Project Overview

Climate projections indicate an increase in extreme temperatures into the future. Heatwaves are expected to become longer in duration and more intense in terms of level of absolute temperature and continuous days at elevated temperature. Such exposure will vary geographically with the underlying climate of the region. Importantly, the impact of exposure will also vary geographically because temperatures will disproportionately impact vulnerable people such as those living on low incomes or with chronic morbidities. The regions in which populations are most vulnerable to temperature extremes, in particular high-heat exposure, have not been identified in Australia.

Aims

To identify regions with populations at risk of harm from temperature extremes and specifically identify high-heat regions and high-heat vulnerable populations in Australia.

Objectives

• Develop a spatial inventory of metrics for to characterise temperature extremes 
• Identify characteristics for sociodemographic vulnerability and biological susceptibility to temperature extremes 
• Map vulnerability to temperature extremes in Australia

Significance 

This research will result in new scientific knowledge as well as health and social impacts. A synthesis of the many alternative heat metrics and indices is needed to identify those most relevant to Australia. The heat-related metric identified as most relevant then needs to be assessed in relation to the geographic distribution of vulnerability. The intersection of these two research areas (exposure and vulnerability) has not been achieved to date, but is necessary to inform health services and interventions, emergency management and climate mitigation strategies. Extreme heat events are likely to affect the most vulnerable populations, such as the 1.3 million adults in Australia aged over 80 years, the 800,000 members of our community from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and more than four (4) million people in Australia living with a disability.

This project is aligned with the “National Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) Heat Mapping Vulnerability Project” led by the WA Council of Social Services. Key partners of the Council are the WA Department of Communities, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), HEAL Network, Aboriginal Health Council WA, Department of Emergency Services, the Climate Justice Union and the WA Department of Health. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the co-supervisor are members of the Heatmap Expert Group. The project will have support from these organisations and individuals in the form of advice and provision of domain knowledge. The proposed mapping of vulnerability project is directly aligned with the Spatial Science discipline within the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The primary supervisor is a spatial scientist with expertise in this area and a strong supervision track record of timely HDR completions. He has recently published a primary study on a related topic and a systematic review on the topic: 
Adnan MS, Dewan A, Botje D, Shahid S, Hassan QK. Vulnerability of Australia to heatwaves: A systematic review on influencing factors, impacts, and mitigation options. Environmental Research. 2022 Oct 1;213:113703. 
Dewan A, Kiselev G, Botje D, Mahmud GI, Bhuian MH, Hassan QK. Surface urban heat island intensity in five major cities of Bangladesh: Patterns, drivers and trends. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2021 Aug 1;71:102926.
 

An internship may be available for this project. This project is closely aligned with the “National Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) Heat Mapping Vulnerability Project” led by the WA Council of Social Services. The internship will involve an unpaid 3-month (60-day) project with the Council as the research end-user (REU), with a "simple agreement" (indicating no common tasks) signed within the first 18 months of the start of candidature and will be undertaken within the first two years, preferably the first year. Risks are expected to be low, and will be managed via CHARM. An Internship Work Plan will be developed prior to Milestone 1. The internship will involve activities related to the Council’s NDRR project, which is in the same cognate area, but distinct from the activities of the PhD. Specifically, the internship will involve activities identified by the Council, such as identifying the geographic distribution of services to people living with a disability . The “services” element will not be part of the PhD research. This research will yield measurable outcomes to address adverse effects of anthropogenic climate change on growing concern regarding urban heat. It will have multiple benefits that WA will experience, at short, medium, and long-term timescales. For example, adaptation readiness and science-policy integration will be the major impacts that can be seen in the short term. Likewise, shifting public policies will help to proactively handle climate change effects on society, for instance measures for most at risk, in the medium term. In the long term, urban resilience is expected to be enhanced greatly because of integrating extreme events into urban planning strategies. Consequently, science-based regulation and standards would be the key to safeguard assets, people and economies from growing climate risks.

• Future Students

• Faculty of Science & Engineering
  • Science courses
  • Engineering courses

• Higher Degree by Research

• Australian Citizen
• Australian Permanent Resident
• New Zealand Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa
• International Student

• Merit Based

The annual scholarship package, covering both stipend and tuition fees, amounts to approximately $70,000 per year.

In 2024, the RTP stipend scholarship offers $35,000 per annum for a duration of up to three years. Exceptional progress and adherence to timelines may qualify students for a six-month completion scholarship.

Selection for these scholarships involves a competitive process, with shortlisted applicants notified of outcomes by November 2024.

1

All applicable HDR courses.

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate with excellent organisation, problem-solving and project management skills. Candidates with strong quantitative skills are encouraged to apply for this project. Familiarity with mapping (Geographic Information Systems) is desirable. The candidate must be eligible to enrol in PhD programs at Curtin.

 

Please send your CV, academic transcripts and brief rationale why you want to join this research project via the HDR Expression of Interest form to the project lead researcher, listed below. 

You must be enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2025.

Project Lead: Associate Professor Ashraf Dewan