PHD Scholarships in Psych/Law (1 Viewer)

L

LaraB

Guest
got this via work... i doubt anyone here is far enough in their study/career to be eligible but thought i'd post it anyways - you may wanna have a read just out of interest as far as the kinds of stuff out there if you wanna do more "study"...

Australian Post-Graduate Award (Industry) Scholarships
Location: University of Canberra and University of NSW
PROJECT: Juries and interactive visual evidence: impacts on deliberation processes and outcomes

Two ARC funded Doctoral scholarships are available from 2006 to 2008, paying a tax free stipend of $24,650 per annum full-time.
One APAI, in the area of architectural psychology, will assist in developing surveys and experiments involving mock juries. The candidate should have a strong background in experimental psychology and a good understanding of environmental and design issues, and will be based at the University of NSW.
The second APAI (Information Technology), in forensic communication, will have a strong background in information technologies, communication and have a good understanding of forensic science. Based at the University of Canberra, this student will work closely with Forensic Services, Australian Federal Police.
In both cases, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team will provide useful research training in integrating concepts and methods coming from different traditions, and communicating findings to practitioner audiences. We are looking for researchers who have the initiative, enthusiasm and desire to participate in cross-disciplinary research.

Applicants will be subject to the normal eligibility requirements of the University, and should hold a degree of at least Honours 1/2 standard or equivalent. Applicants must be an Australian citizen or New Zealand citizen or an Australian permanent resident and be eligible for approval for full-time enrolment in a Doctoral program at the relevant university. Further information on the research project is available at: www.blis.canberra.edu.au/schools/law/research/school
Letters of application should include a resume and copies of academic transcripts and be sent to Linkage Project APAI , School of Law, University of Canberra, ACT 2601. Closing date for applications is January 20, 2006.

For further information, please contact
Dr. David Tait University of Canberra (david.tait@canberra.edu.au ) ph 0432391725
A/Prof Jane Goodman-Delahunty UNSW (jdelahunty@psy.unsw.edu.au)


FURTHER INFORMATION
PROJECT TITLE
Juries and interactive visual evidence: impacts on deliberation processes and outcomes

Aims
1. To identify the organising principles used by criminal juries to structure debate and reach decisions.
2. To determine the extent and use of visual evidence in jury trials.
3. To measure the impact of two emerging forms of interactive visual evidence -- computer simulations and 360o crime scene displays -- on jury decision-making.
4. To identify the contribution of visual evidence to informing the jury both factually ans emotionally.
5. To identify the impact of strategies designed to modify the impact of visual technologies on jury decision-making.

PROJECT PARTNERS
Criminology UC, Dr David Tait
Forensic Sciences UC Professor Jennelle Kyd
Communications UC Associate Professor Greg Battye
Psychology University of NSW, Associate Professor Jane Goodman-Delahunty and Monash University, Professor James Ogloff
Architecture University of Melbourne, Professor Graham Bawn
Law University of Melbourne, Dr Jacqueline Horan,

Police Australian Federal Police, Dr Chris Lennard
Prosecution ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Richard Refshauge
Jurists Australian Institute of Judicial Administration, Ms Anne Wallace
Architecture Ms Diane Jones, PTW Architects Sydney and Mr Cameron Lyon of Lyons in Melbourne
Technology Mr Rod Louey-Gung, Integrated Media and Mr Mark Hanson, Hanson and Associates.

ROLE OF APA(I) AND APA(I-IT)
The APAI (in architectural psychology) will be based at the University of NSW, in psychology, will have an integral role in the development of test materials used in the experimental and observational methodologies, participate in the analysis of survey and experimental data collected in the project, and work closely with the architects and psychologists to develop interpretations of the findings. The APAI will be supervised by Jane Goodman-Delahunty, who has extensive experience in supervising experimental research students; with external supervision provided from co-investigators in cognate disciplines (architecture, Graham Brawn; and criminology, David Tait). Industry partner, architect Diane Jones of PTW Architects, will work with the research student.

The APAI IT will be based at the University of Canberra, in creative communications, will have an integral role in the preparation of some of the visual materials (and documentation of these) used in the project, working in consultation with the Australian Federal Police Electronic Evidence (Forensic Imaging) team. The student will be supervised by Greg Battye (communication), and co-supervised by Chris Lennard (forensics AFP), Jacqui Horan (law) and David Tait (criminology).

In both cases, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team will provide useful research training in integrating concepts and methods coming from different traditions, and communicating findings to practitioner audiences.

Note: The partners recognize that APAI candidates may offer different combinations of skills from those outlined above, such as psychology with forensic science or architecture with communications. The project team will be as flexible as possible during selection to enable the best, most interested candidates to take the scholarships.

BACKGROUND
A systematic empirical examination of the impact of visual evidence on juries is long overdue (Feigenson and Dunn, 2003). Courts increasingly take evidence in visual form and make use of display technologies. Lawyers use – or seek to use – maps, scientific charts, photos, closed-circuit television frames and video re-enactments. Judges use flow charts to illustrate the choices facing the jury. Even the constraints of space and time are relaxed as expert witnesses appear from remote locations, and child testimony comes in pre-recorded form. Interactive media allow visual products to be re-shaped before the eyes of the jury. Meanwhile virtual reality technologies and holograms are on the horizon. The criminal ‘hearing’ is becoming increasingly a ‘viewing’.

Jury comprehension and recall may increase with evidence given in visual form – effect estimates vary from a 25% improvement in juror recall (Morell, 1999) to a 6-fold increase (Ellenbogen, 1993). On the other hand, visual evidence may introduce bias into jury deliberations (Silbey 2004), whether from the camera angle (Lassiter et al, 2001), or by leaving more memorable impressions (Kassin and Dunn 1997). Juries can be ‘mesmerized’ by high-tech displays (Plowman, 1996, 1), and find the expert presenting it more credible that they might otherwise. Or the jurors might simply pay more attention to information presented in accessible form (Feigenson and Dunn, 116), particularly if they come from Generation X (Kirby, 1998).

Significance
This study provides an empirical basis for facilitating better-informed juries, and ensuring that momentous decisions about the liberties of individuals are based on the best quality evidence presented in the most accessible form. The data from this project will assist the development of guidelines for the use of visual evidence in criminal trials, taking into account both the possibilities of better informing juries using the best available display technologies and the potential for introducing prejudice. The methodology used allows information recall and prejudicial impacts to be distinguished, and for the effectiveness of counter-measures to possible unfair influences to be assessed.

The study contributes to the emerging field of architectural psychology by bringing together architects (and colleagues such as acoustics engineers) involved in designing buildings with users of those buildings in as close to ‘real life’ as is possible within the constraints of jury confidentiality. The dialogue between designers and users in itself provides a valuable source of data about issues such as visual and acoustic comfort.

Technological advances pose challenges to the design and management of courts, the organization of trials and the conduct of prosecution and defence strategies. Many current courts are ill equipped to support new display technologies, although there are some good recent Australian examples with heritage courts. This study tests the suitability of two actual courtrooms, in the views of both users and professionals, and will identify protocols for modifying courts to support effective use of interactive visual technologies.

COLLABORATING ORGANISATIONS
The partners will each be actively involved in relevant aspects of the project. The AFP will supervise the development of a 360o crime scene display for the study, provide clerical support and academic supervision for a student to document AFP use of visual evidence and develop audience reception guidelines. The ACT DPP will contribute staff both to making the trial video (stage 3), and to the live court performances (stage 4); they will allocate staff to document their use of visual evidence in trials.

The architects will contribute to the research operations, liaising with the two courts, participating in the observation and reflection sessions, and speaking at the subsequent conference. Both are already active participants in the Court of the Future Network, administered through the University of Canberra, an alliance between academics and professionals in relation to court architecture, practices and technology.

The two technology partners, Rod Louey-Gung and Mark Hanson will provide assistance with, and advice on, appropriate technology, engineering and court acoustics cash and considerable in-kind support. Both have been actively involved in planning and installing new technologies, including visual technologies, in courts in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.


GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ARC FUNDED APAI SCHOLARSHIPS
Special conditions applicable for projects with an Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) element

Selection of APAI Postgraduate Research Students
The Institution must appoint an APAI Postgraduate Research Student for the Project who:
(a) is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen;
(b) is enrolled in a full-time postgraduate research degree at the Institution or, with the prior written agreement of the Collaborating Organisation and the Minister, is enrolled in a part-time postgraduate research degree at the Institution;
(c) has an appropriate Honours 1 or high 2A (or equivalent) undergraduate degree;
(d) not be receiving similar funding or stipend from a Commonwealth Government Program;
(e) not already have completed a degree at the same level as the proposed candidature or at a higher level; and
(f) has not previously held an Australian Postgraduate Award or APAI unless it was terminated within the first six months of the earlier award.
Relocation Allowance
Reimbursement of relocation costs (travel expenses and removal of household items only) allowance will be provided to the Institution by the Commonwealth on the basis of a claim, provided that the APAI Postgraduate Research Student’s claim was processed by the Institution within the year the claim was made and that the subsequent claim on the Commonwealth is within the amounts specified in Schedule B for relocation costs allowance.
The Institution will make payments to APAI students relocating residence in order to take up their position provided that the student provides evidence of expenditure to the Institution within six months of the expenditure being incurred.
The Institution must ensure that travel expenses, where payable, do not exceed the cost of the cheapest direct airfare (or concession rate if applicable) for the Postgraduate Research Student and their dependants. Where a Postgraduate Research Student elects to travel by car, the Commonwealth will provide a mileage allowance up to the maximum equivalent of the cheapest direct airfare.
The Institution will make reimbursement payments to APAI Postgraduate Research Students for relocation costs (travel and removal expenses) on provision by an APAI Postgraduate Research Student of full particulars of mode and time of travel and the receipts for all other payments, e.g., removal expenses.
For the purposes of relocation entitlements, a dependant is defined as a person who moves residence with the APAI Postgraduate Research Student. A spouse who transfers employment to the city of the Institution may be regarded as a dependant; a child continuing to study at the former city and not intending to live with the Postgraduate Research Student or Fellow, may not be regarded as a dependant.
 
X

xeuyrawp

Guest
Hmm, I'd be aiming for a research scholarship, which pays more. I think most unis offer such things internally, anyway.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top