'Rip Eye’: Evaluating the educational benefits of a smartphone app for rip current detection

Every year in Australia, an average of 121 people tragically lose their life to drowning along the coast. On beaches, the primary risk factor are strong, offshore flowing rip currents that are responsible for 26 drowning deaths and thousands of rescues every year. The majority of drownings occur on beaches without lifeguards, so it is important that beachgoers are able to identify rip currents to avoid them. Unfortunately, most beachgoers, both Australian and international visitors, are unable to do so, with previous educational approaches having limited success.

To address this concern, Surf Life Saving Australia, Australia’s peak authority on coastal safety, has partnered with UNSW Sydney to develop a rip current detection smartphone tool using AI – the ‘Rip Eye’ – and evaluate the tool’s effectiveness in providing rip current education to the public. The project is funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant.

We are seeking a highly motivated student to undertake an innovative full-time PhD programme of research through either the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Science, the School of Population Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Health or the UNSW Water Research Laboratory in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 

Using social research methods, this project will examine the efficacy, feasibility, and effectiveness of the ‘Rip Eye’ tool, as well as existing public rip current education approaches, for improving public understanding of rip currents and their ability to identify them. The successful candidate will conduct this research with groups known to be at high-risk of coastal drowning such as young males, culturally and linguistically diverse adults, and residents living in rural and remote Australia. A key component of the project will be to assess the applicability of the ‘Rip Eye’ to assist surf lifesavers for internal and community educational training purposes. 

This project will be the first to examine the use of an AI derived rip current education smartphone tool and the outcomes will be of significant societal impact as the findings will assist Surf Life Saving Australia nationally in improving their policy, practice and educational programs in their mission to keep people safe along the coast. 

The successful candidate will work closely with researchers from the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, the UNSW Water Research Laboratory, and Surf Life Saving Australia. This novel research has a collective team of coastal scientists, drowning prevention practitioners, data scientists, and engineers providing the transdisciplinary skills and understanding of social research, coastal geomorphology, oceanography, public health and drowning prevention in the context of coastal safety and risk management.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a strong background in social research, including the design, use and analysis of surveys and qualitative data collection tools such as focus groups and one-on-one interviews. They will be interested in capturing the views of people from a range of backgrounds, have enthusiasm for working with researchers across multiple disciplines, and have strong written and oral English skills.

Peer-reviewed publications and previous knowledge of beach safety, public education and risk communication, and drowning prevention, and will be viewed favourably, but is not essential.

Please note that this opportunity is available to both international and domestic students (citizens or permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand). Applicants are required to commence in mid 2024 to meet project milestones.

Scholarship details

The 2024 stipend rate for PhD candidates is AUD $37,684 per annum, tax free. Top-up scholarships are also available for certain applicants. 

How to apply

Interested applicants should send a brief CV and statement of interest to the following supervisors by 28 June 2024:

• Dr Mitchell Harley (m.harley@unsw.edu.au)
• Professor Rob Brander (rbrander@unsw.edu.au)
• Dr Amy Peden (a.peden@unsw.edu.au)