PhD Studentship: Exploring Media Design for Young People’s Wellbeing through an Internet of Sensations

Award summary

100% fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance £18,622 (2023-24 UKRI rate).

Overview

The wellbeing of children and young people (CYP) is increasingly shaped by their production and consumption of online media, with evidence showing its addictive nature, impacting CYP behaviour and development of healthy lifestyles and skills.

Innovations in tangible and pervasive media open up new embodied experiences online, and CYP may navigate a newly distributed ‘internet of sensations’, with wellbeing implications.

Are you interested in the opportunity to research and design interactive tools for positively shaping CYP wellbeing through embodied interactions with online media?

Newcastle University is recruiting a Full-Time PhD student to explore this topic through Design Research practice in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), in Open Lab, School of Computing. We invite applicants interested in: Tangible Media, Soma Design, Sound Design; Health, Wellbeing, and Care. We encourage a creative, critical approach, and enthusiasm to work at the intersection of the social sciences, media studies, and computing.

This studentship partners with Coram Life Education, supporting CYP through life skills, including health and wellbeing education. Coram provides: access to valuable stakeholder networks, forums, and research populations; and advice on national priorities and needs.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: September 2024

Award duration: 3 years

Sponsor: School of Computing

Supervisors: Prof. Abigail Durrant

Eligibility criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant discipline, and a background in: media studies or human/social sciences – interested to develop design skills; design with interest in the human/social sciences. Excellent analytical and communication skills are essential.  

Home and international applicants (inc. EU) are welcome to apply and if successful will receive a full studentship.   

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.   

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. ' 

How to apply

Use Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

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

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using programme code: 8050F
• Research Area: Computing Science
• Select PhD Computer Science as programme of study 

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

• ‘Personal Statement’ - upload a document/written statement directly into application form
• When prompted - select ‘Write Proposal’. Type the title of the research project from this advert. You don’t need to upload a research proposal.
• Degree transcripts and certificates and, if English is not your first language, a copy of your English language qualification if already completed.
• Studentship code COMP2165 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field.

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section upload:

• your CV

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

Contact details: Abigail Durrant

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