PhD: Evaluating and Re-Designing Medical Plastic Products for an Australian Circular Economy
Medical plastic waste is a growing environmental challenge, with variability in material types and compositions complicating recycling efforts. This project addresses the need for a sustainable approach to managing medical plastics by mapping and analyzing waste streams for selected hard and soft plastics at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. By understanding the variability in plastic properties and compositions across suppliers and batches, the project aims to identify high-potential medical products for cost-effective recycling and propose redesign guidelines to improve recyclability. These outcomes will drive better procurement practices, product stewardship, and contribute to developing a circular economy for medical plastics in Australia.
Location: Griffith University Nathan Campus
Eligibility criteria: This program is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only. Applicants must meet the academic and professional requirements outlined by the partner universities offering the placements.
PhD: Reducing single use plastic waste going to landfill at the Sunshine Coast
You will work with Sunshine Coast community. You will co-create and test a solution that can be applied in the Sunshine Coast Council area to reduce or eliminate the amount of single use plastic going to landfill.
The co-creation (CBETM) framework pioneered by Professor Rundle-Thiele will be applied in this project.
The Sunshine Coast project will feature implementation of a mixed method research design (design thinking, co-design, reviews, surveys, expert interviews, stakeholder workshops). The research will uncover a behavioural change, new technology or new waste management practice solution for testing.
Your project aim is to rapidly identify one or more solutions for testing. Your solution will be evaluated, and if successful iterated and scaled up during your three-year PhD project period.
The solution that you will test will aim to reduce the amount of contaminated plastic waste going to landfill. Lasting impacts will deliver cost savings to community, job generation and improved health for people and planet. Your evaluation may measure impacts arising from your work.
In this project you will gain skills relevant to behavioural change, community and stakeholder engagement and process, outcome and impact evaluation. This PhD project will help you establish a track record relevant to the circular economy, sustainability, behavioural change, waste minimisation and program evaluation. It also provides a great opportunity to work in one Australia regional community.
Location: Griffith University (Nathan Campus), Sunshine Coast Council
Eligibility criteria: This program is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only. Applicants must meet the academic and professional requirements outlined by the partner universities offering the placements.
PhD: Reducing single use plastic waste in the Mt. Isa community
You will identify and test a solution that can be applied in Mt. Isa to reduce or eliminate the amount of single use plastic going to landfill. Your solution will be co-designed with the Mt Isa community.
The co-creation (CBETM) framework pioneered by Professor Rundle-Thiele will be applied in this project.
The Mt. Isa project will feature implementation of a mixed method research design (design thinking, co-design, reviews, surveys, expert interviews, stakeholder workshops). The research will uncover a behavioural change, new technology or new waste management practice solution for testing.
Your project aim is to rapidly identify one or more solutions for testing. Your solution will be evaluated, and if successful iterated and scaled up during your three-year PhD project period.
The solution that you will test will aim to reduce the amount of contaminated plastic waste going to landfill. Lasting impacts will deliver cost savings to community, job generation and improved health for people and planet. Your evaluation may measure impacts arising from your work.
In this project you will gain skills relevant to behavioural change, community and stakeholder engagement and process, outcome and impact evaluation. This PhD project will help you establish a track record relevant to the circular economy, sustainability, behavioural change, waste minimisation and program evaluation. It also provides a great opportunity to work in one Australia regional community.
Location: Griffith University (Nathan Campus), Mt. Isa
Eligibility criteria: This program is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only. Applicants must meet the academic and professional requirements outlined by the partner universities offering the placements.