The School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham has been provisionally awarded funding by the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) for three linked PhD Studentships to start in October 2013. The three studentships are part of the DSTL’s Understanding and Enhancing Cognition and Performance research programme and focus on using recent advances in cognitive neuroscience to explore performance in real and virtual environments. These prestigious studentships last for three years covering all fees, and are expected to include an enhanced tax-free stipend starting at £15,922 per annum. They also include all research and travel costs.

Candidates should have a very good honours degree (at least a high 2:1 or equivalent) in psychology or a closely related discipline. A Masters qualification is not required though it is desirable as the studentships are for three years only and successful applicants will be required to take additional masters level training courses as part of the 3-year PhD if they do not already have an appropriate qualification.

The School of Psychology at Nottingham is a research-led experimental psychology department covering a wide range of research areas reflecting the broad, multi-disciplinary nature of the field. We have a very active group of over 60 postgraduate students in the school as well as a comprehensive range of facilities for psychology and/or neuroscience research. These include multiple scanners (at 1.5, 3 and 7 Tesla) for fMRI, several EEG/ERP systems, an MEG scanner, TMS  and tDCS systems, eye-trackers, a state-of-the-art driving simulator and an instrumented vehicle.

For further details about these PhDs please contact the primary supervisors listed below:

‘Enhancing Mechanisms of Spatial Learning in Real and Simulated Environments’ – Alastair.Smith@nottingham.ac.uk

 ‘The Effect of Parietal tDCS on Adaptation to Different Virtual Environments’ – Roger.Newport@nottingham.ac.uk

 ‘Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to Assess Workload and Inhibitory Control in Real and Simulated Driving Environments’ – Peter.Chapman@nottingham.ac.uk

Applicants need not specify which of the three linked projects they are applying for, but candidates for the third studentship will need to have a full UK driving licence – please include this detail on your application.

Please send applications, including a full c.v., a covering letter and the names of at least two referees to peter.chapman@nottingham.ac.uk directly, via the ‘Apply’ button below.

The closing date for applications is Monday 12^th August.

Interviews will be conducted in the School of Psychology on Friday 23^rd August. The studentships will start at the beginning of October 2013.

Please note that PhD funding will be subject to MODREC (Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committees) approval and successful applicants must be approved by the Ministry of Defence and the University of Nottingham before the studentship can start. Please quote ref. SCI/1298. This studentship will remain open until filled.