UQ Summer/Winter Research Program

Project title: 

Ethics and Expertise: Exploring ethics advice in the use of AI in Health 

Hours of engagement & delivery mode:

Hours of engagement can be negotiated with the selected student, to meet the minimum hours required.

The student will be able to participate in a hybrid mode, but attending a weekly in-person meeting is encouraged. 

Description:

This project represents a small component of a much larger project. The Ethics and Expertise project (2023-2026) focuses on how ethics advice is provided to Governments and policy makers during times of crisis, what this means for policy decision-making and ultimately, how this influences outcomes for citizens. It aims to map out a future for ethical knowledge making and policy advice which is fit for both crisis and ‘ordinary’ times. We are doing this through 3 international cases (Australia, Germany, UK), testing existing understandings of how ethics advice is organised institutionally, mapping organisational networks, interviewing key actors, documentary analysis and witness seminars. The research findings will inform lessons for policy learning through an advisory and impact group, and developing training and resources for policy makers.

This project component will involve participating in the development of a case study on the use of AI in Health exploring policies in the UK, Germany and Australia and interview data already collected as part of witness seminars/focus groups held with ethics advisors and government in each country.

Work will involve reviewing grey literature and academic research as part of a brief literature review (noting some of this work has already been completed). The student will then be invited to participate in the development of a coding framework which will support the analysis of the witness seminar data. If time permits, the student will also be invited to participate in the analysis and coding of the data.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:

The student will gain skills in writing, analysis and data collection. There may also be an opportunity to be part of a publication.

Suitable for:

This project is best suited to students who are interested in public policy and have completed 2^nd year as a minimum.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Sarah Ball

Further info:

Applicants are welcome to contact me before submitting.

Project title: 

Brideprice, Conflict, and Violence Against Women in Asia

Hours of engagement & delivery mode

Hours of engagement are 20 – 23 hrs per week between 12 January – 20 February 2026.

The project will be offered in a hybrid mode, depending on availability of the student.

Description:

In studies of armed conflict and violence against women, brideprice is the elephant in the room. Brideprice is the transfer of goods or cash from the groom’s family to the bride’s. It is distinct from dowry paid by the bride’s family or dower paid to the bride herself. In South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, it is well documented that men join militia or the army to pay brideprice (Sommers & Schwartz, 2011; El Bushra & Sahl, 2005; Mokuwa, Voors, Bulte, & Richards, 2011). In Timor-Leste, 52 violent incidents directly related to brideprice (excluding domestic violence) have been recorded since 2016, around one per month (Belun, 2020). Brideprice is also linked to conflict-related violence against women and trafficking.

One factor connecting these examples is the role of high brideprices in fomenting conflict and violence. Brideprices average around four times annual average incomes and are prevalent in around 75 per cent of human societies, representing billions of people. In Timor-Leste my research shows brideprices can exceed AUD$90,000 (Johnston, Forthcoming).

This study investigates the role of brideprice in two forms of violence: armed conflict and violence against women. The aims of this project are:

1. To provide original data on volumes and prevalence of brideprice in Myanmar, Timor-Leste and Indonesia

2. To develop a systematic understanding of the role brideprice plays in facilitating socio-economic inequality and where, how and why this leads to conflict and violence against women

3. To develop policy-relevant tools and evidence that will enable donors to design effective gender equality and peacebuilding programs that take account on brideprice

It is the third aim, policy relevant tools, research, and outputs that the student researcher will be involved with. 

Expected learning outcomes and deliverables:

There is evidence that the need for research on brideprice is urgent. A recent Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Advisory Board meeting specifically requested the Australian Government, “that the links between bride price and violence against women be added to the list of priority research” (Pacific Women, 2018).

A key part of the project is providing policy relevant outputs, drawing on research. To that end, the student researcher will support the production of the following policy oriented outputs:

• Policy briefs
• Blogs
• (Optional) synthesised working paper on the issue of brideprice, conflict and violence, in Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia,
• Helping to organise a webinar with stakeholders in 2026.

It is not expected that the student researcher will produce all of these policy relevant outputs, but work together with me to synthesise and simplify findings from my research (qualitative and quantitative) for non-specialist and stakeholder audiences.

The skills that the student researcher will develop include:

• Drafting policy relevant research outputs
• Crafting messages that reach key stakeholders on contentious issues
• Understanding the complex research terrain of gender, kinship, and violence
• Synthesising and summarising complex research into plain English
• Networking with high level government and civil society stakeholders (webinar preparation)

Suitable for:

This project is open to applications from students with a background in political science or students with relevant knowledge in anthropology, economics, sociology

This project is open to applications from students in their second or third year of study.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Melissa Johnston

Further info:

Please contact Melissa.johnston@uq.edu.au prior to making an application.