Master's and Doctoral Study

The Sleep/Wake Research Centre provides supervision for dedicated candidates at the Honours, Master’s, and Doctoral levels, and mentorship to Postdoctoral fellows.

For information about current projects and opportunities for postgraduate supervision, click here.

For enquiries about supervision on a particular topic, please contact the relevant Sleep/Wake Research Centre staff member directly.

For general enquiries about postgraduate study with us, please contact Dr Karyn O'Keeffe, Senior Lecturer, Sleep/Wake Research Centre, by email or telephone +64 4 979 3260.

 

Current Doctoral Candidates

  • Zoe Walsh – DClinPsych – Supporting the sleep of mothers in Aotearoa.  Primary supervisor: Leigh Signal.  Co-supervisors: Dee Muller, Angelique Reweti (School of Health Sciences), Joanne Taylor (School of Psychology), Sarah-Jane Paine (Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland).
  • Mikaela Carter – DClinPsych – Child sleep health in Aotearoa and the impact of maternal mental health over time.  Primary supervisor: Leigh Signal.  Co-supervisors: Bronwyn Sweeney, Joanne Taylor (School of Psychology), Sarah-Jane Paine (Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland).
  • Cameron Dyer – PhD - Operational levels of fatigue and flight deck performance: a pilot study.  Primary supervisor: Leigh Signal.  Co-supervisors: Margo van den Berg, Philippa Gander.
  • Jonathan Peters – DClinPsych (co-supervision at SWRC) – Electronic media use, sleep, and fatigue: Investigating their interrelated influences.  Primary supervisor: Ian de Terte (School of Psychology).  Co-supervisors: Leigh Signal, Egidia Bernerius (Royal New Zealand Navy.)
  • Louise Dore – DClinPsych – What helps to promote healthy sleep for autistic adolescents? A participatory autism research study.  Primary supervisor: Leigh Signal.  Co-supervisors: Dee Muller, Robyn Vertongen (School of Psychology).
  • Emily Minchinn – DClinPsych - Supporting adolescent mental health through sleep: What do adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand have to say?  Primary supervisors: Leigh Signal.  Co-supervisors: Dee Muller,  Ilana Seager van Dyk (School of Psychology).
  • Shalu Rana – PhD – Sleep Health, Emotion Regulation, and Emotional Wellbeing Among Women Recently Diagnosed with Breast  .  Primary supervisor: Anne Haase (Victoria University of Wellington).  Co-supervisors: Steve Bowe (Victoria University of Wellington), Karyn O’Keeffe, Leigh Signal.

Current Master’s Candidates

  • Izzy Ross – Master of Health Science – Taking interest in and disregarding sleep information: a qualitative study exploring the adolescent perspective.  Supervisors: Leigh Signal, Rosie Gibson (School of Psychology).
  • Alice Thompson – Master of Arts (Psychology) – Exploring the influence of media messaging on sleep during pregnancy.  Supervisors: Rosie Gibson (School of Psychology), Leigh Signal.
  • Kavita Kashyap – Master of Arts (Psychology) – Teen sleep, emotional wellbeing and mental health.  Supervisors: Leigh Signal, Dee Muller.
  • Esraa Ahmed – Master of Health Science (Public Health) – Postpartum Mental Health Literacy Among Refugee Women in New Zealand.  Supervisors: Linda Murray (School of Health Sciences), Leigh Signal.
  • Tayla Wiehahn – Master of Arts (Psychology) – Sleep and related health decision-making in New Zealand women with endometriosis.  Supervisors: Karyn O’Keeffe, Margo van den Berg, Rosie Gibson (School of Psychology).
  • Megan Wright – Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) – Eating behaviours in night shift workers: a systematic review.  Supervisors: Karyn O’Keeffe, Margo van den Berg.
  • Neil Mueller – Master of Arts (Psychology) – Relationships between alcohol consumption and sleep in older adults in Aotearoa.  Supervisors: Rosie Gibson, Karyn O’Keeffe.

Current Honours Candidates

  • Opportunities are available for 2026

Completed Doctoral Theses

  • Dr Travis Steenekamp – PhD (2023). The sleep/wake behaviours of elite adolescent athletes.
  • Dr Clare Ladyman – PhD (2020). Maternal sleep and depression from pregnancy to three years post birth
  • Dr Diane (Dee) Muller – PhD (2019). Social determinants of preschool children’s sleep in Aotearoa/New Zealand
  • Dr Margo van den Berg – PhD (2019). Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) for cabin crew: Evaluation of the current status and future needs
  • Dr Jennifer Zaslona – PhD (2017). In-Flight Sleep as a Pilot Fatigue Mitigation on Long Range and Ultra-Long Range Flights.
  • Dr Rosemary Gibson – PhD (2016). Understanding and managing dementia-related sleep problems: community-based research with older New Zealanders.
  • Dr Bronwyn Sweeney – PhD (2015). Perinatal sleep and postnatal mood in New Zealand women: an investigation of the relationship and trial of a sleep education intervention.
  • Dr Alexander Garden – PhD (2006). Fatigue, sleep loss and anaesthetists' performance: subjective effects and simulation studies.
  • Dr Ridvan Tupai-Firestone – PhD (2006). Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome among taxi drivers: Consequences and barriers to accessing health services.
  • Dr Te Hereripine Sarah-Jane Paine – PhD (2006). Towards a balanced and ethically responsible approach to understanding differences in sleep timing.
  • Dr Nathaniel Marshall – PhD (2005). Positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnoea: systematic evaluation versus clinical and technological drift.
  • Dr Kara Mihaere – PhD (2004). Obstructive sleep apnoea in Aotearoa/New Zealand: an objective and questionnaire-based approach to population prevalence estimation and clinical screening.
  • Dr Leigh Signal – PhD (2002). Scheduled napping on the night shift: consequences for the performance and neurophysiological alertness of air traffic controllers.
  • Dr Michelle Millar – PhD (2001). Hours of work, sleep loss and performance of anaesthetists: implications for safety in medical practice.

Completed Master’s Theses

  • Sarah Suckling – Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) (2024). Temporal associations between caffeine consumption and sleep in young adults.
  • Kirsty Job – Master of Arts (Psychology) (2023). Exploring labour and birth experience and relationships with maternal sleep and symptoms of postnatal mental distress: A mixed methods study.
  • Sonya Russell – Master of Science (Psychology) (2023). Perinatal anxiety, worry and sleep.
  • Juliette Janvresse – Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) (2023). The effect of creatine monohydrate-loading on cognition, mood and sleepiness following sleep restriction.
  • Marjial Hermanoche – Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) (2023). Caffeine consumption and sleep quality in New Zealand young adults (aged 18-25 years).
  • Jaime Fearn – Master of Health Psychology (2022). "It made a huge difference when he had a dry bed in the morning": Experiences of sleep disturbances with incontinence
  • Margarethe Helles – Master of Arts (Psychology) (2022). Sleep, Mood and Loneliness during COVID-19 Lockdown; Does Mood and Loneliness Predict Poor Sleep in Working Woman in New Zealand?
  • Courtney Jones – Master of Health Science (Bioscience) (2022). Profiles of sleep status among older adults in New Zealand: The association between alcohol use and other health and lifestyle factors.
  • Harshi Shetty – Master of Psychology (2022). The association between social media experiences and sleep quality in young adults.
  • Ramil Adhikari – Master of Public Health (2021). ‘My Routine is wrecked’: Qualitative themes of changed sleep during COVID- 19 restrictions.
  • Lydia Henderson – Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) (2021). The effect of a two-week ketogenic diet, versus a carbohydrate-based diet, on cognitive performance, mood and subjective sleepiness during 36 hours of extended wakefulness in military personnel.
  • Diane Muller – Master of Public Health (2010). Children's sleep in the family environment: a pilot study using actigraphy with 6-8 year old New Zealand children.
  • Rosemary Gibson – Master of Psychology (2009). Factors affecting the sleep of one year olds: a pilot study using objective monitoring of New Zealand infants.
  • Ricci Harris – Master of Public Health (2003). Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: symptoms and risk factors among Maori and non-Maori adults in Aotearoa.
  • Brigid Borlase – Master of Public Health (distinction) (2001). Teenage sleep in New Zealand: the development and pilot use of a questionnaire to investigate the sleep patterns of adolescents in New Zealand.
  • Denise Ratieta Master of Aviation (2005) Aircrew Fatigue Management Strategies in the New Zealand Aviation Industry
  • Dr Annette Nesdale – Master of Public Health (distinction) (1999). A review of locomotive engineer's rostered extended shifts.

Completed Honours Dissertations

  • Neil Mueller – Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Honours) (2024). The validity of subjective and objective sleep measures in older adults in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • Bethaney Wilson – Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Honours) (2023). The relationship between indicators of work stress and self-related sleep among older employees in New Zealand
  • Cynthia Leewardus –Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Honours) (2023). Assessing the impact of work/life balance on changed mood and sleep during the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • Tayla Schaapveld – Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours), The University of Auckland (2020).  Ethnic inequities in maternal sleep health in Aotearoa: evidence from a prospective cohort study of Māori and non-Māori women
  • Bronwyn Sweeney – Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (2008) Baby on Board: Sleep changes in pregnancy and postpartum and their relationship to self-reported drowsy driving behaviour.