PhD sport development at Louisiana State University

Dr. Per G. Svensson at Louisiana State University in the United States is currently recruiting applications for a funded PhD position for someone primarily interested in researching sport for development and peace organizations. The position includes a competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and funding for research conference travel.

Dr. Svensson previously served as the Co-Editor for the Journal of Sport for Development from . He is one of only a handful researchers in the world recognized as a Research Fellow by the prestigious Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand. His expertise is focused on organizational capacity and social innovation.

He is also the founder of Starting Block, an initiative with a mission focused on accelerating Sport for Good. Dr. Svensson and his team find and support social entrepreneurs and early stage nonprofits with the best ideas for using Sport for Good via a startup accelerator and a free, research-informed playbook in multiple languages on how to create, manage, and sustain Sport for Good organizations.

Dr. Svensson is specifically looking to recruit PhD students interested in examining one or more of the following (or related) topics:

• How innovative organizations access resources and mobilize the necessary capital to achieve intended development outcomes
• The role of startup accelerators for capacity building and organizational sustainability
• The experiences of resources providers in the Sport for Good ecosystem
• The role of organizational reputation in Sport for Development
• The impact of Sport for Development-specific policy frameworks
• Mechanisms for policy influence by Sport for Development nonprofits
• Donor intentions
• Organizational failures
• Decision-making in sport for development and peace
• How sport for development organizations communicate with external audiences

Dr. Svensson is looking for 1-2 PhD students, with a program start date in August 2026. Those with prior work experiences in the Sport for Good space are preferred.

This is a 100% in-person program on Louisiana State University’s campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The final Final date to receive applications to the program is in early March, but candidates should apply by 15 January 2026 for full consideration for funded positions.