BEAR Biomechanical Early Assessment Fall Risk

About the Project

Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship Joint PhD programme between Sheffield Hallam University and La Trobe University, Australia in Sport and Physical Activity:

Project title: BEAR Biomechanical Early Assessment Fall Risk

Sheffield Hallam University is offering this PhD scholarship to study on the joint PhD programme with La Trobe University, Australia, to start October 2026 (a February 2027 start may also be possible).

Detailed information about the Joint PhD programme is available here: Global partnership: Joint PhD programme with La Trobe University, Australia | Sheffield Hallam University

Students on the joint PhD programme will be enrolled on a PhD at both institutions. Your supervisory team will comprise academics from each institution who will provide support and guidance throughout your research. You will benefit from the research community, networking and collaborations of the Sheffield Hallam/La Trobe global partnership. As a student of both institutions, you will have access to services and support provided at Sheffield Hallam and La Trobe, including a range of professional and personal development for researchers.

For these scholarships, Sheffield Hallam will be your “home institution” where you will begin your studies and spend the majority of your time. The expectation is that you will typically spend up to 12 months at La Trobe as the “host institution”; the timing and duration of this will depend on your programme of research.

This funded scholarship is offered on a full-time basis only, covers Home PhD fees and provides a stipend at the Living Wage Foundation rate (£22,152 for 2025/26). The stipend increases annually according to the Living Wage rate.

Project Information: BEAR: Biomechanical Early Assessment of Fall Risk

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury, hospitalisation and loss of independence in older adults in both the UK and Australia. Many falls occur after a gradual decline in mobility and balance, yet current screening approaches often identify risk only after a fall has already happened. There is a growing need for practical, community-based tools that can detect early signs of mobility decline before a crisis occurs, enabling early intervention to reduce falls risk.

This fully funded joint PhD project will investigate how new field-based biomechanical technologies can support proactive screening for early frailty and fall risk. The project will combine cutting-edge markerless motion capture systems, wearable inertial sensors (IMUs), and established clinical assessment tools to better understand how subtle changes in movement may signal increased vulnerability.

Key objectives include:

• Evaluate markerless motion capture and wearable sensors for fall risk assessment
• Build and analyse a longitudinal dataset combining biomechanical and clinical data
• Identify early movement signatures associated with frailty and increased fall risk

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with up-to-date markerless motion capture technology and wearable sensing systems, gaining hands-on experience in validating these tools against laboratory-based biomechanical equipment. The project also involves real-world community data collection, including work with older adults living independently and individuals recently discharged from hospital. This provides valuable experience in longitudinal cohort research and applied clinical studies.

This is a joint international PhD between Sheffield Hallam University (UK) and La Trobe University (Australia). The candidate will spend time at both institutions, gaining international research experience while contributing to a collaborative effort to address a shared global health challenge: preventing falls and supporting healthy ageing.

The project offers training across biomechanics, digital health technologies, clinical assessment, and data analysis, providing a strong foundation for a future career in movement science, rehabilitation, ageing research, or health technology innovation. By integrating advanced measurement technologies with real-world clinical practice, this research aims to contribute to scalable solutions that can improve early detection of mobility decline and reduce fall-related harm in ageing populations.

Sheffield as your research base: Sheffield is one of the UK’s greenest and most welcoming cities. With over a third of the city inside the Peak District National Park, outstanding cycling, climbing and walking routes, and a vibrant science and healthcare ecosystem, Sheffield offers a rare combination of natural beauty and research excellence. It is an ideal environment for both academic focus and a high quality of life.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a 1st class or 2:1 degree in Sport Science, Data Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering, or related subjects. Quantitative skills are desirable; training in specialist methods will be provided. We are offering this as a full-time PhD scholarship, though flexible working can be discussed. We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBTQIA+, BAME and disabled communities.

International applicants

Please read the funding notes section for important information about tuition fees for this scholarship.

Sheffield Hallam has a mandatory English language requirement of IELTS 7, or equivalent language qualification, for all applicants from Countries not included in the UKVI exemption list here:https://www.gov.uk/english-language/exemptions. This qualification must have been taken within the last two-years, with a score of at least 6.5 in all test areas and may be required even if you have previous qualifications gained at UK institutions.

Please do check with the Postgraduate research team: DoctoralSchool-HWLS-PGR@shu.ac.uk prior to application, as our academic team will not assess applications submitted without a mandatory English language qualification.

How to Apply

Complete and submit the online application form: https://www.shu.ac.uk/courses/sport-and-physical-activity/phd-sport-and-physical-activity/full-time/2026

Please add the project title within the Personal Statement field of the application form.

You must upload:

1. A 1,500-word outline research proposal addressing this specific project.
2. Two letters of reference, or details of two academic referees
3. Copy of your highest degree certificate
4. Copy of your passport
5. International applicants must submit:
   • IELTS results (or equivalent) taken in the last two years
   • A statment confirming that they can meet the tuition fee of £13,362 per year for the duration of the scholarship.

If you experience issues submitting your online application, please contact: DoctoralSchool-HWLS-PGR@shu.ac.uk

Application deadline: 22 June 2026, 23:00 UK Time (***Late applications will not be accepted**)

Interviews: 10 July 2026

We are unable to offer alternative interview slots once allocated to shortlisted candidates.

Funding Notes

These scholarships are open to Home, EU and international applicants. However, the scholarship will cover the tuition fee to the Home student level only and students who are liable for the International tuition fee rate will be expected to provide the difference between the Home and International fees from another funding source. The shortfall between the Home and EU/ International fee, currently around £13,362 per year, must be covered by the student for the 3.5-year duration of the scholarship.

No additional funding will be available to assist EU/International students with this fee gap. Applicants must have the resources set out above to fund their study. Please note that the PhD bursary payments cannot be used to fund this fee gap as they cover basic living expenses only.