Call for applications

National Stroke Foundation Co-funded Postgraduate Scholarships

The Heart Foundation and the National Stroke Foundation are partnering to offer funding for Postgraduate Scholarships for research into the prevention, causes, diagnosis, treatment and long term support for stroke.

Scholarships are only awarded to postgraduate students to support study towards a PhD. Part-time applicants will also be considered. A separate application is not required for part-time awards.

If you wish to be considered for these co-funded Scholarships, please indicate this by ticking the box on the Postgraduate Research Scholarship application form.  To download the application forms from the Heart Foundation website, click here.

Postgraduate Scholarships are offered to medical, science, allied health, nursing graduates or other relevant postgraduates seeking support for full-time or part-time studies leading to a PhD at an Australian university or institution. Postgraduate Scholarships are normally awarded for three years.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: COB 27 August 2010

Important information for applicants and Research Administration Officers

Significant changes to the eligibility criteria, instructions and application forms for Heart Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships have been made and are relevant to the 2010 funding round onwards.

A summary of the major changes are as follows:

•    Only applicants who have yet to commence their PhD (or an equivalent degree) or have completed less than 12 months of work towards their PhD at the time of application are eligible to apply for a Heart Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship.

•    The Scholarship form is now separated into Part A and Part B.

•    Two sets of supporting documentation must be included as two separate PDF files (Supporting documentation File 1 and Supporting Documentation File 2).

•    Referees’ reports must be included with the application as part of Supporting Documentation File 2.

•    Direct submission of referee reports by the referees to the Heart Foundation will no longer be accepted and therefore will not be forwarded on for assessment.

•    All applications for extensions must be submitted by 1st September each year, and applicants must be within 3 years of their original starting date of their PhD at the time of application for an extension. A maximum of 6 months may be requested and approvals may only be provided by the Chair of the Scholarships Committee and the Research Program Director.

If you are successful for co-funding with the NHMRC in 2011, the Heart Foundation shall abide by the terms and conditions set out by the NHMRC.  For further information, please download the instructions, plus the new application forms (PART A and PART B) by clicking here.
 
Please ensure that you read the information booklet and the application form to make sure you include all the required information in your application. Please also ensure that you have the most up-to-date application form.

For further information, please call (03) 9321 1581 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Recommended Grants 2010

The 2010 Small Project grants, Honours grants and Clinical Research Development Award have been received and the Research Advisory and Scientific Advisory committee met via teleconference on Monday 30 November to discuss and review assessment scores. The Committees recommended the following for funding.

Quality of life small research grants

•    Debbie Quain: Does cerebral blood flow drop with upright posture in acute ischeamic stroke patients?
•    Heidi Janssen: The use of an enriched environment to improve recovery after stroke
•    Natalie Hamam: Strategies for resuming sexual activities following stroke: the stroke survivors perspective'.
•    Tammy Hoffman: Self-management intervention for enhancing early emotional adjustment following stroke for people with aphasia: A Phase II trial'.

Basic Science small research grants

•    Dr Elaine Leung: TIA Management and Diagnosis - COMBAT and Biomarker Discovery'.

Clinical Research Development Award

•    Katy Hackling: The effect of intensive home based speech pathology intervention on Speech, swallowing and quality of life for stroke survivors.

Honours grants

•    Laura Fisher: Intra-rater relability of sonographic measures and early changes in muscle thickness in individuals hospitalised after stroke
•    Geraldine Banks: Exercise preferences in stroke patients and their relationship to perceived self-efficacy
•    Sarah McMullen-Roach: Stroke Unit Care: who’s admitted, who misses out and what’s the difference in care?
•    Georgia Garrett: Patient and proxy ratings of quality of life after stroke for patients with and without aphasia
•    Lucy Murtha: Effects of therapeutic hypothermia and rewarming on intracranial pressure in experimental stroke
•    Caitlin Brandenberg: Measuring talking time in everyday life for people with aphasia using mobile technology
•    Nick Buckley: The use of environmental enrichment to enhance patient rehabilitation post stroke: A psychological perspective
•    Barbara Wolfenden: Experiences of younger stroke survivors in re-establishing identity and returning to work
•    Eril McKinnon: Identifying the rehabilitation needs of people with aphasia who live alone
•    Yvonne Yee Kwan Mak: Development and implementation of a standardized sensory screening tool for use with sub-acute patients post stroke: Implementation of best evidence into clinical practice setting
•    Rebecca Hefferon: What is the effect of a six week Tai Chi programme on balance, mobility and quality of life in community ambulating chronic stroke survivors?