Our next guest is an associate professor at the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University, but he's also involved in the Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre, which is offering a PhD scholarship in assistive technology and disability. His name is Matthew Butler and he joins me now. Matt, welcome back to Talking Vision. Great to have you.

Our next guest is an associate professor at the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University, but he's also involved in the Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre, which is offering a PhD scholarship in assistive technology and disability. His name is Matthew Butler and he joins me now. Matt, welcome back to Talking Vision. Great to have you.

Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sam. It's great to chat with you again.

Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sam. It's great to chat with you again.

Now we're talking about the PhD scholarship in assistive technology and disability today Matt, as part of the Matt centre where the candidates will be working. So tell us a little bit about the Matt centre.

Now we're talking about the PhD scholarship in assistive technology and disability today Matt, as part of the Matt centre where the candidates will be working. So tell us a little bit about the Matt centre.

Yeah very happy to. So the Matt centre. So Matt's stands for Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre. So it's a fairly recently formed centre. We're about 18 months old now I guess located at Monash University. And I guess the idea behind the centre is to bring together academics and PhD students and researchers of all kinds across the whole of Monash, who have some kind of interest or focus on assistive technology and disability support quite broadly. So we're not just technologists, a good number of us are, but we also try to look at some of the social aspects of it, the business side of things from an education perspective as well. So we've got around about 100 academics across the university who are all doing work in this area. And what is exciting about that is it lets us think about assistive technology in a, in a much more broader sense.

Yeah very happy to. So the Matt centre. So Matt's stands for Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre. So it's a fairly recently formed centre. We're about 18 months old now I guess located at Monash University. And I guess the idea behind the centre is to bring together academics and PhD students and researchers of all kinds across the whole of Monash, who have some kind of interest or focus on assistive technology and disability support quite broadly. So we're not just technologists, a good number of us are, but we also try to look at some of the social aspects of it, the business side of things from an education perspective as well. So we've got around about 100 academics across the university who are all doing work in this area. And what is exciting about that is it lets us think about assistive technology in a, in a much more broader sense.

And following on from that, Matt, tell us a bit about the PhD scholarship itself. What are some details that you'd love to let people know about as an overview in general?

And following on from that, Matt, tell us a bit about the PhD scholarship itself. What are some details that you'd love to let people know about as an overview in general?

Yeah, for sure. So we're very fortunate to be able to offer a PhD scholarship in or related to, I guess, assistive technology and disabilities. So for those of you who are interested in PhD, so at Monash, it's about a three and a half year process, has a little bit of coursework, but it's mostly focusing on a research project. And why we're really excited about this is we're seeing this as an opportunity to get some people in, and candidates who have a really strong interest in assistive technology. We're really encouraging people who identify as having some form of disability to apply, because any PhD topic that we do in this space, and we're actually quite flexible in what the nature of the project is, we really want to come from the community and be in support of the community. So it is about working with some of our academics in the centre. And yeah, working on a research project for the next three and a half years or so, funded with, I guess, a kind of like a living allowance type aspect to it.

Yeah, for sure. So we're very fortunate to be able to offer a PhD scholarship in or related to, I guess, assistive technology and disabilities. So for those of you who are interested in PhD, so at Monash, it's about a three and a half year process, has a little bit of coursework, but it's mostly focusing on a research project. And why we're really excited about this is we're seeing this as an opportunity to get some people in, and candidates who have a really strong interest in assistive technology. We're really encouraging people who identify as having some form of disability to apply, because any PhD topic that we do in this space, and we're actually quite flexible in what the nature of the project is, we really want to come from the community and be in support of the community. So it is about working with some of our academics in the centre. And yeah, working on a research project for the next three and a half years or so, funded with, I guess, a kind of like a living allowance type aspect to it.

And there's quite a few themes that the Matt Centre is exploring and sort of things that prospective candidates can look forward to. And I understand there is roughly four of those. So could you tell us a little bit about them?

And there's quite a few themes that the Matt Centre is exploring and sort of things that prospective candidates can look forward to. And I understand there is roughly four of those. So could you tell us a little bit about them?

Yeah for sure. So I think the different themes are reflective of our centre more broadly. And the reason we're putting together or putting forward a number of themes is to allow a bit of discussion with potential candidates for what areas of interest they have and what expertise that they bring. So some of the themes span from very technology driven, so working very closely with new and emerging technologies to support real world needs for people with disability. So that could be things like conversational agents like Siri and Alexa, could be wearable technologies and the like. We then actually move from being very projects, being potentially very technology focused and development through to the more social side of technology. So reflecting on the role of technology and its use, considering the adoption of technology or barriers to access. So coming at it from more of a social perspective, one of the other themes is around supporting participation in Stem. So representation in Stem is often quite low. And so we're looking at research that can look at trying to identify and address the barriers to participation in science, technology, engineering and medicine. And then the fourth theme is around community and workplace participation. So considering again the role of technology that can support cultural activities, sporting activities, other types of community activities or technologies that can help address barriers that might currently restrict employment. So hopefully your listeners can hear that just because we have assistive technology in the title, don't be scared if you don't come from a very technical background. We want to consider technology both at a very technical level but also at a very social level.

Yeah for sure. So I think the different themes are reflective of our centre more broadly. And the reason we're putting together or putting forward a number of themes is to allow a bit of discussion with potential candidates for what areas of interest they have and what expertise that they bring. So some of the themes span from very technology driven, so working very closely with new and emerging technologies to support real world needs for people with disability. So that could be things like conversational agents like Siri and Alexa, could be wearable technologies and the like. We then actually move from being very projects, being potentially very technology focused and development through to the more social side of technology. So reflecting on the role of technology and its use, considering the adoption of technology or barriers to access. So coming at it from more of a social perspective, one of the other themes is around supporting participation in Stem. So representation in Stem is often quite low. And so we're looking at research that can look at trying to identify and address the barriers to participation in science, technology, engineering and medicine. And then the fourth theme is around community and workplace participation. So considering again the role of technology that can support cultural activities, sporting activities, other types of community activities or technologies that can help address barriers that might currently restrict employment. So hopefully your listeners can hear that just because we have assistive technology in the title, don't be scared if you don't come from a very technical background. We want to consider technology both at a very technical level but also at a very social level.

And of course, you are looking to get people involved who have lived experience of. Disabilities, but there are a lot of other people who are eligible to take part. So if people out there are interested and thinking, oh, I'd love to, you know, get involved in this opportunity. Who is eligible to take part in the scholarship?

And of course, you are looking to get people involved who have lived experience of. Disabilities, but there are a lot of other people who are eligible to take part. So if people out there are interested and thinking, oh, I'd love to, you know, get involved in this opportunity. Who is eligible to take part in the scholarship?

So that's a really great question. So the opportunity is focused on Australian citizens, people who have permanent residency in Australia or and also New Zealand citizens. While as you mentioned, we really are strongly encouraging people who identify as having a disability to apply, ultimately, anyone who kind of fits the Australian criteria can apply. Why we do. You know, I guess we're strongly encouraging either people who identify as having a disability or certainly people who are familiar with that context is we do really want to ensure that any PhD project that we work on does come from a place of genuine need and a place of community. So that's where we've put a bit of that focus. But certainly anybody who does have an interest or has some prior work that they've done in anything more broadly related to assistive technology, is very much encouraged to reach out and get in touch.

So that's a really great question. So the opportunity is focused on Australian citizens, people who have permanent residency in Australia or and also New Zealand citizens. While as you mentioned, we really are strongly encouraging people who identify as having a disability to apply, ultimately, anyone who kind of fits the Australian criteria can apply. Why we do. You know, I guess we're strongly encouraging either people who identify as having a disability or certainly people who are familiar with that context is we do really want to ensure that any PhD project that we work on does come from a place of genuine need and a place of community. So that's where we've put a bit of that focus. But certainly anybody who does have an interest or has some prior work that they've done in anything more broadly related to assistive technology, is very much encouraged to reach out and get in touch.

Okay. And speaking of getting in touch, Matt, how can people get in touch with you or the Matt centre to possibly apply and or find out a little bit more about the scholarship? What's the best way to do that? Yeah, look.

Okay. And speaking of getting in touch, Matt, how can people get in touch with you or the Matt centre to possibly apply and or find out a little bit more about the scholarship? What's the best way to do that? Yeah, look.

The best way is probably just to get directly in touch with me I think is a start. So email is is usually my best point of contact. Uh, I'm kind of in and out of the office quite a bit. So my email address is Matthew with two T's dot Butler butler@monash.edu if you drop me an email if you've heard this I can certainly send you a bit more information. We can discuss a little bit about your background topics that you might be interested in and look, applying for a PhD is a bit of that kind of discussion. So sometimes a PhD is a very fixed project that you might come onto here. We're very open to exploring the different potential projects that are a candidate might take on.

The best way is probably just to get directly in touch with me I think is a start. So email is is usually my best point of contact. Uh, I'm kind of in and out of the office quite a bit. So my email address is Matthew with two T's dot Butler butler@monash.edu if you drop me an email if you've heard this I can certainly send you a bit more information. We can discuss a little bit about your background topics that you might be interested in and look, applying for a PhD is a bit of that kind of discussion. So sometimes a PhD is a very fixed project that you might come onto here. We're very open to exploring the different potential projects that are a candidate might take on.

And finally, the closing date for the scholarship applications is the 3rd of July. Now is that still the case?

And finally, the closing date for the scholarship applications is the 3rd of July. Now is that still the case?

No. So that is that is still the case. We tend to look. So PhD applications are usually often not fixed by a particular kind of hard deadline I guess we've got this date so that we can consider the different applicants and who might be most suitable. So if people can aim for that. But I would say if you do come across this just that little bit too late, it's certainly worth reaching out because there still could be other opportunities related to doing a PhD in this space.

No. So that is that is still the case. We tend to look. So PhD applications are usually often not fixed by a particular kind of hard deadline I guess we've got this date so that we can consider the different applicants and who might be most suitable. So if people can aim for that. But I would say if you do come across this just that little bit too late, it's certainly worth reaching out because there still could be other opportunities related to doing a PhD in this space.

Okay, that's fantastic news. I've been speaking today with Matthew Butler from the Matt Centre at Monash University, chatting to me all about the centre and the upcoming applications for the PhD scholarship in assistive technology. Matt, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure to catch up with you again and chat all about the scholarship.

Okay, that's fantastic news. I've been speaking today with Matthew Butler from the Matt Centre at Monash University, chatting to me all about the centre and the upcoming applications for the PhD scholarship in assistive technology. Matt, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure to catch up with you again and chat all about the scholarship.

And it was great to chat with you, Sam, and as always, we really appreciate the support we get from your end.

And it was great to chat with you, Sam, and as always, we really appreciate the support we get from your end.