The Overworked Listening Brain Scholarship at Macquarie University 2026

This PhD project investigates the impact of listening effort on sleep physiology in individuals with hearing impairment. PhD on sleep, hearing and cognition: study how listening effort affects the brain and sleep using EEG, psychoacoustics and neuroimaging at Macquarie, Woolcock and Cochlear Ltd.

Using cutting-edge sleep and neuroimaging techniques, the project explores how effortful listening during the day alters sleep architecture and neurophysiological restoration at night. Sleep is vital for brain health, particularly for clearing neurotoxic waste products such as β-amyloid and tau, which are linked to cognitive decline and dementia. Hearing loss, one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for dementia, increases daily listening effort and cognitive fatigue. This project will investigate how hearing effort interacts with sleep to influence long-term brain health.

Working across the Macquarie University Hearing Research Centre and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, the candidate will gain hands-on experience in:

• polysomnography and high-density EEG recording
• psychoacoustics
• biostatistical and neuroimaging data analysis
• multidisciplinary collaboration with researchers at Cochlear Ltd.

The successful applicant will benefit from access to:

• Macquarie’s Australian Hearing Hub facilities
• the Woolcock Institute’s state-of-the-art sleep laboratories.

Supervision team

• Dr Sriram Boothalingam – Hearing Scientist, Macquarie University and National Acoustic Laboratories
• Associate Professor Angela D’Rozario – Sleep Neurophysiologist, Woolcock Institute and Macquarie University
• Professor Nathaniel Marshall – Sleep Epidemiologist, Woolcock Institute and Macquarie University
• Gabriel Katzeff – Clinical Analyst (Cognition and Hearing), Cochlear Ltd.

• Table of Content
• About Macquarie University
• Macquarie University PhD Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of Macquarie University PhD Scholarship
• Requirements for Macquarie University PhD Scholarship Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Macquarie University PhD Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Macquarie University PhD Scholarship

The scholarship comprises:

• a tuition fee offset/scholarship
• a living allowance stipend.

The value of each stipend scholarship is $39,700 per annum (full time, indexed) for three years.

Requirements for Macquarie University PhD Scholarship Qualification

This scholarship is available to eligible candidates to undertake a direct entry three-year PhD program.

Applicants should have:

• a master degree in biomedical science/engineering, psychology, neuroscience, audiology or a related field
• a strong interest in sleep, hearing and cognition
• prior research experience in electrophysiology, neuroscience or human psychophysics is advantageous
• the ability to code in Matlab/Python and/or use R is a plus.

Applicants must meet the entry requirements for Macquarie University’s direct entry to the three-year PhD program.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

To apply, contact Sriram Boothalingam at [email protected].

Your email should include:

• the subject line “PhD Application in Sleep-Hearing”
• a cover letter
• an up-to-date CV (including research experience)
• unofficial academic transcripts
• a list of at least two referees.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.

For more information, kindly visit Macquarie University scholarship webpage.