Research funding opportunities

Centre for Business, Society and Global Challenges

Oxford Brookes Business School

Migration, work and organisations
 

Bursary: £16,000 pa (with no inflation increase)

Deadline: The closing date for applications is 21 June 2019 (12 Noon UK Time)

Interview date: Interviews will be held in week beginning the 8 July 2019

Start date: September 2019

Eligibility: Home/EU

Please note previous applicants need not apply again.

The Centre for Business, Society and Global Challenges at the Oxford Brookes Business School, Oxford Brookes University is offering a studentship to an exceptional candidate seeking to study for a full time PhD in migration, work and organisations starting in September 2019.
 

This full-time studentship, which includes a commitment of seminar teaching to undergraduate students, will be for 3 years, subject to satisfactory progress. The bursary will be £16,000 per annum, and fees will be paid by the School.

The Project

Engaging in paid or unpaid work and transition in the labour market are often important in shaping migration trajectories and integration experiences for economic migrants and refugees. Current political, economic and social developments globally have introduced a variety of challenges for migrants and organisations – driving new forms of mobility whilst fundamentally changing the terms of engagement between actors and institutions. We are interested in examining how commercial and non-commercial organisations, and experiences of work within workplaces, shape migrants’ integration into the labour market, alongside their settlement more generally, as well as understanding the distinctive forms of migrant agency that are brought to bear upon these processes. Moreover, the study may also account for how other organisations, including civil society bodies, NGOs and state institutions, impact upon migrants’ entry into work, learning and development, and their broader adjustment to working in the host society, identifying both the scope and limitations for enabling migrant agency within these organisations.

Applicants are expected to hold a good undergraduate degree and a good Master’s degree at merit level or above in a relevant area of the social sciences (e.g. organization studies, sociology, geography, anthropology or migration studies). Applicants should also be able to demonstrate strong research capabilities, preferably an experience of having conducted fieldwork, and be fluent in spoken and written English.
 

We are looking to recruit a candidate of the highest quality and who is capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3 years. Funding will cover the three year period subject to the candidate making satisfactory progress annually. PhD students will take part in the School’s PhD programme, which offers seminars and training on research methodology as well as a collegiate environment to present work in progress.

Candidates interested in discussing their proposals can contact the supervisory team: Dr Peter Lugosi (plugosi@brookes.ac.uk) and Dr Tamsin Barber (t.barber@brookes.ac.uk)
 

For more information about research in the Business School visit: /business/research/

How to apply: To request further details of how to apply, please email: bus-researchdegrees@brookes.ac.uk
 

Please ensure you quote Migration and work in the email title when applying.

 

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Faculty of Health and Life Sciences,

Department of Sport, Health Sciences and Social Work

3 Year Full Time studentship

Eligibility: Home UK/EU applicants who must be permanently resident in UK/EU

Closing date: 28 May 2019

Start Date: September 2019

Fees: 3 years full-time Home/EU fees paid by the University

Bursary p.a.: £15,009

Main supervisor: Professor Jane Appleton (jvappleton@brookes.ac.uk)

Project Title: How are assessment tools and chronologies used by health and social care professionals to identify child neglect?

Neglect is a common yet under-recognized form of child abuse.  Across the UK, it is the most common category of abuse for children who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan, accounting for 48% of child protection plans at July 2017 (NSPCC, 2019).  Neglect rarely comes to light as a result of a single incident and it often relies on practitioners making a judgement about the adequacy of on-going care in a family context.  The use of chronologies is an area of increasing interest in neglect, as findings from some Serious Case Reviews have concluded that a chronology could have supported the earlier identification of risks to the child(ren) involved in the cases. This PhD studentship will adopt a mixed methods approach to address the following research question: How are assessment tools and chronologies used by health and social care professionals to identify neglect in either pre-school age children (or) school aged children?   (The studentship is likely to focus on one age group only depending on the applicant’s interest area).  Ethics Committee, Social Care and HRA approvals will need to be sought. Three/four research phases are proposed, including a systematic review of evidence; a document analysis of the use in one County Council of a neglect/child care development tool and chronologies; on-line survey with health, early years staff and social workers examining their views and semi-structured qualitative interviews with professionals.

This is a joint project supervised by:

Professor Jane Appleton (Director of Studies), Dr Alison Cocks (Social Worker) and Dr Sarah Bekaert (Senior Lecturer in Children’s Nursing and Nurse Specialist in Contraception and Sexual Health).

The successful application will join the Children and Families Research Group at Oxford Brookes.

As part of their Studentship, any successful applicant will be required to undertake up to 6 hours undergraduate teaching a week during semesters without further remuneration. Training will be given.

Requirements: Applicants should be of the highest quality and capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3 years. Applicants should have a first class or upper second class (minimum 2.1) honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or an acceptable equivalent qualification. A masters degree would be an advantage, as would previous research and/or professional experience of working with parents, children and/or young people.  EU Applicants must have an IELTS Academic test certificate with an overall minimum score of 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued within the last two years from an approved test centre. We will consider alternative acceptable evidence of English Language ability.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491093/2016-01-11_-Approved_Secure_English_Language_Tests_and_Test_Centres_-_Website.pdf

Application procedure: All applicants should also include a 1000 word proposal with their application.

Applications only to hlsapplications@brookes.ac.uk

Download application form

 

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Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

 

Department of Sport, Health Sciences and Social Work

 

3 Year Full Time studentship

 

Eligibility: Home UK/EU applicants who must be permanently resident in UK/EU

 

Closing date: 21 June 2019 (midnight UK time)
Start Date: September 2019

 

Bursary: £15,009 pa

 

Fees: Home/EU fees paid by the University

 

Main supervisor: Dr Shelly Coe (scoe@brookes.ac.uk)

Project Title: Do dietary interventions aid in the recovery from physical activity and improve fatigue symptoms in people with Parkinson’s (PwP) and is this due to altered substrate utilisation and improved mitochondrial functioning.

Exercise is recommended for people with Parkinson’s (PwP) in NICE guidance. However many people find exercise difficult due to high levels of fatigue. The causes of fatigue in Parkinson’s are not understood, but we propose that fatigue may be due to an altered metabolic response to physical activities resulting in PwP using more energy to perform an activity, and taking a longer time to recover (Collet et al 2017; Mavrommati et al 2017) Dietary interventions could be used to improve during and post exercise fatigue experienced in PwP, and indeed pilot data from our group confirms this.

During this PhD you will identify, synthesise and appraise the existing evidence in the form of a literature review. You will also co-design the research with patient research members to inform the methods and feasibility study. You will then perform a trial to determine the potential for effect and feasibility of dietary supplementation for fatigue management in PwP with fatigue and determine to what extent the effects are potentially mediated by changes in metabolism, insulin resistance and/ or mitochondrial functioning.

This is a joint project supervised by Dr Shelly Coe, Dr Maedeh Mansoubi and Prof Helen Dawes. All supervisors have experience in clinical trials in vulnerable groups including those with Parkinson’s, and jointly have expertise in dietary and exercise interventions for fatigue management. You will receive training on performing dietary and exercise interventions for people with Parkinson’s in relation to outcome measures of fatigue and will learn laboratory skills to assess metabolic and mitochondrial functioning.

Name of Director of Studies (DoS):          Dr Shelly Coe

Name of 2^nd Supervisors:             Dr Maedeh Mansoubi and Professor Helen Dawes

As part of their Studentship, any successful applicant will be required to undertake up to 6 hours undergraduate teaching/demonstrating a week during semesters on undergraduate practicals without further remuneration. Training will be given.

 

Contact: Dr Shelly Coe scoe@brookes.ac.uk

Requirements: Applicants should be of the highest quality and capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3 years. Applicants should have a first class or upper second class (minimum 2.1) honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or an acceptable equivalent qualification. EU Applicants must have an IELTS Academic test certificate with an overall minimum score of 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued within the last two years from an approved test centre. We will consider alternative acceptable evidence of English Language ability.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491093/2016-01-11_-Approved_Secure_English_Language_Tests_and_Test_Centres_-_Website.pdf

 

Application procedure:

 

Applications only to hlsapplications@brookes.ac.uk

 

Download application form:
(http://www.hls.brookes.ac.uk/images/research/phd-studentship-application-form-jan-14.doc)

 

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de Rohan MA by Research Scholarship

For September 2019 entry, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences are pleased to offer the de Rohan Scholarship to full-time and part-time students for the following research degree programme:

MA by Research in History of Art

The award is for £7,000 per annum for full-time students.  For part-time students the award is spread over two years at £3,500 per annum.

The full-time award is open to both Home/EU and International students.  Only Home/EU students can apply for the award on a part-time basis.

Applications will only be accepted from students who have already been made a conditional or unconditional offer by Oxford Brookes University.

You should apply for your place on the course and then submit your scholarship application.

IF YOU APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP WITHOUT THE OFFER OF A PLACE, YOUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 5.00pm on Friday 21 June 2019. They should be emailed or posted to the address stated on the forms below.

The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of the personal statement. You should clearly explain why you are following the MA course; what you hope to contribute to the course and the discipline; and what you hope achieving the MA will contribute to your career and/or personal development.

Please find the application form, notes for guidance and background to the scholarship below.

Background information

Application Form - Home/EU applicants

Application Form - International applicants

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Three year full-time funded PhD Studentship

Eligibility: All (Home/EU/International students)

Bursary: £15,009 per year

Fees: Tuition fees will be paid by the university

Deadline for applying: Friday 26^th April 2019

Start date: September 2019

“PhD Studentship in Prospective Analyses of Sustainable Electric Mobility Scenarios”

The School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics at Oxford Brookes University is seeking an independent and highly motivated candidate from a science or technology discipline. The candidate should have an interest in the low carbon transport agenda and have knowledge of life cycle assessment.

Brief Project Description

The overall aim of the project is to use life cycle thinking to investigate scenarios of the co-evolution of the transport sector and the electricity grid. This project forms part of a prestigious, multi-partner, Faraday Institution research project entitled Reuse and recycling of lithium ion batteries (ReLIB) https://relib.org.uk/. The Oxford Brookes research team will work closely with other university and commercial partners. A more detailed project description will be provided in the application pack.

The essential selection criteria include:

• At least an upper second class degree (preferably MSc) in a Science or Technology  discipline
• Knowledge of, and experience in, life cycle assessment
• Excellent study record
• Experience of processing, analysing and manipulating large amounts of technical data
• Capability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent written and oral communication, and organisational skills. Proficiency in written English is required (for non UK-graduated citizens – an IELTS certificate with sufficient level is required).
• A real passion and commitment for research.

The successful candidate will:

• Assess the environmental benefits of Li-ion battery recycling, within the broader context of the on-going transitions to electric mobility and low-carbon electricity
• Evaluate a range of prospective scenarios involving electricity grid evolution, electric vehicle uptake, traction battery reuse and recycling options
• Analyse the overall energy and environmental consequences of these scenarios using a coherent and fully integrated consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) model
• Participate in research meetings, travel to partner institutions and undertake supplementary research methods training, if necessary, in their first year of study.

Application Process:

Please request an application pack from the Research Support Office, tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk, quoting “PhD Studentship in Prospective Analyses of Sustainable Electric Mobility Scenarios”.

Fully completed applications must be sent to tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk, by 17.00 on Friday 26th April 2019. As part of the application process you will be required to upload a cover letter, a brief statement of research interests (describing how past experience and future plans fit with the advertised position), CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application. Please be advised that the selection process may involve an interview towards the end of May.

Information:

For all informal requests about the project and this studentship, please contact Dr Marco Raugei ( marco.raugei@brookes.ac.uk) or Professor Allan Hutchinson ( arhutchinson@brookes.ac.uk).

Faculty of Technology Design and Environment

 

School of the Built Environment & School of Architecture

 

PhD studentship: Co-creation of Distributed Renewable and Interactive (DRI) energy systems & Citizen-Centred, Low Carbon Cities

 

Eligibility:        Home/EU Students and International Students

 

Bursary:           £15,009 per annum (with no inflation increase) for three years

 

                           £1,000 for fieldwork per annum

 

Fees:                Tuition fees up to Home/EU level will be paid by the University

 

Deadline:          9 May 2019                                       

 

Start date:        September 2019

 

The School of Built Environment and the School of Architecture are jointly offering a 3-year full-time PhD Studentship. This is an inter-disciplinary study that cuts across the Construction Project Management and Low Carbon Building research groups, which are part of the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development.

 

The studentship includes an annual bursary of £15,009 for three years (no annual increase). Fees up to the Home/EU level will be paid by the University and £1,000 per annum will be available for fieldwork. Please note, if you are an international student, you would need to cover the shortfall between the Home/EU level and International level of university fees.

 

Project description

 

The key research question is how the technological and digital literacies of a ‘smart community’ can be developed to move towards the effective operation of DRIs, resulting in significant reductions in energy demand to rise to the challenges associated with Climate Change. The installation & operation of smart citizen-centered energy systems will be evaluated through the comparison of policies, and top-down and bottom-up practices in leading ‘Smart Cities’. This evaluation will focus on how local communities can improve their awareness and competences to embrace new technology and how they can become equal partners in co-creating Smart Cities.

 

The aim is to explore, using Grounded Theory, the relationships between smart communities & the technological solutions to operating the DRI systems. The key output will be an innovative framework to place prosumers at the heart of effective integration of DRI systems in existing urban environments.

 

The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dr Esra Kurul, Professor  Rajat Gupta and Dr. Maurizio Sibilla. Informal enquiries should be addressed to Dr Kurul ( ekurul@brookes.ac.uk ).

 

Requirements

 

We are looking to recruit a candidate of the highest quality who is capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3 years. Candidates would be expected to have at least an upper second class degree and/or Masters in a related subject (e.g. sociology, urban geography, energy studies, anthropology etc).  They should be able to demonstrate strong interdisciplinary research capabilities, be fluent in spoken and written English.

 

The selection criteria will focus on academic excellence, suitability of research experience/ skills, and subject knowledge. A demonstrable interest in social innovationwould be an advantage.

 

Applicants must submit a detailed research proposal (max. 1000 words), which should include the research objectives and methods, a CV and a supporting statement (max. 300 words).

 

How to apply

 

To apply, please email: tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk  for an application pack, quoting “Co-creation of DRIs and Low Carbon Cities” in the subject line.

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School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

 

Low Carbon Vehicles Group 3.5 year full-time funded PhD Studentship

Eligibility:        Home/EU and International Students

 

Bursary:           £16,000 per annum (with no inflation increase)

 

                        A further £3,000 is available to cover project costs for three years

 

Fees:                Tuition fees will be paid by the University.

 

Deadline:          3 May 2019

 

Start date:        September 2019 (Home/EU students and International)

 

“Electric Powertrain Design and Optimisation”

 

The Faculty of Technology Design and Environment at Oxford Brookes University is pleased to offer a 3.5 year full-time PhD studentship to a new student commencing in 2019.  The successful candidate, will work under the supervision of Professor Denise Morrey and her team, and with the Oxford Brookes Racing Formula Student Team.

For information about the Low Carbon Vehicles Group, see: /ecm/research/engineering/low-carbon-vehicles/

For information about the Oxford Brookes Racing Team, see: https://obr.brookes.ac.uk/

The Formula Student Team has been very successful in the competition, using an ICE based powertrain for two decades. The team now wishes to create an advanced electric powertrain-based solution to align with the current trends in Europe. This solution aims to utilise in-hub motors for a high performance four wheel drive racing car.

 The current electric powertrain relies on off the shelf motors and inverters. This project aims to develop and improve motor inverter technology, control, and HV architecture integration. The current motor inverters does not account for interactions between sub-systems and, as a result, key attributes such as efficiency do not reach the full potential available within the chosen envelope of hardware and controls.

This project will develop and apply a new HV motor inverter design and system architecture to maximise vehicle integration and efficiency. This project also aims to develop improved modelling techniques and methodologies for battery and motor modelling. 

Requirements: We are looking to recruit a candidate of the highest quality who is capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3.5 years. Applicants would be expected to have a good relevant Engineering degree. They should be able to demonstrate strong research capabilities and be fluent in spoken and written English.

The selection criteria will focus  on academic excellence, suitability of research experience and skills, subject knowledge and references. 

Application Process

 

If you would like to apply for this position, you should request an application pack from the Research Support Office, tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk , quoting “PhD Studentship in Electric Powertrain”.

 

Fully completed applications must be sent to tdestudentships@brookes.ac.uk by 5.00 pm on Friday 3 May 2019. As part of the application process you must submit your CV, along with a supporting statement (2 page maximum) which explains why you believe you are the best candidate for this role. Please be advised that the selection process may involve an interview.

Information: For all informal requests about the project and this post, please contact Professor Denise Morrey via email: dmorrey@brookes.ac.uk

 

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Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships

Applications are open for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships for PhD candidates from low and middle income Commonwealth countries to spend 12 months at a UK university as part of their doctoral studies in their home country.

The scholarships are for study starting in October 2019, and are aimed at high-quality graduates whose proposed research has a developmental focus and who have the potential to become influential teachers or researchers in their home countries.

Split-site Scholarships are delivered through an institutional or departmental link between the candidate's home university and proposed UK university.

The closing date for applications is 4 February 2019. For full details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit  http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/split-site-scholarships-low-middle-income-countries/

Further information about the Postgraduate Doctoral Loan scheme can be found at www.gov.uk/doctoral-loan

Information about loans available for Masters by research and MPhil programmes can be found at /studying-at-brookes/finance/postgraduate-finance---uk-and-eu-students/postgraduate-loan-scheme/