Two 4-year PhD studentships in ERC project: Serendipity in Research and Innovation at SPRU (2018)

What you get

• a tax-free stipend matching the UK's Research Councils rate (around £15,000 annually) but for four years
• tuition fee waiver
• all additional research- and training-related costs for four years (such as conferences, workshops, fieldwork, equipment).

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

The department

Established in 1966, SPRU is the longest-running science-policy department in the world.

With more than 65 faculty, SPRU is one of the largest and most diverse science-policy departments in the world, with a track record of mentoring researchers from different backgrounds and expertise, training them to produce research that is mixed-method and interdisciplinary, relevant not only for theory but also for policy and practitioners.

The project

The Serendipity in Research and Innovation, SIRI, project will investigate the role, management and impact of serendipity on research performance, focusing on the desirability and feasibility of targeting research.

Read a preliminary research agenda.

SIRI will be led by Dr Ohid Yaqub for five years, with a team of two research fellows and two PhD students for two years. If you are the successful PhD candidate, you'll be expected to start in early September 2018.

Possible PhD topic 1: Research for diseases of the rich and research for diseases of the poor

Neglected diseases primarily afflict poor people. Since they do not command strong market incentives and have a low social profile in industrialised countries, they are assumed to suffer from under-investment in R&D.

However, in recent times there has been increased R&D into neglected diseases.

You would seek to elucidate the extent to which progress against neglected diseases can be traced back to R&D that was targeted specifically to neglected diseases.

You would explore research in both rich and poor contexts, and investigate any cross-overs and spill-overs. You are free to suggest variations on the above (see recent report for ideas).

If you are interested in this topic, you will be supervised by Dr Ohid Yaqub, Dr Ismael Rafols, and Professor Joanna Chataway.

Possible PhD topic 2: The role of serendipity in defence-related research and development

Within defence-related R&D, it is possible to observe a spectrum of 'targeted-ness' from research responding to perceptions of general threats to the state, to research responding to specific changes in battlefield experiences.

An example of broad targeting might include Project BioShield in the US following the anthrax letter campaign in 2001 and 9/11.

An example of specific targeting might include advances in complex trauma surgery techniques and prosthetics in the wake of increased use of improvised explosive devices.

You would investigate the defence sector along this continuum of targeted research through a series of case studies, which may be historical or contemporary. You are free to suggest variations on the above (for example, with their own cases).

If you're interested in this topic, you will be supervised by Dr Ohid Yaqub, Dr Ismael Rafols, and Dr Caitriona McLeish.

Possible PhD topic 3: Candidate's own interest (within SIRI project's remit)

Applications from those who have developed their own related research interests are highly desirable.

If we invite you to an interview, you will be expected to discuss how your topic and approach fall within the boundaries of the SIRI project's relevance.

Eligibility

Essential requirements

A good Bachelor's degree.

• Applications from the natural sciences and humanities, as well the social sciences are welcome.

A good Master's degree.

• Exceptions can be made if you can show evidence of some of the desirable skills below.

Willingness to attend selected modules from SPRU's MSc portfolio, if necessary.

Fluency in oral and written English.

Sympathy for mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. If you are strong on one, you should have interest and motivation to learn and use the other.

Desirable skills

Data discovery and collection

• database management, especially experience of linking together datasets
• text-mining techniques, such as web-scraping.

Data processing and analytical skills

• experience with programming languages (such as SQL, Python or R).
• experience with bibliometric or patent databases
• network analysis

Data visualisation

• Network visualisation and geographic mapping

Experience with historical/archive material.

Deadline

15 March 2018 0:00

How to apply

Send an email to o.yaqub@sussex.ac.uk by 15 March 2018 with:

• a CV
• a letter of motivation (a few paragraphs)
• a research proposal (a few pages)
• a previous writing sample (on any topic).

If you are shortlisted, you may be asked for a reference.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified people, regardless of ethnicity, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and working patterns.

Contact us

o.yaqub@sussex.ac.uk

Timetable

Enquiries and applications to: o.yaqub@sussex.ac.uk by 15^th March 2018. Anticipated interview period: 26^th- 30^th March 2018. Expected offers, conditional on departmental clearance: 2^nd April 2018.