PhD Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS 2026). Research Project: AI-Driven Adaptive Mobility for Resilient Transport in Flood-Prone Urban River Basins

About the Project

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (e.g., intense rainfall and riverine flooding), which can cause severe mobility disruptions. Such events impede personal travel, disrupt supply chains and public transport operations, and block access to critical services, disproportionately affecting low-income and transport-disadvantaged populations.

This research will develop community-led adaptive mobility plans to manage and plan transport flows during severe road disruptions. A key innovation will be the integration of a flood vulnerability assessment directly into the transportation simulations. This assessment will draw upon local rainfall patterns, land use configurations, and projected climate change scenarios to model flood depth, extent, and duration to identify at-risk road segments and critical mobility corridors. To ensure equitable and accessible evacuation, local knowledge will be combined with dynamic digital mapping create context-specific evacuation paths for vehicles, pedestrians, and other road users.

This project is part of Monash University Malaysia’s Graduate Research Thematic Cluster, CLIMATE-POSITIVE CITIES An Interdisciplinary Thematic Cluster for Urban Transformation

We seek a motivated candidate with a strong background in transportation engineering, operational research. Experience in transport modelling, big data analysis, programming and experience with AI optimization will be an advantage.

The ideal applicant will demonstrate strong analytical skills, scientific curiosity, and the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines. An interest in smart. resilient and sustainable mobility within the ASEAN context is highly desirable.

For enquiries, please contact Dr Susi Susilawati

For more information about this project, please visit our GEMS website.

How to Apply

It is suggested that you first contact the main supervisor and provide them with your academic background and achievements to determine whether you are a 'fit' for this research topic.

If you feel you are a good fit, submit your application here and ensure that you enter the same GEMS research topic as advertised on this webpage. To review the application requirements, please refer to our application submission guide. When submitting your application, please select the Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS).More information about GEMS is available here.

Funding Notes

The Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS), funded by Monash University Malaysia, features regional mobility and is awarded to highly qualified students seeking to work on projects of regional and global relevance.

Recipients of GEMS will be funded for an immersive year in either Monash University Australia, Monash University Indonesia, or the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay of up to 9 months and have access to Monash University’s global network of research expertise and infrastructure during their candidature period.

Eligibility

To be eligible for GEMS, you must possess a minimum academic qualification of First Class Honours (H1) or its equivalence (H1E) recognised by Monash University Malaysia and satisfy the English language requirements.