UK : PhD Studentships Global Environmental Change and Earth Observation

University of Southampton - School of Geography

Title: Mapping environmental variables and disease (fully funded)

Supervisor: Professor Pete Atkinson & Prof. Sue Welburn (University of Edinburgh)

Funding Source: Fully funded by the University of Edinburgh and School of Geography, University of Southampton

Closing date: 30 June 2010

Eligibility: All are eligible but International students would need to find the difference between home and overseas fees for the full three years.

The University of Edinburgh and the University of Southampton have funding to support 'Community based interventions against Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria'.

The project offers a unique opportunity to link disease establishment and the ecology of species invasion, providing a framework that may be applied to the study of other vector-borne diseases as regards our understanding of disease establishment and the spatial dynamics of animal and human trypanosomiasis. Environmental conditions in the study sites will be characterised with particular reference to disease challenge.

The student will investigate the environmental gradient from the surrounding lowlands up onto the plateau and provide an objective basis for extrapolating to other regions with similar environmental characteristics, where similar epidemiological conditions are likely to prevail. The student will compile the most detailed and recent information available relating to the distribution of human, livestock and wildlife populations, vegetation patterns, intensity of land use, climatic conditions and location of protected areas. The predictive disease risk mapping capability this will provide will facilitate the assessment and recommendation of appropriate disease control measures at later stages of the project.

High resolution remotely sensed data will be used to map seasonal land-use and land-cover patterns, and vegetation indices such as the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI, an index of vegetation health and abundance will be used to classify areas for tsetse habitat suitability, linking with the tsetse surveys, above). By quantifying the spatial and temporal effects of these ecological drivers, more effective evidence-based control approaches may be identified, leading to targeted approaches to disease control in the resource poor settings in which the disease exists. The interplay between the parasite population and the natural environment described and quantified here may form a basis for better control of other vector-borne infections.

Candidates must have or expect to gain a first or strong upper second class degree, in Geography, or an appropriate related subject. A recognised MSc would be an advantage but is not essential.

Details on how to apply are available from the Graduate School Administrator, School of Geography University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Telephone 023 8059 2216, fax 023 8059 3295, email J.A.Drewitt@soton.ac.uk. Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Pete Atkinson (email P.M.Atkinson@soton.ac.uk).

For the latest information on funding opportunities, please visit the Geography website at http://www.geog.soton.ac.uk/.

UK : Seven PhD Bursaries University of Bath - School Of Management

Value up to £13,200 each

To help support the University of Bath's continuing development of its postgraduate research environment and to provide doctoral training for outstanding individuals seeking to pursue professional academic careers, the School of Management is offering seven 3-year bursaries against tuition fees, each with an annual value of either £4,400 (total over 3 years, £13,200) or £2,200 (total over 3 years, £6,600).

Bursaries are for an autumn 2010 start and are open to international, EU and UK candidates who have both (i) exceptional academic qualifications and (ii) a strong commitment to acquiring a professional doctoral training to be management academics.

Research interests in any field of management will be considered, from exceptional candidates from anywhere in the world, and from any prior disciplinary background.

Applications are welcomed from outstanding graduates who must:

1. Have, or expect to receive by September 2010, exceptionally good academic qualifications (evidenced by either high GRE or GMAT scores, or high GPAs, or high degree classifications, or similar).
2. Are fluent in English.
3. Are strongly committed to, and potentially capable of, high-quality academic research in any of the Subject Groups of the School.

Suitably qualified candidates should apply directly online https://secure.bath.ac.uk/prospectus/cgi-bin/applications.pl attaching as additional documents ALL the following:

1. A single document containing the following and in this order:-

a) A statement up to 200 words of why candidates think they should be awarded a bursary.

b) The names of at least two, but preferably three, School of Management faculty members that applicants think might be appropriate doctoral supervisors for their research interests.

c) A statement up to 200 words of which Subject Group of the School applicants wish to make a research contribution and why they think they will succeed in making such a contribution.

d) An additional statement up to 200 words of why the applicant wants to become a professional management scholar.

2. An original preliminary research proposal written by applicants themselves.

3. A full academic CV, including all schools, colleges and universities attended, along with all grades and other verifiable evidence of academic ability and achievement, plus any working experience, plus the full contact details of at least two academic referees who will be prepared to give references at possibly short notice, and a statement of willingness to be interviewed if short-listed, and proof of English fluency (for non-native English speakers only).

Applications that do not supply all of the above items in full of the three numbered points above will NOT be considered, so do please be sure to send ALL the items requested.

Closing date for applications: Applications will be processed as they arrive, so early application is encouraged. To speed consideration of your application, please ensure that you supply all the above documents.

All applicants are advised to view the School's webpages: http://www.bath.ac.uk/management/

Applicants must be seeking to earn a PhD on a full-time basis. Annual continuation of bursaries will depend on satisfactory academic performance by holders.

For any queries please contact: Research Office, School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom. Email: pgradmin@management.bath.ac.uk Tel: 44 (0) 1225 386714/386162.