Project summary
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has enabled the mass creation of deepfake videos that pose a threat to Australian sovereignty and democratic processes. Political deepfake videos are at the leading edge of video-based disinformation and, if left unchallenged, could have profound impacts on Australian electoral outcomes and political processes.
This project addresses an urgent need to determine who is more susceptible to deepfakes, and the individual human behavioural interventions needed to mitigate them. It will examine the demographic, cognitive, emotional and relational factors that make individuals vulnerable to deception and how these factors relate to three distinct behaviours: sharing, reporting and fact-checking.
Expected outcomes include empirically validated advances in relevant theories as well as methodologies to inform new approaches to disrupt mass spreading of political deepfake videos and protect those sectors of the community most vulnerable to deception.
Applications close
24/4/2026 11:55am
To complete an application you will need to create an account and login to the HDR scholarships portal.
Summary of position
The successful applicant will undertake a PhD project that aligns with a National Intelligence funded discovery project on political deepfake videos within the Australian context. The candidate will be supervised by Associate Professor Renee Barnes and Associate Professor Rory Mulcahy.
As the scholarship recipient, you will have the opportunity to work with a team of leading researchers, undertake your own innovative research, and gain an internationally recognised postgraduate qualification.
Scholarship benefits
- Stipend of $56,558 per annum (tax-free), paid in fortnightly instalments (3 years)
- Full tuition offset scholarship for 3 years (approximate value of $87,000)
- Relocation allowance of $2,000 (as per scholarship conditions)
Ideal candidate
The ideal applicant should have:
- A background in a relevant humanities and social science discipline, such as communication and media studies, marketing, psychology, digital sociology, or internet studies
- A recently completed first-class honours degree, research master’s degree, or coursework master’s degree with a significant research component in a cognate discipline
- A strong interest in undertaking a three-year research project on political deepfake videos in the Australian context
- Demonstrated excellent capacity and potential for research
Eligibility and contact information
- Applicant must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or New Zealand Special Category Visa holder
- Successful applicant must meet entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at UniSC
For any questions, contact Associate Professor Renee Barnes at renee.barnes@usc.edu.au.