Vice-Chancellor’s Studentships 2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Sustainable entrepreneurship continues to be discussed and desired. The Scottish Government’s ‘National Innovation Strategy’ outlines plans for one of the world’s “innovative small nations” by 2033. A key element of this is responding through sustainable efforts (Sobhan et al., 2023). Universities play their part (Chinnasamy and Daniels, 2019; Crammond, 2020; 2023), and by 2029, forecast over £11bn in support (Universities UK, 2022).

Scotland, with over 11000 students undertaking related activity yearly, produce 28% of UK spinouts (Universities Scotland, 2023). Collectively, national support involves providing capital: financial (Smith, 2015), physical (de Guzman et al., 2020), social (Poon et al., 2012), human (Deng and Bai, 2014), psychological and intellectual (Chipfupa and Wale, 2018), and natural (Nandy and Islam, 2010; Deng and Bai, 2014; Smith, 2015).

This PhD studentship project, within the Transformative Enterprise Research Group (TERG) at UWS, aims to examine Scotland’s enterprise support and policy, towards sustainable education in developing an international framework to improve business. In engaging practitioners, sustainable enterprise scholars, and policy makers, this project sheds light on challenges and prescribes sustainable measures through the framework.

Advancing sustainable livelihood frameworks, where sustainable development reflects steps to address scarcity, the analysis shall uncover nuances within enterprise contexts, presenting multi-stakeholder strategies and policy for sustainable businesses. This results in reimagined enterprise education (SDG 4), impacting sustainable development (SDG 11) and economic prosperity (SDG 8) internationally (Aghelie et al., 2016; Teran-Yepez et al., 2020).

Over the course of this project, a critical review of Scottish enterprise support and policy literature is undertaken, concerning perspectives of infrastructure, sustainability-focused education and funding. Following this, an investigation of regional support and the emergence of sustainable business is conducted, exploring through an appropriate methodological design. Subsequent analyse of cross-sectional data in Scotland, shall highlight findings indicating promotion or prevention of sustainable business and other factors. This shall result in a constructed and prescribed framework, outlining recommendations for start-ups and regional regeneration.

Applicants should possess a postgraduate qualification (such as an MBA or MSc) in the subject area(s) of business, management, leadership or entrepreneurship. In aligning to this project’s objectives, applications detailing a focus on enterprise, entrepreneurship, and sustainability are preferred. However, applicants with an undergraduate (at least upper second class (2:1) BA, BSc degree, etc.) qualification and experience of entrepreneurship, (public) policy, sustainability, and business research would also be considered.

The successful candidate shall have excellent communication and research skills, evidencing experience of employing primary data collection approaches. In addition, knowledge of, and experience of researching, national and international policy concerning business, sustainability, and enterprise ecosystem policy initiatives is highly advantageous.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information, or to discuss the project informally, please contact (via email) Dr Robert James Crammond, Co-Director – Transformative Enterprise Research Group, UWS. robert.crammond@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Reimagining childcare is a major concern for the future. Rethinking and redesigning the ecosystem for childcare in Scotland is the focus of this PhD.

This PhD offers an opportunity to conduct impactful research and help parents in Scotland better balance childcare with paid work. A focus on removing childcare-related employment barriers and breaking the cycle of unfair career development working mothers commonly experience will be of particular importance.

Parents commonly describe childcare as unaffordable and inflexible. The increasing cost of childcare has been making work of many parents unaffordable. The current cost-of-living crisis that has further intensified financial pressures experienced by working parents. Parents working in non-standard employment face additional barriers in finding suitable childcare solutions as inflexible childcare provision in Scotland fails to support parents who work atypically. Because of that many parents currently lose out on the state-funded childcare support. In addition, the challenge of juggling too much childcare with employment makes female participation in the labour market extremely difficult and frequently stalls women’s careers, as they still take the main burden associated with looking after children.

This PhD will contribute to reimagining and redesigning of an inclusive system of affordable, accessible, flexible and equitable childcare. There will be specific objectives mapped out against the 3-year timeline, which will be set in conjunction with the successful candidate. The overall aim is to develop a feasible and attainable model of childcare. This will reduce inequalities in availability and access to flexible and affordable childcare. It will help mothers and all parents in Scotland better balance childcare with employment. Research can influence the Scottish Government’s childcare policy. This means being more effective and inclusive, and universally supporting all working parents, including those in non-standard employment.

This PhD seeks a candidate with interests and/or expertise in either childcare and childcare sector and academic/professional work background in management and organisation studies. Familiarity with principles of system thinking, social ideation, system innovation, and co-design/co-creation approaches is an advantage. Experience and awareness of childcare-related policies, women’s employment barriers and career development issues would be an additional advantage. A master level degree in Management/ HRM, Career Guidance and Development, or relevant Social Science discipline is expected. This research will be qualitative, suiting best candidates with some experience in interviewing, focus groups and workshop facilitation, and qualitative data collection and analysis.

This PhD will directly address three UN SDGs: Gender Equality (5), Decent Work & Economic Growth (8), Reduced Inequality (10). It will be supervised by the inter-disciplinary supervisory team and associated with the Social Impact, Leadership and Management (SILM) Research Group. SILM research aims to produce positive outcomes for people through design of novel models and frameworks, adoption of innovative practices or roll-out of interventions that offer solutions to complex problems. SILM research engages with policy and practice to create sustainable social impacts for organisations, workforce and communities. SILM current main research areas are:

• Improving work and employment
• Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Developing Sustainable Organisations
• Effective, Responsible and Inclusive Leadership
• Social Innovation in Public, Private and Civil Society Organisations

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact Lead Supervisor, Dr Aleksandra Webb aleksandra.webb@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Support for the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in war often draws on problems associated with human frailty and the dangers of emotions on the battlefield. However, emotions also promote empathy and caution: an important check on the use of force in complex contemporary battlefield situations. This project aims to further problematise the dichotomy between conflict decision-making and emotions that is often used to justify the outsourcing of human decisions and actions to AI. The project, and the broader body of research within which it sits, will highlight that human qualities, such as emotion, reason, judgement, empathy and caution, are essential in achieving effective compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), in order to alleviate as far as possible the human suffering caused by war.

Objectives

• Analyse the importance of human emotions in lethal targeting and other conflict decision-making
• Explore in detail the scope and limitations of AI programming in relation to lethal targeting and conflict decision-making
• Critically examine the relationship between machine learning and emotions in lethal targeting and conflict decision-making, exploring avenues for reconciliation between the two
• This PhD is funded by way of a UWS Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship. This includes an annual maintenance grant, assessed at a level to be determined annually by the University and payment of fees at the current UK rate.

Expected Outcomes/Outputs

• Teaching on IHL in Practice/Public International Law (PIL) Modules (PhD students are expected to teach 3 hours per week to support the delivery of modules offered by the Law unit)
• Develop a stage-appropriate track record of research dissemination (e.g. publications, presentations at conferences, working groups etc.)

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree in (international) law or international relations and to have achieved at least a 2.1 in this. Other undergraduate qualifications may be considered, but applicants should demonstrate that they possess the relevant knowledge necessary to engage effectively with the project. A postgraduate qualification in (international) law or international relations may be an advantage. Good knowledge of international humanitarian law and broader knowledge of public international law are desirable. The English language requirements of UWS apply.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact: Joanna.Wilson@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), i.e. drones, are revolutionizing the agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, conservation, and security sectors. However, the UAS service market faces significant challenges to growth. While new regulations in Europe and the UK allow drones to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) the external aiding systems such as communications and satellite navigation are brittle and prone to failure. In addition, mandatory detectability exposes drones to intentional disruptions, risking crashes and harm to people on the ground. This project addresses this challenge by creating a real-time Digital Twin with AI for cyber intrusion detection to underpin a Security-as-a-Service solution.

Objectives:

1. Digital Twin Development: Create a real-time Digital Twin for a UAS, continuously updating it with live and historical data for a dynamic representation.
2. AI-Based Intrusion Detection: Develop an AI system for UAS to learn normal communications and navigation behaviour, detect anomalies, and integrate it with the Digital Twin
3. Countersecurity Evaluation: Assess use cases like authentication, GPS spoofing, data theft, and drone hijacking to identify and rectify vulnerabilities.
4. Dynamic Response Platform: Build a Security-as-a-Service platform utilising the Digital Twin and AI Intrusion Detection for testing UAS responses to disruptions.
5. Value Proposition and Market Study: Conduct a study to assess the exploitation potential of project outputs for market viability and value proposition.

Candidates should hold an MSc /Master’s in Computing/Cyber Security/AI/Networking or closely related area. Highly motivated first-class honours BSc/BEng Computing/Cyber Security/AI/Networking or closely related graduates will also be given consideration.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024).

The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact: Dr. Raman Singh at Raman.Singh@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

The use of computer vision-based AI models enables the efficient detection of structural faults in public infrastructure, aiding inspectors in performing structural health monitoring. This technology allows for timely interventions and predictive maintenance, enhancing the speed and accuracy of inspections.

This studentship focuses on the research, development, and practical application of machine learning methods to detect and quantify structural damage in surfaces such as concrete or asphalt using image or LiDAR data. The primary goal is to develop solutions suitable for resource-constrained environments, characterised by limited data or computing resources, often necessitating edge computing.

Addressing these challenges is crucial, as larger models and datasets typically demand substantial computing resources, leading to increased energy consumption, carbon emissions, and higher costs. The objectives include creating efficient new algorithms for real-time structural damage detection and quantification (e.g., cracks, spalling, corrosion, and exposed rebar). Additionally, there will be a focus on designing new semi-supervised and/or unsupervised techniques and addressing domain shift issues to counteract the necessity of large, annotated datasets. Ultimately, this would culminate in integrating these methods into standalone hardware systems.

Specifically, the student will design and use neural networks to process data, aiming to enhance the detection and quantification of structural damages. Systematic experiments will compare the proposed methods against state-of-the-art techniques using datasets from various domains (e.g., roads, bridges, tunnels, and buildings) while evaluating performance indicators such as speed and detection capability.

The outcomes of this project enable a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to visual infrastructure maintenance, ultimately reducing examiners’ exposure to potentially hazardous environments, and enhancing their safety. In turn, this will lead to increased safety and longevity of urban infrastructure, resulting in a positive social impact.

Candidates should have:

A Master’s degree with a classification of Merit or higher, and/or an undergraduate degree with at least a UK 2:1. A Distinction or 1st class degree is highly desirable. Relevant fields include computer science, machine learning, data science, engineering, or any field demonstrating a strong computing and mathematical background.

• Proficiency in Python and/or C/C++ is essential. Experience implementing and using deep learning or computer vision methods is desirable.
• Strong mathematical skills and the ability to write clearly and effectively are required.
• The ideal candidate should be self-motivated, eager to learn, and passionate about using data science and computer vision applied to real-world problems.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information about the PhD Studentship or any enquiries about the project, please contact Dr Jacob Koenig at jacob.koenig@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

The Nuclear Physics Research Group at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) has a fully-funded PhD studentship open to UK citizens. The successful applicant will join a well-established programme of studying atomic nuclei and developing detectors for nuclear research and applications. The studentship will particularly provide opportunities to develop detectors for environmental research.

A major part of nuclear research at UWS involves radioactive nuclei that are produced in a laboratory using nuclear reactions, induced by bombarding targets with energetic beams of ions from particle accelerators. Following the production, the radiation from these nuclei are detected to infer their structure and properties. The work demands international collaborative research and is carried out at overseas particle-accelerator laboratories such as CMAM (Madrid), TRIUMF (Vancouver), GSI, Darmstadt, Koln (Germany), JYFL (Jyväskylä, Finland) and ISOLDE-CERN (Geneva).

The successful candidate will participate in setting up and running of the experiments and will carry out the analysis of data from one or more experiments. They will work on simulation packages required for radiation detector development and will have an opportunity to work with nuclear energy industry. Experience of hands-on skills, scientific computing, particularly the Linux operating system, or an aptitude for computing would be an advantage.

The studentships are fully funded by the University of the West of Scotland. The funding will cover tuition fees and will provide a standard research-council stipend of approximately £17k per year. Applicants should have, or expect to be awarded, a first-class or upper second-class Honours degree in Physics. Applicants should have a willingness to travel, and to spend short periods (several weeks) at overseas laboratories.

The studentships will start on 1st October 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. The closing date for applications is 29^th July 2024, and we would appreciate early applications.

The Paisley Campus of the University of the West of Scotland. Paisley is located around 10 miles south-west of Glasgow, with excellent travel links to Glasgow (~10 minutes by train to Glasgow Central station) and to the scenic regions of Scotland (e.g. ~25 minutes by car to Loch Lomond). Glasgow International Airport is also located in Paisley.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

Any enquiries or interest in this project can be made by email to Dr. Nara Singh Bondili (narasingh.bondili@uws.ac.uk)

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

The PhD project is an exciting opportunity to use psychological theory to examine the successful inclusion of students with ADHD in higher education. The number of students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) pursuing higher education is increasing. ADHD is characterised by inattention and/or hyperactivity which disrupts daily functioning. Symptoms may include impulsivity, restlessness, poor attention span, forgetfulness, and procrastination which can present challenges for higher education students. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education and Reduced Inequalities, all individuals, including those with ADHD, should have access to inclusive education. Universities must make adjustments to enhance achievement, social inclusion and wellbeing of students with ADHD, but we need to know more about how to do this effectively.

The studentship will involve using mixed and creative methodologies to address three main aims;

• Examine the experiences of higher education students with ADHD. This will include consideration of student achievement, social inclusion, and wellbeing;
• Investigate higher education staff beliefs and practice towards students with ADHD;
• Co-create with higher education staff and students a toolkit to aid inclusive practice for students with ADHD. The successful candidate will be at the forefront of supporting inclusive teaching practice. The project findings will be relevant to higher education practitioners and impactful across the sector.

Candidates should hold a first- or second-class honours degree in a relevant discipline and preferably a relevant MSc or MRes qualification. Existing knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methodologies would also be an asset as well as an interest and/or experience of neurodiversity.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact: Dr Claire Wilson at Claire.wilson@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Meaningful participation in society and access to decent work are key tenets of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision in the UK. Despite the increasing demand for ESOL, practitioners have warned of the damaging effects of severe funding cuts and inconsistent policy. Critical scholarship has also highlighted the detrimental impacts of such language education for migrants, including its alignment with neoliberal agendas (Simpson 2015; Flubacher et al. 2018; Allan 2013), the enactment of surveillance of racialized groups (Khan 2016), and the enabling of exclusionary regimes of citizenship (Cooke & Peutrell 2019; Monforte et al. 2019). These critical assessments from both researchers and practitioners have led to a growing movement towards the explicit politicisation of ESOL, through increased engagement with political issues ranging from anti-racism and access to decent housing, to ESOL funding and provision.

Designed as a multi-sited ethnography across Further Education and the Third Sector, including ESOL classrooms and political events, this project seeks to explore the political stances, identities, and actions engendered through ESOL education. Focusing on migrant learners in Glasgow, the project aims to understand how their political engagement, or lack thereof, is responded to in the ESOL classroom. It also examines how the shifting policies, infrastructures, and practices of ESOL teachers and institutions impact students’ political stances within the broader context of migration and inequality in Scotland. Through this comprehensive approach, the project will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of ESOL in promoting and/or discouraging political engagement and social inclusion among migrant communities.

The successful candidate should hold a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, or a related subject and have experience conducting research (e.g., Master's dissertation). Experience and/or knowledge of qualitative, especially ethnographic methods, would be desirable. A working knowledge of popular migrant languages in Glasgow (such as Urdu, Arabic, Polish or Ukrainian) or professional experience in the ESOL sector would also be advantageous. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate an interest in critical approaches to the study of language and society and be prepared to become an active member of the newly established UWS Centre for Research on Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship, and Identity.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact Dr Katy Highet (katy.highet@uws.ac.uk)

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

The School of Education and Social Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) invites applications for a PhD project focused on the potential and limitations of housing policy in fostering sustainable communities in rural Scotland. The research will address the overarching question: how can housing policy be used to make a place for everyone in rural areas?

Access to affordable housing is a persistent issue in rural Scotland, threatening the sustainability of its economies and communities. This project will investigate the housing crisis, exploring the impacts of budget cuts, second home ownership, and proposed local government powers over short-term lets and vacant properties. The research aims to contribute to international discussions on rural sustainability, housing governance, and balancing local housing needs with tourism. Building on UWS expertise in policy and migration, the PhD will engage with potential themes including but not excluded to: housing budget cuts; second home ownership and community development; plans to increase local government powers over short-term lets and vacant properties; landownership and housing development, interlinks between housing, rural migration and mobility.

The successful candidate will develop a typology of housing tenure and sustainability, contribute to theoretical debates and literature, generate internationally relevant insights, and deliver evidence-based policy recommendations. Employing documentary analysis, case study research, and policy analysis, the candidate will gain valuable skills in qualitative research methods. Embedded within the Sustainable Policy Research Analysis Centre (SPARC) at UWS, the project offers support from an interdisciplinary research team and a vibrant cohort of PhD researchers. We seek motivated candidates with a background in sustainability, housing policy, sociology, political science or other relevant discipline. Apply by 29^th July 2024 to join us in addressing critical housing issues and building sustainable rural communities.

Applicants must have a 2:1 or 1^st class honours degree in a relevant subject. A Masters degree, involving appropriate knowledge or skills or relevant professional/ personal experience in housing, community development, policy and related issues is also desirable. This may be based in the private, public or third sector. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of data collection, such as designing and delivering a research project for a dissertation or undertaking an evaluation.

For people interested in the potential and challenges of rural life and regional development, and exploring housing as a key element in social justice, this PhD offers an exciting opportunity for developing your career, including research, academic work, policy, advocacy, social enterprises and voluntary sector.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact: Dr Julie Clark at julie.clark@uws.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

Aquatic ecosystems are important to humans and animals, but the sustainability of these ecosystems is threatened by pollution and invasive species. Confounding effects of climate change and parasitism can markedly enhance the success of invasive species in new environments. The introduction of invasive species into new ecosystems has direct effects on native organisms through competition and potential transmission of invasive parasites to native organisms. Parasites can accumulate pollutants and additionally influence the tolerance of their hosts toward pollutants. Despite the dynamics related to invasive parasite transmission being understood in naïve ecosystems and hosts, the dynamics of parasites, invasive species and pollutants, and their effects on native ecosystems remain unexplored.

This project, led by The University of the West of Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) aims to explore the influence of endoparasites on pollution tolerance of invasive and non-invasive freshwater amphipods through analysis of behavioural and genotoxicity endpoints.

The project will establish if infections by endoparasites influence behavioural and molecular responses of amphipod hosts toward pollutant exposure through a combination of field and laboratory exposures, analytical chemistry and molecular and genetic micro-assays.

Project aims to determine:

• Which amphipods are infected by endoparasites and identify any host switching events by endoparasites of invasive and native amphipods in Scottish freshwater ecosystems.
• Compare and identify behavioural modifications in amphipods infected by native and invasive parasites.
• Compare the behavioural and genotoxic effects of pollution exposure on native and invasive amphipods, and between infected and uninfected amphipods.

During the project, candidates will develop skills in aquatic ecology and parasitology, ecotoxicology, molecular biology and analytical chemistry.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly, and interviews will take place w/c 12^th August 2024. Start date for the project will be 01 October 2024.

The project will involve both fieldwork and laboratory work. The successful application will have:

• A first degree in zoology or related and relevant subjects.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in fieldwork and laboratory work (experimental biology) related to aquatic ecology.

Desirable attributes:

• Experience in experimental animal husbandry related to invertebrates.
• Experience in aquatic parasitology, molecular and genetic biology, and basic analytical chemistry.
• Experience in ecotoxicological experiments and data curation.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

Please contact Dr Beric Gilbert (beric.gilbert@uws.ac.uk) for any informal enquiries related to the project.

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

This 3 year fully funded PhD studentship aims to gain insight into the characteristics of specialist Young Onset Dementia (YOD) services operating in Scotland. It will explore the characteristics of YOD services from the perspectives of staff, service users and family members. It seeks to understand how these services support people with young onset dementia and the perceived benefits, challenges, and priorities for the development of future specialist YOD services. Findings will contribute to a body of work which aims to understand the complexities of care delivery for people living with young onset dementia in Scotland and provide actionable solutions.

In particular, the research will:

• Understand the delivery model(s) of YOD services and the support offered.
• Explore the perceived impact of specific YOD services on social, physical, and psychological wellbeing from the perspectives of patients, their families and staff members.
• Evaluate the benefits and barriers to providing specific YOD services within the health board.

The studentship would suit candidates with a background in psychology, nursing or allied health professions, social work, social sciences or related disciplines. Candidates should hold a relevant master’s degree and demonstrate previous research training and/or experience.

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For informal inquiries please contact: Suzanne.Heron@uws.ac.uk in the first instance or alternatively James.Taylor@uws.ac.uk.

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research.

This PhD offers an exciting opportunity to investigate menstrual experiences, behaviours and perceptions of para-athletes. It is fully funded by the University of the West of Scotland and supervised by staff members from the Division of Social Sciences and the Division of Sport Exercise and Health, in addition to an external supervisor from Manchester Metropolitan University.

The UN recognises period poverty as a global issue. Poor menstrual health and hygiene undercuts fundamental rights for women, girls and transmen, including the right to work, health, education, sanitation and non-discrimination. In the context of sport, research has begun to examine athlete menstrual experiences, focusing on performance and stigma yet the intersections between sport, disability and menstruation are limited. This studentship will be the first to solely focus on menstruation in parasport.

This project has 3 research objectives:

• To explore how para-athletes navigate their bodies as menstruating, disabled and athletic.
• To utilise sociological theory to make sense of menstruating para-athletes experiences.
• To inform educational resources and policies for sport organisations supporting para-athletes.

Focusing on physical disability, a qualitative research design will be used to generate novel insight into the inadequately understood field of menstruation within parasport.

This project has important implications for academic understanding of menstruating para-athletes experiences, as well as practical implications for the shaping of policy and provision of educational resources. As such, this project has great potential to make a positive difference in the world.

The PhD will be based within both the UWS Sport and Physical Activity Research Institute (SPARI) and Centre for Culture Sport and Events (CCSE), enabling the successful candidate to engage with a vibrant community of researchers exploring issues of social justice, policy, and sport.

Candidate Eligibility Criteria:

• A strong first degree (2.1 or a first class honours) ideally in a relevant social science or sport subject. Other first degrees would be considered with equivalent work experience in either para-sport or women’s health.
• A Masters degree is desirable (but not essential)
• To be UK or EU nationals, have been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years at the time of application (‘ordinarily resident’ excludes those whose main purpose of residence was full-time education) or ‘settled’ in the UK or EU (i.e. granted Right of Abode or Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain in the UK or have the right of permanent residence in the UK under EC law).
• Previous research or study experience of menstruation or disability would be preferred
• Knowledge of qualitative research approaches and/or participatory research approaches is desirable

This is a fully funded PhD Studentship and includes payment of tuition fees for 3 years at the home/UK rate and an annual maintenance stipend equivalent to UKRI minimum stipend rate (£19,237 from 01/10/2024). The successful candidate must meet the following criteria: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain.

For more information or to discuss the project informally, please contact Dr Rebecca O’Hanlon, rebecca.ohanlon@uws.ac.uk.

Application Deadline: 29/07/2024

Start Date: 01/10/2024