for further information).
Value and duration
The Successful applicant will be awarded:

Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) stipend scholarship of A$34,863 per annum (tax-free, indexed) for domestic candidates or an ACU Stipend Scholarship of A$34,863 (tax-free, indexed) for international candidates. The stipend duration is for three (3) years, subject to satisfactory progress and full-time study mode; plus
A Research Training Program Fees Offset Scholarship; that is, a tuition fee waiver for three (3) years for domestic candidates or an ACU tuition fee waiver for three (3) years for international candidates.
Single OSHC for international applicants

Application instructions
This opportunity is open to international applicants as well as Australian Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and New Zealand Citizens.

How to apply
Step 1: Expression of Interest (EOI) to be submitted by application closing date.

Applicants must submit a 1 to 2-page cover letter and a brief Curriculum Vitae detailing how they meet the scholarship eligibility criteria as listed above to Professor Louise Burke.

Email: Louise.burke@acu.edu.au
Phone: +61 (0) 422 635 869