3 Year Scholarship - Evaluating the Therapeutic Benefit Of Paralympic Swimming Print

3 year scholarship - Evaluating the Therapeutic Benefit Of Paralympic Swimming

Overview: Our research group is offering a 3-year scholarship to undertake a project that will evaluate the therapeutic benefit of an elite, performance-focused, Paralympic swimming program. Our industry partners include Swimming Australia, the Australian Paralympic Committee and the Queensland Academy of Sport. The successful applicant will work with a dedicated research team, receive high quality supervision and have ready access to participants in order to undertake this important project.

Who are we? Drs Sean Tweedy, Emma Beckman and Mark Connick work in the International Paralympic Committee Classification Research and Development Centre, which is based in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. Dr Leanne Johnston is based in the Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, UQ and is the lead investigator in the Children's Motor Control Research Collaborative. We share a passion for improving long-term health outcomes for people with neurological impairments.

Why is the project needed? It is known that moderate-intensity physical activity enhances health, fitness and functioning in people with cerebral palsy (CP). Anecdotal evidence indicates high training loads designed to develop Paralympic swimmers may elicit clinical outcomes that significantly exceed those conferred by moderate-intensity activity. The aim of the program of research will be to evaluate whether this anecdotal evidence can be substantiated. Outcomes have the potential to have a significant impact on the physical rehabilitation of people with cerebral palsy.

Who are we looking for? The successful applicant will:

  • meet UQ's minimum standards for entry for a PhD. For more information about the entry requirements, please refer to http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/our-research-degrees;
  • have an honours or masters degree in exercise physiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy or other similar field;
  • have an excellent academic record and be passionate about sport and improving health fitness and functioning in people with cerebral palsy;
  • be willing to study on a full-time basis for the duration of the scholarship, starting from 1.7.15.

How do I apply?

  1. Please provide: a 1-2 page cover letter indicating why you would like to apply for a scholarship in this area and what strengths you would bring to our research group; Academic record and CV/Resume, including any publications to date (if applicable); name and contact details of three referees willing to write a confidential letter of recommendation. These documents should be emailed to the following e-mail addresses with PARALYMPIC SWIM PROJECT in the subject line: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  2. Please complete an Expression of Interest form available from http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/step-three to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For questions about the PhD application process please email Sally Goodwin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it