UK: PhD Studentships in Robotics

PhD Studentships in Robotics, University of Plymouth, UK

Studentship PhD Opportunities
Cognitive Modelling in Developmental Robotics
FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY

Marie Curie Early-Stage Researchers (Two posts; Fixed-term)

To start 1st January 2010

Supervised by Professor Angelo Cangelosi
Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems
School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA
External collaboration with RobotDoc partners in EU, USA, Japan and Taiwan

RobotDoc (Robotics for Development of Cognition) is a multi-national doctoral training network for the interdisciplinary training on developmental cognitive robotics. The PhD students will develop advanced expertise of domain-specific cognitive robotics research skills and of complementary transferrable skills for careers in academia and industry. They will acquire hands-on experience through experiments with the open-source humanoid robot iCub, complemented by other existing robots available in the network’s laboratories.

The two PhD studentships at the University of Plymouth will be in the following topics:

(1) The emergence of symbol composition capabilities, and

(2) The grounding of abstract categories.

For further information contact Professor Angelo Cangelosi by email acangelosi[ at ]plymouth.ac.uk Background information on the supervisors’ research profiles can be found on the University of Plymouth website.

Applicants for the post should have a very good first degree in a computer science, or robotics, or in a cognitive science discipline. Applicants with a relevant Masters degree would be particularly welcome. The scholarship is for 3 years and the candidate will receive an annual salary starting from £19,645 per annum. A mobility, travel and career exploratory allowance will also be available.

The following conditions apply:

Applicants must be nationals of any country other than the UK.

Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UK for longer than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment.

Early-stage researchers are defined as those who are, at the time of selection, in the first four years (full-time equivalent) of their research careers. This is measured from the date when they obtained the degree which would formally entitle them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided, irrespective of whether or not a doctorate is envisaged.

Applicants should send a CV, a letter of application and contact details of two academic referees to carole.watson[ at ]plymouth.ac.uk Faculty of Science and Technology Research Office, Portland Square, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA.

Closing Date: 12 Noon, Monday 21 September 2009

UK:PhD Studentship, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

PhD Studentship in Uncertainty Quantification Project, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

PhD studentship in Uncertainty Quantification project

Subject: PhD studentship at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

Machine learning for uncertainty quantification of reservoir models

Uncertainty of complex natural systems is difficult to describe effectively within traditional parametric modelling approach. Many of relations in natural systems are vague and not transparent to capture and describe analytically. Machine learning provides an alternative way to detect dependencies from uncertain data and propagate them into forecasting models.

Machine learning will enable to integrate oblique data, which are not directly related to the modelling subject but still bear non-parametric relation with the modelled dependencies, into the uncertainty modelling framework. Data-driven statistical learning methods such as Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neural Networks are foreseen to be used to capture and describe dependencies in regression and classification problems, and define informative multidimensional prior models. Machine learning approach fits perfectly to tackle the task to eliciting and modelling prior information in high dimensions from multiple sources with feature selection/extraction techniques. Geomanifold modelling based on a recently emerged theory of semi-supervised learning is capable of integrating different sources of information from high dimensional input space.

The challenge of the project is to link contemporary machine learning algorithms with the state-of-the-art Bayesian framework for uncertainty quantification developed in the group. The work will involve application of advanced machine learning methods and recent achievement in multiple point geostatistics.

The candidate will join a dynamic and diverse team of post-docs and PhDs lead by Prof. Mike Christie. The research carried out by the team addresses aspects of uncertainty quantification including stochastic optimisation methods, geostatistics, machine learning, and employs high-level scientific computation (including a 84 node Linux cluster). The research is funded by a consortium of oil companies, and the skills acquired in while studying for the PhD are likely to be applicable to a wide range of areas, including the oil industry.

Desired skills:
The successful candidate must have a strong background in machine learning and numerical methods as well as advanced computational skills. Knowledge of geosciences modelling, geostatistics and petroleum engineering in particular will be beneficial.

To apply send a CV to Dr V Demyanov, vasily.demyanov@pet.hw.ac.uk

Closing date: 31st July 2009.

UK : PhD Studentships at Thames Valley University

PhD Studentships, Thames Valley University, UK

Research Studentships
The Vice-Chancellor’s full-time research studentships at Thames Valley University

Thames Valley University (TVU) is among just three London universities to climb 17 places or more in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008. To celebrate TVU’s performance in the RAE2008 and strengthen our research student base, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter John is pleased to announce a number of research scholarships, ranging from Art and Design to Nursing.

The scholarships will cover full UK/EU tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £15,290 per annum for up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified students to commence study in September 2009. You should hold or expect to be awarded a 2 (i) Hons degree or above. A Master’s degree in an appropriate subject area is desirable. Those candidates whose first language is not English must demonstrate evidence of appropriate English language proficiency, normally defined as a minimum IELTS score of 7. In addition to their PhD studies, duties will include up to 6 hours per week (during term time) assisting with teaching on appropriate modules.

Informal academic enquiries may be directed to Professor Sibel Roller, Head of Graduate School, sibel.roller@tvu.ac.uk

To apply, send your full Curriculum Vitae and a covering letter indicating your area of interest and including a supporting statement of no more than 500 words describing your reasons for wishing to undertake a research degree to Maria Pennells, Graduate School, Thames Valley University, St Mary’s Road, London W5 5RF (researchdegrees@tvu.ac.uk). If applicable, evidence of English language proficiency should also be included.

Closing date for receipt of applications: Friday 12 June 2009.

If short-listed for one of these awards, you should be prepared to attend an interview at TVU in London in June/July 2009.

UK : PhD Studentships in International Public Health Policy

PhD Studentships in International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh, UK

University of Edinburgh
Two PhD Studentships
International Public Health Policy

The Centre for International Public Health Policy at the University of Edinburgh is offering two fully funded PhD studentships, covering fees (either UK/EU or international) and an annual stipend (for current academic year of £12,940), to commence in September 2009.

The successful candidates will have demonstrable skills in research and an understanding of issues in global health policy. They will have a postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject, or equivalent research experience. It is anticipated that students will be offered funding for three years for MPhil and subsequent progression to PhD.

Opportunities will exist for students to contribute to teaching and to the development of teaching materials, especially for e-distance learning.

We welcome proposals from outstanding candidates for research projects into any area of international public health policy that fits with CIPHP’s research portfolio.

If you wish to apply, you should make a formal application to the University of Edinburgh’s PhD programme in international public health policy at this link.

You should also send a covering letter and an outline proposal of no more than two pages to James Lancaster, james.lancaster@ed.ac.uk , +44 131 651 3963. Please contact him in the first instance if you have any enquiries or would like further information.

The deadline for applications is Monday 11 May 2009.

Interviews will be held shortly afterwards, if necessary by teleconference or videoconference.

The Centre for International Public Health Policy (CIPHP) offers an outstanding environment in which to study for a PhD. It was established at the University of Edinburgh to conduct and disseminate research of the highest standard, and to provide exceptional postgraduate teaching. Focusing on the principles of equity, access, and universality, Prof Allyson Pollock and her colleagues have gained an international reputation for the quality and policy significance of their research across the following areas:

• globalisation and health
• comparative health systems
• public private partnerships and marketisation
• the role of pharmaceuticals in health services and clinical research
• transnational corporations and international health policy
• long term care
• regulation, intellectual property, and freedom of information
• child injury surveillance

CIPHP staff play a leading role in debates around the impact of current policies on public health and social inequalities. They contribute to the world’s leading peer-reviewed journals, and to professional journals, newspapers and magazines, and radio and television programmes.

CIPHP’s research agenda is interdisciplinary and international, and its research activities directly inform its innovative postgraduate teaching.

Current and recent work in CIPHP includes

Tracing pharmaceuticals in South Asia: regulation, distribution, and consumption - analysing how pharmaceuticals reach individual users in India and Nepal with respect to child and maternal health and mental illness.

Transnational tobacco companies, globalisation, and public policy - uses secret industry documents to examine strategic reliance on smuggling across Asia, the erosion of health legislation in Kenya, Thailand, and Uzbekistan, and industry efforts to undermine the WHO’s first international public health treaty.

Multilateral trade agreements - the impact of international economic law on health system administration.

Public private partnerships in England and Scotland and beyond - evaluates the role of private banks, venture capitalists, and multinational corporations in the provision of public services, including health, education, and transport.

The economic and social aspects of clinical trials - what are the implications of the expansion of clinical research for regulation, research ethics, patient welfare, intellectual property, the wider economy, and public engagement with medical science?

Targeted child health surveillance in Scotland - what impact does this have on child health improvement and health inequalities?

International experience of not-for-profit organisations - evaluating the implications for government control and the public interest of the increasing role of not-for-profit organisations.

For more information about CIPHP: www.health.ed.ac.uk/ciphp

PhD Studentship : School of Engineering Radio Resource Management

PhD Studentship in Radio Resource Management for Future Mobile Cellular Radio Networks, University of Swansea, UK

PhD Studentship
Radio Resource Management for Future Mobile Cellular Radio Networks
School of Engineering

The Institute of Advanced Telecommunications within the School of Engineering at Swansea University wishes to invite applications for a prestigious PhD Studentship to work on the EPSRC/MobileVCE Core-5 research programme entitled Green Radio.

This prestigious studentship in Radio Resource Management for Future Mobile Cellular Radio Networks is available now to UK, EU and overseas applicants.

Introduction:
Green Radio is one of three exciting and innovative research programmes sponsored by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (www.epsrc.ac.uk) and the Mobile Virtual Centre of Excellence in Mobile & Personal Communications (www.mobilevce.com) as part of its Core-5 research programme. Green Radio is an industry-led collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh, Bristol, Kings College London and Swansea. Given the World wide growth in the number of mobile subscribers and the increasing contribution of information technology to the overall energy consumption of the world, there is an urgent environmental need to reduce the energy requirements of radio access networks. From an operator perspective, reduced energy consumption translates directly to lower Operating Expenditure (OPEX). These are the key drivers of the Green Radio programme. Both wide area public networks (traditionally “cellular”) and local area private networks (traditionally “wireless LAN”) will be considered, recognising that the structure of a Green Radio Network may differ from today’s radio networks.

PhD Project Definition:
Green Radio will develop new energy efficient cellular deployment architectures based on bringing BSs closer to mobile users. Increasing BS and/or relay densities increases inter-cell interference levels. Consequently inter-cell interference is a major barrier that impedes the realisation of energy efficient mobile cellular networks. Your role will be to exploit cooperation between BSs (and relays) in an LTE-advanced RAN in order to limit inter-cell as well as intra-cell interference by the appropriate use of radio resource management (RRM) techniques.

Eligibility:
You should hold a 1st class Honours degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or a closely related discipline. Preference will be given to applicants who hold a related master’s degree at distinction level. The studentship would also suit mature individuals with relevant industrial experience. For UK and EU applicants, the studentship will cover the full university tuition fees and provide a minimum starting stipend of £12,940 pa. In respect of overseas applicants, the studentship will cover the full university tuition fees including the overseas contribution and provide a minimum starting stipend of £12,940 pa. Minimum stipends are fixed annually by EPSRC. The scholarship is available now and must be taken up before 1st June 2009. For informal enquiries please contact Professor Tim O’Farrell (t.ofarrell[ at ]swansea.ac.uk)

Prospective applicants are invited to follow the University’s application procedures as detailed online at http://www.swan.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/

Please mark your application form “EPSRC/MVCE Studentship Green Radio” in the space for funding organisation and highlight the project you wish to apply for, in order of preference, in the section additional supporting information. Applications submitted without an up to date CV and suitable referees will not be considered.

Application closing date: Friday 17 April 2009

UK: PhD Studentships in Sensor Networks...

PhD Studentships in Sensor Networks for Surveillance and Monitoring Applications : UK

Department of Aerospace, Power and Sensors
Fully Funded PHD Studentship
Sensor networks for surveillance and monitoring applications

As part of our collaborative research work with SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems Limited, we wish to recruit a research student for a PhD study on sensor networks for surveillance and monitoring applications. The main objective of the proposed research project is to explore the usage of sensor networks in improving monitoring and surveillance performances, with an emphasis on the provision of actionable user information (e.g. decision support etc.) gathered from integrated multi-modal systems. This requires, first, improving deployment strategies and associated supporting tools for the deployment of static sensor nodes in order to provide optimal coverage/context awareness from the deployed system within the monitored area. Based on decentralized sensing architecture, robust threat identification and sensor node localization algorithms will also be investigated. In addition, efficient data/information fusion from heterogeneous sensors (such as EO/IR visual, acoustic and seismic sensors) will be carried on to improve threat detection, behaviour within it’s operating context. The potential to exploit the distributed tracking capabilities of multi-modal sensor networks will also be assessed during this work. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with our industrial partner and the resulting interactions will provide an exceptionally rich research environment. In addition to simulation validation, this project entails 30% real time experiments to embed proposed algorithms on representative sensor network hardware capabilities.

Entry Requirements: For this research studentship, we are seeking a talented graduate, having (or be expected to obtain) at least an upper second class honours degree (first class honours preferred), MSc or equivalent in electrical engineering or computer science. Good mathematical background and experience of sensor signal processing, distributed/networked systems, Bayesian based inference techniques, data/information fusion and real time systems would be most desirable.

Eligibility: We are looking for a UK national student (or a European resident in the UK for at least three years). The studentship is for three years and provides payment of tuition fees at the UK/EU rate plus a £17,000 per annum (normally tax free) contribution to living expenses.

Applicants should make initial enquiries or send a CV with contact details of two referees to: Dr Aouf n.aouf@cranfield.ac.uk

Start Date: As soon as Possible or by October 2009

UK : Studentships in Optometry and Visual Science

PhD Studentships in Optometry and Visual Science, City University London, UK

Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City University London

The Measurement Techniques in Vision Laboratory at City University London provides a lively research environment with a unique mixture of vision scientists, computer scientists and mathematicians. The laboratory works closely with our clinical partner at the Moorfields Eye Hospital London. Three fully-funded full-time PhD studentships are now available in this laboratory focussing on projects in the following areas:

• Visual disability in glaucoma
• New perimetry tests for glaucoma
• Observer performance in medical imaging

Detail about these specific projects can be found on the lab web pages at: www.staff.city.ac.uk/d.crabb

Results from these PhD research projects are likely to generate considerable interest and will be presented at conferences in the US and Europe, and extensive travel funding for this is available.

The studentship is not restricted to those with a particular background; rather we seek able scientists who can demonstrate real enthusiasm for these exciting projects. A suitable candidate will have a good honours degree or preferably an MSc in any scientific subject, psychology, computing or optometry. Detailed knowledge about vision or eyes will not be required but experience at performing experiments with human subjects would be an advantage, as would be a familiarity with computing and analysing data. The 3-year studentships are open to all EU candidates and are worth £15K per annum (tax free), with all fees for PhD registration paid. (Non EU students would have to subsidise the relevant fees). Opportunities for paid work demonstrating, teaching and administration within the department are available.

Applications (CV, including 2 referees and a statement of interest about the project area you wish to apply for) should be submitted to:

Dr. David Crabb.
Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City University London Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB
T +44 (0)20 7040 0191 email: d.crabb@city.ac.uk

Informal enquires are strongly encouraged.

Deadline for applications: April 10th 2009

PhD Studentships and Bursaries, University of Exeter, UK

School of Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Studentships and Bursaries, University of Exeter, UK

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences is offering 20 full MPhil/PhD studentships available to students beginning programmes in 2009/10.

The awards cover:

• Direct payment of tuition fees (at either the standard UK/EU rate or International rate)
• Research council equivalent maintenance allowance for accommodation and living expenses. In 2008/09 this was £12,940; the 2009/10 allowance will be announced later in the year.

The School will also be offering 15 bursaries available to students beginning programmes in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2009/10. The awards are worth £21,000 over three years. Each student will receive a £7000 a year grant towards the costs of a PhD
for a maximum of three years. Fees are still payable and the recipients are expected to contribute 80 hours per year to teaching, research support or as International Ambassador.

The studentships and bursaries are available in any of the following disciplines offered by our faculty: Arab and Islamic Studies; Archaeology; Classics and Ancient History; History (including specialisms in Maritime, Naval and medical History); Politics (and International Relations, and Middle East Politics); Sociology and Philosophy (including specialisms in the Philosophy of Science/Biology); and Theology

Entry criteria
Studentships and bursaries are awarded on academic merit and are open to applicants from the UK/EU and overseas. Successful students will normally have also applied for Research Council funding or equivalent competitive schemes. To be eligible you must have received an offer from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences for full-time study for MPhil/PhD by 27 March 2009.

The awards will only be made to those applicants who go on to enrol within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Exeter. Awards are payable in instalments on enrolment and continuation is subject to satisfactory annual progression.

To apply
The application process for both the studentships and the bursaries is the same two stage process:

1. You should apply online to the university via the normal university application form. Please make sure your application includes two academic references and a research proposal. Remember you must have received an offer by 27 March 2009 to be eligible so submit your application form as soon as possible.

2. You must also complete the online Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Studentships & Bursaries application form. If you do not complete the form notifying us you wish to be considered or have not received an offer by the 27 March 2009 you will not be considered for these awards.

Deadline: 27 March 2009

Visit www.exeter.ac.uk/huss/postgrad for more information about postgraduate study in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Master Scholarships : University of Manchester, UK

Master Scholarships in International Development Programmes, University of Manchester, UK

Bursaries for MA/MSc International Development Programmes
Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM)
University of Manchester

Two Bursaries are available for applicants to Development Master’s programmes:

• MSc Development Finance
• MSc Globalisation and Development
• MSc Industry, Trade and Development
• MA International Development: Public Policy & Management

Deadline for applications for Master’s Bursaries Friday 29th May 2009.

For further information on the Department’s research interests, studentships and bursaries and the application process please visit:
http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate

For queries relating to our Masters programme contact:

Paul Arrowsmith,
Recruitment & Admissions Administrator
Email: Paul.arrowsmith@manchester.ac.uk

Postgraduate Research Scholarships, School of Environment

Postgraduate Research Scholarships, School of Environment & Development (SED), the University of Manchester, UK

School of Environment and Development Research Scholarship
The School will award two SED Research Scholarships for doctoral candidates starting the academic year beginning September 2009/10. The Scholarship is comprised of a maintenance grant and full payment of tuition fees, and will be awarded for a period of three years. The School invites applications from both home and overseas students for this prestigious Scholarship.

Please note that this scholarship may not be held concurrently with any other University or external scholarship.

The deadline for applications is Friday 27th February 2009.

School of Environment and Development Teaching Bursaries
The School will award a number of Teaching Bursaries in the academic year 2009/10. The Bursary consists of payment of/a contribution towards tuition fees at the rate of the standard SED home rate. Non EU students will be required to pay the difference between the home fee and the full overseas fee. The award holders will be expected to undertake an element of teaching work as a condition of their award.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants for the Scholarships and Teaching Bursaries should hold or be expecting a First Class degree award, and/or a Distinction in a related Masters degree. Applicants who hold a good 2:1 in their first degree will be considered on merit.

Applicants for the Teaching Bursary should include full details of any teaching experience or areas of expertise on their application form.

Applicants to both schemes should apply via the normal postgraduate online application form and include a full research proposal with their application. In the funding section of the PG application form applicants should enter: SED Teaching Bursary.

The deadline for applications is Friday 27th February 2009.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Arrowsmith
Recruitment & Admissions Administrator
School of Environment & Development
Arthur Lewis Building, Rm 2.022
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL

Tel: 0044 161 275 0800
Fax: 0044 161 275 0421
Email: Paul.Arrowsmith@manchester.ac.uk

UK:PhD Studentship and Research Opportunities

PhD Studentship and Research Opportunities in the Biology of Ageing, University of Liverpool, UK

PhD Studentship
We are accepting applications for a PhD studentship available for start in the autumn of 2009. The project focuses on the construction of mouse embryonic stem cell lines (mESC) exhibiting longevity biomarkers, in particular cellular resistance to oxidative stress and to sources of DNA damage thought to play a role in ageing and cancer. This project aims to: 1) employ cutting edge genomic techniques to identify new genes regulating susceptibility to stress in mESC; 2) construct stress resistant mESC lines to serve as models for studying stress response mechanisms that may modulate ageing and offer protection against age-related diseases. The exact directions of the project, however, will be adapted to fit the research interests of the student.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr de Magalhaes (aging@liv.ac.uk). Review of applications begins from mid-January 2009. To apply please visit this page.

Only EU/EEA citizens are eligible to apply and non-UK residents may only be eligible for a partial award.

Other Research Opportunities in the Biology of Ageing
We have other projects available for enthusiastic and ambitious self-funded students and postdocs. Projects can be experimental, computational, or a combination of both and are tailored to the interests of the individual. Prospective students and postdocs are welcome to contact us (aging@liv.ac.uk) to discuss possible common interests and we are happy to support applications for external fellowships.

Integrative Genomics of Ageing Group
The focus of our group is on the biology and genetics of ageing. Our research combines modern bioinformatics and experimental methods, in particular cell and molecular biology, to help decipher the human genome and provide new insights into the genetics of longevity, ageing and other complex traits. Our group is located in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Liverpool in the UK. We have active collaborations with research groups in Europe, Israel, and the USA. Although travelling is not essential, it is therefore possible for members of our group to acquire additional expertise in other labs. More information about our group and projects we are involved in are available online:
http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~aging/

UK : PhD Opportunity on Psychology : University of Birmingham

PhD Opportunity on Psychology, University of Birmingham, School of Psychology, UK

Up to 10 PhD Studentships available for October 2009

The School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham is the 3rd highest ranking department for research in the UK. We seek excellent applicants for up to 10 University and Research Council funded research studentships for students wishing to start a research degree in October. The admissions process runs throughout the academic year, but we particularly encourage applications to be made by 16/03/09.

These studentships are available in any of the areas covered by the School of Psychology’s three
major subject groupings:

(i) Behavioural Neuroscience (neuroimaging, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology, cognitive neurophysiology)

(ii) Developmental, Social and Applied Psychology (developmental psychology, forensic, clinical, social cognition)

(iii) Language, Cognition and Perception. (visual perception, reading, speech and gesture production)

Further details on the research groupings can be found here.

More detailed descriptions of the research interests of our staff can be found here.

The studentships pay the tuition fee and a maintenance allowance currently £12,940 per annum. Home and international students are eligible to be considered for these studentships. Tuition fees for
non-EU overseas applicants will be paid at the home tuition fee rate.

Applications and further details can be obtained from:

Mrs Parveen Chahal, Course Administrator
Telephone: 0121 414 4906
Email: p.k.chahal@bham.ac.uk

UK : PhD Research Studentship in Optimising Pharmaceutical

PhD Research Studentship in Optimising Pharmaceutical Flows For Better Drug Delivery, Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UK

3-year duration. Stipend £11,500 pa (UK/EU), £8,000 pa (non-UK/EU). Tuition fees paid in full. Applications from overseas candidates welcomed.

Understanding the behaviour of airborne particulates is a must for any manufacturer designing systems for the handling and delivery of pharmaceutical powders. The drug component must be controlled, the particles are often difficult to handle and cohesive. Furthermore, the interaction between the gas and the particles is complex. We propose to consider this problem by combining a fundamental understanding of particulate and multiphase flows with state-of-the-art multiphysics computational techniques and experimental systems to produce novel designs for pharmaceutical delivery. A successful member of our group can expect to be a part of a team of experts that works within a framework of international collaboration (UK, USA, India, Israel, France).

Applications are invited for a PhD position expected to commence October 2009.

Informal enquiries should be made to Dr. Ricky Wildman, email r.d.wildman@lboro.ac.uk or Mr. Henk Versteeg h.k.versteeg@lboro.ac.uk, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU, UK, Telephone 01509 227630.

For an application pack and details of admission requirements please contact Ms JR Mason, Research Administrator, email J.R.Mason@lboro.ac.uk

Please quote Ref: RDW111208 on the application form and in any correspondence.

Curriculum vitae will only be accepted if accompanied by a completed University application form. Applicants should be in possession of, or expect to receive, an Upper Second or First Class degree in a physical science or engineering discipline.

The closing date for all applications is 23rd January 2009

UK:PhD Studentship in Cardiovascular Research

2009 / 2010 BHF PhD Studentship in Cardiovascular Research at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

British Heart Foundation 4-year PhD Studentship Programme in Cardiovascular Research Department of Medicine

Opportunity to study at the UK’s highest RAE rated Epidemiology department in conjuction with Europe’s leading genome campus.

Applications are invited for the Autumn 2009 intake for the University of Cambridge 4-year PhD programme in Cardiovascular Research, funded by the British Heart Foundation. This exciting programme is a new initiative to train biological and quantitative scientists in cross-disciplinary cardiovascular research, combining formal training in molecular and cellular biology, physiology of model organisms, human physiology, human genetics, genomics and population health sciences. Students entering the quantitative stream will spend the 1st year on an MPhil course in Epidemiology or Public Health, followed by a 3-year PhD research project.

This programme faculty comprises 29 world-leading researchers from the Institute of Public Health, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and the Schools of Medicine and Biological Sciences, who combine expertise in Population Health and Genomics, Vascular Biology, and Stem Cell and Developmental Biology.

Applicants will require a 2:1 degree or higher in a related quantitative subject. Support includes a stipend (currently £17,442, rising to £18,314 and £19,230 for Years 3-4), PhD registration fees at UK/EU student rate, research expenses and some travel costs. Before applying please check your eligibility under BHF residency requirements.

For further information please contact Professor Martin Bennett at cardiovasc.phd@medschl.cam.ac.uk.

Application details are available at:
www-cardiovascular.medschl.cam.ac.uk/phd

Closing date: 9th January 2009

UK : Research Studentships at Harper Adams University College

Research Studentships in The Use of Composts and Other Recycled Materials in Green Roof Growing Media, Harper Adams University College, UK

The use of green roofs has the potential to reduce both the risk of flooding through run-off attenuation and reduce energy costs of heating and air-conditioning owing to their insulating properties. These features along with additional biodiversity and social benefits have led to a growing awareness of the benefits of green roofs. Green roof growing media need to have specific properties to help plants cope with environmental extremes encountered on roofs. Media are based on a mixture of mineral and organic substrates not all of which are recycled.

A fully recycled medium would be desirable. A three year PhD studentship involving elements of both soil science and plant physiology is available to investigate the properties of recycled green waste in mixture with mineral media as a substrate for green roofs. Further details of the project and facilities are available here.

Successful applicants will normally be expected to hold either a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree in a physical science e.g. Soil Science, Applied Biology, Horticulture/Agriculture or a related subject.

The research student will be expected to acquire generic research skills (e.g. communication, data analysis) by registering for the Harper Adams Postgraduate Certificate in Research Skills (tuition fee included in the studentship).

The studentship is available 1st February 2009 and includes tuition fees, consumables and conference allowance and a maintenance grant of £12,500 in Year 1 rising to £13,000 in Year 2 and then £13,500 in Year 3 dependent on satisfactory progress.

For informal enquiries applicants may contact Dr Martin Hare (mhare@harper-adams.ac.uk)

Applicants should send their Curriculum Vitae with the names and contact details of two referees, together with a covering letter, to Mrs V Slann, Postgraduate Research Administrator, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB (vslann@harper-adams.ac.uk).

The closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 7th January 2009.

It is intended to hold interviews either in person (UK resident applicants) or by video conferencing (overseas applicants) on Wednesday 21st January 2009.

UK : PhD Studentship in Scalable Pico-Hydro Power

PhD Studentship in Scalable Pico-Hydro Power, University of Bristol, UK

Electrical Energy Management Group, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

A fully-funded 3½ year PhD studentship is available in the Electrical Energy Management Group at the University of Bristol for research involving modular and scalable pico-hydro generation (1kW) for grid-tied DC mini-grids. This project provides a unique opportunity to combine state-of-the-art electrical engineering research, development work in remote areas overseas with a well-known charity, and sponsorship by a company that is world leading in design and manufacturing. The work will include power electronics, mechanical design, and a mix of other theoretical and practical work. The PhD candidate will be expected to have an electrical engineering background, and demonstrate a strong interest in mechanical design and development work.

Salary: Up to £18,000pa tax free.

The fully funded PhD studentship is available to any nationality, however if you are not a UK Home student (or EU student who has spent the past three years in the UK), the salary would need to be reduced to cover overseas university fees. When you apply, please indicate whether you are eligible for UK Home funding, or if you have other sources of funds.

The studentship is available now and the closing date for applications is 31 January 2009.

Please either email a cover letter stating your interests and a full CV (including grades) to Dr Bernard Stark (bernard.stark@bristol.ac.uk) or email to arrange an informal discussion.

UK: PhD Studentship in Scientific Computing

Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Scientific Computing, School of Chemical Engineering, University Of Birmingham, UK

With generous sponsorship from the industrial partner, we are recruiting a PhD student for a collaborative research project between the University of Birmingham and sanofi-aventis. A scholarship is available to cover an annual stipend and fees, and it is open to all nationals.

The research student will be enrolled in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham on a three year PhD studentship starting on 1st February 2009 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project will build on a current project concerning the development of multiscale models for powder processing. The focus of the research will be on advancing our current multiscale models to take into account the effect of electrostatics. Consequently, this will enable a numerical evaluation of how electrostatic charge may affect the flow and compaction behaviour of pharmaceutical formulations. The project has direct relevance to the pharmaceutical industry.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in scientific computing. Computer programming skills with Fortran or C is essential, and some experience in discrete element modelling or electrostatics would be an advantage.

Candidates should have a first or upper second class undergraduate degree, or an MSc, in Engineering, Mathematics or Physics. An excellent command in written and spoken English is essential. As the project involves annual meetings at sanofi-aventis R&D sites across the Europe, a willingness to travel abroad is also essential.

For further information please contact Dr Charley Wu on C.Y.WU@bham.ac.uk

Closing date: 31st December 2008

UK: MPhil / PhD Studentships in the History of Medicine

MPhil / PhD Studentships in the History of Medicine, Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine, London, UK

Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London

M.Phil./ Ph.D. Studentships in the History of Medicine, 2009
Roy Porter Memorial Ph.D. Studentship in the History of Medicine, 2009

The Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL invites applications for entry to the Centre’s M.Phil./Ph.D. programme and for 3 years scholarships commencing in September 2009.

The Centre anticipates being able to offer two or three research studentships worth c. £ 20,000 pa plus the payment of “home” fees. In addition, the Roy Porter Memorial Ph.D. Studentship will be offered this
year for an outstanding young scholar. This award commemorates the life and work of the prolific historian, Roy Porter who died in 2002. The award is made available through the generosity of the Wellcome Trust and will be tenable for 3 years from September 2009. In addition to fees at the Home/EU
rate the studentship is valued at c. £ 20,000 per annum.

Students from outside the EU are encouraged to apply but should arrange to discuss the possible impact of “overseas” student fees being charged. Applications to study without a scholarship are also welcome.

Applicants should be registered for, or already hold a Master’s Degree in an appropriate discipline and intend to pursue research to gain a Ph.D. in the field of the History of Medicine.

Informal enquiries may be made until 19 December 2008 to the Centre’s Graduate Tutor, Dr. Helga Satzinger, h.satzinger@ucl.ac.uk

For further information please contact Adam Wilkinson, a.wilkinson@ucl.ac.uk

Please use the Centre’s website for information on our fields of study and members of staff who can act as supervisors: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/histmed/

Information on UCL Graduate School can be found at http://www.grad.ucl.ac.uk/

Applications forms have to be submitted online with the UCL Graduate School at this page.

In addition to the standardised form the application has to contain one A4 page presenting your research proposal plus one A4 page elaborating on what sources you want to use, where you situate your Ph.D. project within the History of Medicine, and the secondary literature on which you base your
approach.

Please print out your complete application and send it by post or as pdf file to:

Adam Wilkinson
Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL
183 Euston Rd.
London NW1 2BE
UK

Email: a.wilkinson@ucl.ac.uk

The application must arrive by 12 January 2009 at the latest. Shortlisted candidates will be informed end of January and invited for an interview in early February. Applicants from abroad will be interviewed by telephone. Students will be notified of the outcome of their application for places
and/or funding within ten days of interview.

PhD Studentship University of Central Lancashire : UK

PhD Studentship in The Impact of Sustainable Technology On Office Building Energy Use, Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), University of Central Lancashire, UK

School of Built and Natural Environment, Reference No RS/08/14

Applications are invited for a full-time studentship available in the School of Built and Natural Environment in the Faculty of Science and Technology. The studentship is tenable for up to 3 years for the MPhil/PhD (subject to satisfactory progress). The studentship will cover the cost of tuition fees at UK/EU rates plus a stipend of £12,940 per annum. International applicants may apply but will be required to pay the difference between UK/EU and international fees. The successful applicant will start on 1st January 2009.

LCA is a tool for assessing sustainability by investigating the environmental impact of a product or service in quantitative way throughout its life cycle. The concept life cycle to be used in this research incorporates an expansion both temporal (from cradle to grave) and spatial compared to the product or services (ISO 14000 series). Initially, the LCA has been used extensively for short life cycle products such as packaging to assess the environmental impact of these products. However, recently its usefulness has been extended and successfully applied to long life products such as those in building materials (Erlandson, 1995; Jonsson, 1995). Existing research on LCA has been applied to assess the impact of eco building materials to the environment (Junnila & Horvard, 2003; Poulsen & Borg, 2000), however less research focus on the use of sustainable technology in buildings and its contribution for reducing energy demand and potential for cost saving in the long term. This is somewhat surprising given that the importance of sustainable technology in reducing environmental burden is undoubtedly well known.

The statistics indicates that in the EU, buildings contribute to over 40% of the total energy use (CIB, 1999). Furthermore the construction sector has been estimated to be responsible for roughly 40% of the overall environmental burden (U.S. DOE 2002, Sjöström 2000, UNEP 1999). This studentship proposal will focus on office buildings as there is some clear evidence that energy reduction attached to office buildings are already appearing. For example, in the UK, some 25% of the new office buildings acquire an environmental assessment and energy certificate (Hasegawa 2002). Similarly, many international companies have stated that the major parts of the environmental impact they generate are connected to the use of office buildings (Swiss Re 2002, Kesko 2002, and Royal & SunAlliance 2001).

Many studies have revealed that proper use of sustainable technology in office buildings such as passive design, heat loss reduction with different thermal admittance (U-Value) materials, day lighting harvesting technology and controls, energy efficient lamps in office; have a strong contribution to make in reducing energy demand, (Kim S.Y., Mistrick. R., 2001). The potential impact of BS products in the office in reducing the environmental burden and to cost saving is often substantial (Rosenblum et al. 2000; BSRIA, 1996). This studentship will use LCA to investigate the impact of Sustainable Technology on office building energy use using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

Applicants should have, or expect to receive, a second class (upper division) honours degree or above (or equivalent qualification) in a related discipline.

Informal queries about the project may be directed to Dr Rusdy Hartungi (+44 1772 893741, or email rhartungi@uclan.ac.uk).

Requests for an application pack (quoting the reference number RS/08/14) should be directed to the Graduate Research Office. Tel +44 (0)1772 895082 or e-mail researchdegrees@uclan.ac.uk

Interviews will be held on 24th November 2008.

Closing Date: Friday 17th November 2008.

Evolutionary Service-Oriented Architecture, PhD Studentship : UK

EPSRC/BAE Systems PhD Studentship in Evolutionary Service-Oriented Architecture, University of Leeds, UK

EPSRC/BAE Systems PhD Studentship: Evolutionary Service-Oriented Architecture

School: Computing, University of Leeds.
Funding Type: EPSRC/BAE Systems.
Award type: Studentship package of maintenance and fees.
Number of Awards: 1.
Entry Requirements: BSc 2(i) level (or equivalent) background in Computer Science, Software Engineering or other relevant discipline.
Supervisor Name: Professor Jie Xu.
Value: £12,940 (Tax Free) per annum maintenance allowance, fees, and an additional £6000 per annum.
Application deadline: 31st December 2008.

Project Description: This studentship will be linked to the NECTISE work on evolutionary architectures and contribute to the understanding of architectural requirements in the pursuit of robust, dependable solutions over the development cycles of distributed systems. The objectives of this studentship are:

• to develop an evolutionary service-oriented model for the provision of dependable and sustainable capability,
• to relate the model to realistic systems for the provision of such capability, and
• to evaluate the performance of this model through mathematical analysis and simulations.

This project will focus on evolutionary methods for managing service development, service discovery and service integration in a critical and dynamic environment. This will include exploring novel architectures that can adapt to changes due to, for example: faults; customer need; technology developments and obsolescence. In this doctoral programme, mathematical and simulation-based evaluations will be used to scrutinize new models of service integration and discovery to deliver dependable capability. Evaluation areas will include optimization of resources, architecture agility, managing dynamic availability and minimizing the impact on affordability.

The studentship is part of the EPSRC/BAE Systems funded research project in system engineering addressing the question: “Are you prepared for NEC (Network Enabled Capability)?” The NECTISE (Network Enabled Capability Through Innovative Systems Engineering) project is a five and half year research endeavour involving the Universities of: Loughborough, Bath, Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Queen’s Belfast, Strathclyde, and York, with a value of around £8.4M. The University of Leeds is one of the four academic leaders for the entire programme, leading research activities on System Architectures and contributing to the development of Through Life System Management. This post will be linked with the Systems Architecture topic group.

This project is appropriate for a software engineering graduate with a strong validation and verification background or a computer science graduate with a strong programming background. The student will join the Distributed Systems and Services research group located within the School of Computing at the University of Leeds (see http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys/).

The project will provide an opportunity for the successful candidate to attend national and international conferences and provides a studentship package of £18000 maintenance and fees. The successful candidate will be also encouraged to contribute towards the publication of work and to define opportunities within the project.

The successful candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria for EPSRC funding through UK/EU nationality and residency status (See http://www.epsrc.ac.uk) and is therefore only open to UK and EU students.

For further details please contact Dr. Duncan Russell (duncanr@comp.leeds.ac.uk). Interested candidates should send a letter of application and a detailed CV with the names and addresses of three referees to:

Dr. Duncan Russell
Senior Research Fellow
Distributed Systems & Services group
School of Computing
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT
Tel: +44 (0) 113 3431707
Email: duncanr@comp.leeds.ac.uk

Applications will be considered up to 31st December 2008. Early applications will be considered immediately.