Recipients announced for the inaugural Disability Research Leadership Program

NDRP
1 day ago
3 min read

Australia's first national cohort of emerging disability research leaders was announced today, with 14 researchers selected.

The NDRP’s Disability Research Leadership Program supports emerging researchers with disability to build their research careers and leadership capability. In the first intake each researcher receives $30,000 in flexible, accessible support over 12 months.

“This program is an Australian first, targeted at supporting emerging researchers with disability who often face significant barriers in their education and research careers due to structural inequality.

“This program is informed by lived experience and we're supporting the next generation of disability research leaders who will shape the evidence base that informs policy and practice.”

– Mary Sayers, NDRP CEO

The program supports Master's by Research or PhD students with disability, enrolled at an Australian university, whose research aligns with the NDRP’s Research Agenda.

While the program was intended to provide support for 8 students, due to the volume of high-quality applications, the NDRP has funded 14 researchers.

“Congratulations to all our successful applicants – we had 55 strong applications from disabled researchers, illustrating the need for this type of program.

“We look forward to learning from our first program, and demonstrating the impact of investing in leadership development and to inform future NDRP research capacity strengthening initiatives.”

– Mary Sayers, NDRP CEO

Each successful applicant receives:

A one-year program to join a national community connecting them with peer researchers, disability leaders, and sector experts who share their commitment to driving change.
$15,000 financial support to help focus on your research and career development, plus
Up to $15,000 flexible funding to support their research and professional development including activities like conference travel, collaborations with disability organisations, accessible research methods and knowledge mobilisation.

This program is funded by the NDRP through a grant from the Australian Government as an initiative under Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031.

Meet the 2026 Leadership cohort

The 14 researchers selected for the inaugural Disability Research Leadership Program are:

Matthew Jackman, PhD candidate understanding the contemporary international Mad movements (University of Sydney, NSW)
Mikala Sedgwick, Gamilaraay PhD candidate researching health, wellbeing & experiences of discrimination among Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples with Disability (Yardhura Walani, ANU, Canberra ACT)
Alison Devitt, Researcher designing chronic disease supports with people with intellectual disability (Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW)
Tara Pattenden, Artist-researcher creating accessible, tactile musical instruments (Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Brisbane QLD)
Stephen Murnane, Researcher examining neurodiversity-affirming behaviour support practices (Flinders University, Brisbane QLD)
Sarah Poiner, Researcher improving intimate partner violence screening for autistic women (Griffith University, Brisbane QLD)
Kim Andreassen, PhD candidate co-designing trauma-informed consent education for young people with disability (Curtin University, Perth WA)
Samantha Lilly, Researcher exploring obesity and intellectual disability lived experience using co-design (Deakin University, Melbourne VIC)
Aaron Saint-James, Researcher examining inclusive teaching, accessibility, and learning design to improve university experiences for students with disability (UNSW Sydney, NSW)
Katie Price, PhD candidate researching possible reconciliation of disability rights and mental health detention in preventing suicide (UTS, Sydney NSW)
Claire Dorling, Legally blind researcher developing strengths-based vision assessment tools (Monash University VIC)
Tania Rose, Researcher studying wellbeing of disability arts practitioners (University of Sydney, NSW)
Hannah Vogel, Archaeologist, challenging ableism by reinterpreting disability in ancient history (Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW)
Mark Hanson, PhD candidate and wheelchair user investigating wheelchair accessibility within air travel (Swinburne University, Melbourne VIC).

Why this program matters

The NDRP has established the Disability Research Leadership Program to recognise and support emerging and early-career researchers with disability. Too often, talented students and researchers with disability miss out on career pathways and leadership opportunities because universities tend not to recognise disability as a strength. This is a lost opportunity for universities and the research community.

This program addresses these gaps with flexible financial support tailored to your individual needs. It connects you with peers and creates opportunities for professional development and leadership growth.

Together, we're supporting the next generation of disability research leaders who will shape the evidence base that informs policy and practice.

Informed by lived experience

This program was shaped by consultations with past and current PhD and Master’s degree research students with disability who shared their experiences, barriers, and what supports would make the biggest difference to their careers.

We listened to the feedback we received through this consultation and used it to support our design of the Program. We found six key areas where change and support are most needed for research students with disability: