Overview
Join an international research team at QIMR Berghofer, CSIRO, University of Canberra, and University of Indonesia, to study how seasonal bushfire smoke (haze) affects children’s learning in Indonesia, and whether simple air filters in classrooms can make a measurable difference.
You’ll help run validated attention testing in schools, work with local partners in Indonesia, and analyse how improved indoor air quality influences cognitive performance.
Your role as an Honours/Masters student
- Travel to Indonesia for the initial testing period and assist with teacher training.
- Coordinate test administration and record classroom conditions (temperature, ventilation, haze levels).
- Support data entry and analysis, working closely with Indonesian collaborators.
- Contribute to interpretation of results, reporting, and publications.
Supervisors
Prof. Anthony White - QIMR Berghofer
Dr Amanda Wheeler - CSIRO
Dr Gopika Indu - University of Canberra
For more information, email tony.white@qimrb.edu.au with a short expression of interest and CV.
Why this matters
Each year, haze from landscape fire impacts air quality across Southeast Asia, infiltrating classrooms and affecting children’s health and learning.
This project - part of the HEAL HAZE initiative - will assess how haze exposure influences attention and whether classroom air filtration systems improve outcomes.
We’ll use the d2 Test of Attention (d2/d2-R), a quick and well-validated measure of processing speed and concentration that is language-independent and easy for trained teachers to administer.