PhD Studentship: A Foresight and Horizon Scanning Approach to Environmental Sustainability in Medical Technologies

Award summary

100% of home tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rates (2026–27). This studentship is open to home fee paying applicants only.

Overview

Interested in shaping a more sustainable future for healthcare? This PhD will explore how environmental sustainability can be embedded in next-generation medical technologies using horizon scanning and foresight methods. The project will investigate how sustainability is currently applied in MedTech and identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities. It will examine how stakeholders across policy, regulation, healthcare, and industry balance environmental, clinical, and economic priorities in innovation and adoption decisions.

Through horizon scanning, evidence synthesis, and empirical research, the student will develop frameworks, methods, or tools to support anticipatory sustainability assessment and future-oriented decision-making in MedTech.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 21^st September 2026

Award duration: 3 year full-time

Sponsor: Newcastle University

Supervisors:

Dr Katie Thomson, Newcastle University

Professor Gill Norman, Newcastle University

Professor Dawn Craig, Newcastle University

Eligibility criteria:

Applicants should have (expect to achieve) at least a 2:1 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject, such as health sciences, biomedical engineering, or related discipline.

You should have strong research skills (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) and an interest in sustainability, healthcare systems, and innovation processes, alongside an interest in horizon scanning and foresight.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in each sub-skill).

How to apply:

To apply for a studentship, you must register and apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:

• You can search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8370F (for example)
• Please leave the ‘Research Area' field blank
• Select ‘PhD Population Health Sciences (FT)' as the programme of study

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form. The personal statement must state the title of the studentship, quote reference code PH067 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project 
• The studentship code PH067 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field
• When prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert - you do not need to upload a research proposal.

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section please upload:

• Your CV

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application.

Contact details:

For further details, please contact:

Dr. Katie Thomson
Email: katie.thomson@newcastle.ac.uk

or

Dr. Gill Norman
Email: gill.norman@newcastle.ac.uk

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