Understanding social determinants of cognitive ageing and dementia risk in and across international cohorts

Social determinants of health (SDOH), including education, socioeconomic position, and social and structural aspects of environments, play a critical role in shaping cognitive ageing and dementia risk. While evidence increasingly draws on multiple population-based studies, cross-national comparisons remain methodologically challenging due to differences in measurement, social contexts, and welfare systems. As a result, understanding how social conditions shape cognitive trajectories across diverse cultural and structural settings remains limited.

This PhD project will largely use data from COSMIC (Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium), hosted and led at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). COSMIC is a global collaboration of ageing cohorts that enables international comparison of cognitive ageing and dementia through harmonised data, hosted and led at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). This allows for the investigation of how SDOH relate to cognitive trajectories and dementia risk in and across diverse international ageing cohorts, exposing social gradients in cognitive ageing across in diverse regional contexts. This work contributes to generating more equitable and context-aware evidence to inform dementia prevention and brain health policy across diverse populations.

It is expected that the successful candidate will also apply for the standard scholarships (e.g., RTP, UPA) at the time of their PhD application.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with strong quantitative and analytical skills and an interest in data methods, cognitive ageing, dementia research, and international collaborative science.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A background in epidemiology, data science, biostatistics, psychology, neuroscience, or a related discipline.
• First experience working with longitudinal or large-scale observational data.
• Strong statistical skills and familiarity with software such as R, Stata, or Python.
• Interest in psychometrics, measurement theory, and data harmonisation methods.
• The ability to work independently while contributing to an interdisciplinary, international research team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated capacity for research.

Eligibility

Domestic  PhD  candidates.

How to apply 

Please email A/Prof Susanne Roehr s.roehr@unsw.edu.au a copy of your CV and academic transcripts.

Further information on how to apply can be found here HDR Application Process