PhD Studentship: The Impact of Digital Decarbonisation on Physical and Mental Health: What Role Does Stress-associated Climate Change Play?

Psychological stress exposure is a risk factor for a range of long-term health conditions. A prominent, real-world and ongoing stressor is climate change, which can impact our physical and mental health and yet remains largely unexplored. As society progresses decarbonization efforts towards net zero, such efforts may also act as an inadvertent stressor for individuals across the digital ecosystem.

The human and environmental benefits of digital technologies (e.g. wearables, social media, voice assistants, etc.) need to be considered against the potential negative impacts (e.g. data security and privacy, data CO2, dark data, etc.) for individuals and the environment. This project is an exciting opportunity to investigate the different stress-related implications of digital decarbonisation and explore the impacts on physical and mental health across a wide-range of individuals. 

You will complete your transdisciplinary research at Loughborough University, which is ranked number one in the world for sport-related subjects (QS World University Rankings). The School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences offers an exciting, interdisciplinary research environment, where research students work alongside expert staff with a diverse range of interests and experience. By studying for a PhD with us, you will be joining a thriving research community of over 200 Doctoral Researchers from across the globe. You will add to world-leading research that is helping to shape the latest advancements across the sport, exercise and health sectors.

Supervisors

Primary supervisor: Dr Nicola Paine

Secondary supervisors: Dr Rebecca Higginson, Professor Lisa Jackson, Professor Ian Hodgkinson

Entry requirements

• Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in one of the following subject areas: Sport and Exercise Sciences, Health Sciences, Public Health, BioEngineering, BioSciences or a physiology-related subject
• Ability to work independently, as part of a wider team and with members of the public 
• Strong communication and excellent inter-personal skills
• Enthusiasm, passion and interest in the topic area
• More entry criteria can be found on the Loughborough University website

Fees and funding

The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £18,622 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

How to apply

All applications should be made online. Under programme name, select SSEHS. Please quote the advertised reference number: SSEHS/NPVC in your application. 

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.

As part of your supporting documents, please submit a 1000-word research proposal describing areas of research that you would like to pursue as part of your PhD programme.

Please detail your rationale (why you think this is an important area to pursue), your research questions, and the design of the potential studies (including your outcomes you’d like to measure and why).

If you wish, you may include a schematic or figure to visualise the design of your study.

Funding Details

3-year studentship providing a tax-free stipend of £18,622 per annum, plus university tuition fees.

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