PhD Studentship: Consumer Perceptions of Cellular Agriculture

The project: We invite applications for a PhD studentship in the area of consumer psychology and cellular agriculture, hosted by the University of Bristol Business School and delivered in collaboration with CARMA, the EPSRC-funded Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub dedicated to transforming future food production. 

This opportunity is particularly well-suited for applicants with strong foundations in marketing, psychology, neuroscience, neuromarketing, or quantitatively oriented social sciences, and with a demonstrated interest in consumer psychology, cellular agriculture, food innovation, and sustainability transitions.

Led by Dr Jasmina Stevanov and Professor Brian Squire, this studentship focuses on identifying and quantifying the heterogeneous psychological and social factors that shape consumer perceptions and the barriers to adopting this technology, providing insights into the attitudinal, affective, cognitive factors that influence an individual’s willingness to try and consume cultured meat, and to explore interventions that may help narrow the gap between intentions and actual consumption.

This studentship is also embedded within the wider CARMA project (see here) and in particular to work package 5 that focuses on analysing the impact of cellular agriculture on society and on understanding how different groups—including publics, professionals, stakeholders, and policymakers—think about the technology as it exists today and the possible futures it may bring about. The ambition is to contribute to the development of robust, evidence-informed discussions about the future of food.

The doctoral candidate is expected to master a range of methods and techniques to deliver this research, including online and in-person surveys, behavioural experiments, and advanced psychophysiological methods such as eye-tracking and biosignal recording (heart rate, skin conductance, and electroencephalography). Any prior experience with these methods and techniques will be considered an advantage. To support this type of research, the University of Bristol Business School provides access to a world-first Smart Cinema, the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and the MyWorld facility capable of capturing a wide range of psychological and emotional responses from audiences.

The project will be based at the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (see here), a brand new research and teaching facility in the heart of our city. The campus is deliberately multidisciplinary, bringing together a wide range of research expertise including business, digital engineering, computer science and innovation.

How to apply: Stage 1: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) - All prospective applicants must complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form as a preliminary step. The form collects key information on your academic background, methodological skills, and alignment with the project focus. Submitting an EOI is mandatory. Only those who receive a positive response will be invited to proceed to the formal application stage.

Submitting your EOI via the following link: PhD Studentship: Consumer Perceptions of Cellular Agriculture – Fill out form

Stage 2: Formal Application (By Invitation Only) - Once you receive confirmation of supervisory support following Stage 1, you will be invited to submit a formal application via the University of Bristol’s online portal: http://www.bris.ac.uk/pg-howtoapply. Select “Management (PhD)” on the programme selection page.

Candidate requirements: A first-class honours degree (or international equivalent) or a strong upper second-class honours (2:1) in Marketing, Psychology, Neuroscience, Behavioural Science, or another quantitatively oriented social science discipline. A relevant master’s degree (completed or in progress) is desirable, although exceptional bachelor-level candidates may also be considered.

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