Vacancy Details

Description

Environmental Planning: ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership PhD Studentship

 

Closing date: 3rd February 2020 (12:00 hours midday)

 

Key Information

The University of Gloucestershire’s Countryside and Community Research Institute, supported by the ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership for Wales (Wales DTP), invites applications for funded PhD study. These particular studentships, known as ‘collaborative studentships’, involve liaison with a non-academic organisation, often at many key stages of the research programme. They will commence October 2020. The following collaborative studentship is available:

 

In the Environmental Planning Pathway:

Climate change and the meat debate: reframing livestock farming as part of the solution (in collaboration with DEFRA)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Supervisors: Professor Damian Maye and Dr Julie Ingram (Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire)

 

Recent reports (EAT-Lancet 2019; IPCC 2019a/b) highlight the negative impacts of livestock farming on climate change and call for radical changes to how much meat we eat. This has attracted criticism from livestock groups, who argue that ruminant livestock play a key role for biodiversity and carbon sequestration (NFU, 2019). This project aims to examine how livestock producers are responding to climate change narratives about meat/emissions, including solutions that the livestock industry have already adopted. The student will be located within DEFRA’s Agri-Food and Farming Evidence team and the research will inform DEFRA’s research and policy programme linked to climate change.  The PhD will undertake research to address the following questions:

 

A.      How is the climate change and livestock farming debate framed in terms of narratives and solutions?

B.      How are livestock farmers and the industry responding to these framings, including changes to livestock farming practices (low and high technology solutions, incentives, etc.)?

C.      How effective are the solutions suggested and how do farmers / stakeholders evaluate different options?

D.      What are the implications for policy -makers and how can they foster and support effective changes?

 

Applicants are welcomed with a background in a range of social sciences, including: rural studies, human geography, sociology, anthropology and environmental management. These studentships are ‘collaborative’ awards. Applicants should take careful consideration of the working title and description of the project, and may wish to contact the named supervisor for a discussion prior to applying. For more information on the project, please contact Damian Maye – dmaye@glos.ac.uk

 

The successful candidate is expected to start their studentship in October 2020 and will be based in the Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire. Students with a requirement to first undertake the Masters research training prior to starting the PhD will be based in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University initially.

 

Applications are invited from exceptional candidates with a first class or strong upper second class honours degree, or appropriate Master’s degree. Both the University and the ESRC Wales DTP value diversity and equality at all levels and we encourage applications from all sections of the community. We welcome applications for both full and part-time study, and studentships are available as either ‘1+3’ (i.e. one full time year of research training Masters followed by three years of full-time Doctoral study, or the part-time equivalent), or ‘+3’ (i.e. three years of full-time doctoral study or its part-time equivalent), depending on the needs of the applicant.

 

The University of Gloucestershire values diversity and equality at all levels and encourages applications from all sections of the community.

 

Applications welcomed by midday 3rd February 2020.

 

Further details for ESRC Wales DTP Collaborative studentships

 

These studentships are ‘collaborative’ awards. Applicants should take careful consideration of the working title and description of the project, and may wish to contact the named member of staff for a discussion prior to applying.

 

WHAT THE STUDENTSHIP WILL COVER

Studentship Awards commence in October 2020 and will cover your tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (currently £15,009 p.a. for 2019/20 for full-time students, updated each year); this also includes access to an additional Research Training Support Grant (RTSG). There are other opportunities and benefits available to studentship holders, including an overseas fieldwork allowance (if applicable), internship opportunities, overseas institutional visits and other small grants.

 

Applicants should note that as a part of the training programme, they will be required to undertake 20 days work per year on live research projects.

 

ELIGIBILITY

ESRC studentships are highly competitive, candidates should have an excellent academic background in the social sciences, holding a 1st or strong upper 2nd class degree; applications from those also holding a relevant research training Masters degree (or an equivalent background in research training) will be considered for a +3 award. Full awards (fees plus maintenance stipend) are open to UK Nationals and EU students who can satisfy UK residency requirements.

 

1+3 OR +3?

With exception of studentships in the Economics pathway, awards are available on either a 1+3 or +3 basis. A 1+3 studentship provides funding for four years (or part-time equivalent), completing a research training Masters in the 1st year, followed by 3 years research funding for a PhD. A +3 studentship provides funding for the three years PhD research study only (or part-time equivalent).

 

ASSESSMENT

The closing deadline for applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 7th February 2020. Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place in late February/early March 2020. After interview, a final short-list of applicants will be put forward to a Panel convened by the ESRC Wales DTP Management Group at which final decisions with regard to studentship awards will be made. Successful applicants can expect to hear by early April 2020.

 

HOW TO APPLY

A completed application form for admission to doctoral study in the University of Gloucestershire: submitted to Dr. Matthew Reed (mreed@glos.ac.uk) by the deadline of 12 noon on 3rd February 2020. Incomplete applications or applications received after this specified time will not be accepted.

 

The application must contain the following documents:

 

1.      University of Gloucestershire Studentship Application Form:
This form must be completed and all evidence requested in questions to be provided.
Part 2 (Qualifications and Experience) Where appropriate, this should also include proof of English Language Competency (7.0 IELTS minimum).
Part 3 (Referees) All applications require two academic references to be submitted in support. Candidates must approach referees themselves and include the references with their application.
Part 5 (Supporting Statement) must set out your reasons and motivation for applying to study at the University of Gloucestershire, and the Environmental Planning Pathway; your understanding, and expectations of doctoral study; and your academic interests generally, and particularly how these relate to the description of the project supplied.

2.      Curriculum Vitae:
This should be no longer than two pages.

3.      Research Proposal:
For collaborative studentships, the proposal should build directly on the outline description that has been supplied. The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including bibliographic references. We suggest that you use the following five headings in your research proposal:

·          Your reflections on the title, aims and purpose of the research;

·         An overview of some key research literature relevant to the study;

·         Your proposals for developing the design and methods of the study;

·         A description of potential outcomes of the project for understanding, knowledge, policy and practice (as appropriate to the topic);

·         Bibliographic references