PhD student sought: Neuroscience of ultra-runners

Extreme athletes: what drives them?

Do you ever wonder how some people are able to run hundreds of kilometres in extreme conditions such as the high humidity of the Amazon jungle or the freezing temperatures of the Himalayas? Would you be surprised to find out that many “ultra-runners” are just normal everyday people who work full-time while juggling families?

In this PhD project, we are looking for an academically high-performing student with a background in psychology and/or neuroscience to explore what underlies the desire and ability of these people to accomplish such extreme feats. We hope that by establishing a better understanding of the psychology and brain functioning associated with ultra-running, we may be able to assist other people to achieve seemingly impossible goals and develop a greater understanding of chronic pain conditions.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact:

• Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon at bernadette.fitzgibbon@monash.edu or
• Dr Donna Urquhart at Donna.Urquhart@monash.edu.
• Download flier
• See more about Bernadette's research at www.maprc.org.au/dr-bernadette-fitzgibbon