Doctoral Studentship, Northumbria University

Information for Applicants

The successful candidate will join the IMI (Information Management Innovation) Research Group within the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Science. IMI has a track record as a leader in innovative international research programmes which have linked information risks and opportunities with wider societal concerns across disciplines. Its work and outputs have impacted on academia, professional practice and society more widely. IMI's current focus is in three distinctive yet related research areas:

  • Information & Records Management – people, processes, systems and governance
  • Information Behaviour – information users, use and sharing, trust in the digital
  • Information Modelling – workflow and sociotechnical design; business intelligence

An emerging interdisciplinary theme is the use and potential of digital technologies in the cultural/heritage context, including, for example, social media, text mining, visualization, and the reality and value of digital heritage objects.

Outline research proposals are sought from current postgraduates and those with professional experience on any aspect of these themes or related areas of information, users and systems in the digital arts, design, culture and heritage contexts, are of interest. This studentship seeks to link the concerns of the cultural heritage sector with the information management and innovation research agenda.

Students become part of the IMI Research Group comprising academic staff and a large group of full/part-time PhD and Professional Doctorate students. They benefit from the University's generic research support as well as specialist research skills training delivered by the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences. They will be part of the research community of Northumbria University and the University of Sunderland, our Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Block Grant partners and will also be encouraged to network nationally and internationally.

The application form D5 should include an outline proposal. This will provide your reasons for undertaking the proposed doctoral research and may include the following sub-headings:

  • Key issues, areas and questions of your research
  • How your proposed work relates to your previous experience and career aims
  • Methods and critical approaches
  • Timescales and structure
  • A consideration of your resource requirements (including subject specific training, travel, technical workshop, archival, library or other)

Applications

Applicants who have already started a doctoral research project and those wishing to check their eligibility with regards to nationality, residency etc. should refer to the AHRC Guide to Student Funding. (PDF)

Applications must be made on Application Form D5 and emailed to ahrcbgp@northumbria.ac.uk by 12 noon, Friday 9 March 2012. Applications received after this date and time will be kept on file as reserves. If you wish to apply for more than one of the opportunities advertised on this website, please submit each relevant form. Northumbria and Sunderland Universities will take an overview of all applications received for these joint AHRC Block Grant Partnership studentships, when shortlisting. Interviews will be held during the week beginning 26 March 2012. Applicants are expected to attend interview in person.

How your proposal will be assessed

We will look to support high quality applications from well-prepared applicants. We will take into account your previous academic performance and/or professional experience in Fine Art or cognate disciplines and we will consider our capacity to match your proposed project with a suitable supervisory group.

Your outline proposal should be clear and coherent, evidencing intellectual or professional objectives; the potential to contribute to knowledge; how your research/professional goals fit with our programme, research training provision and strategic priorities.

Enquiries

Prospective students can informally discuss research proposals in advance of application with: Professor Julie McLeod (IMI Research Group, School of Computing, Engineering & Information Sciences, Tel: 0191 227 3764, email julie.mcleod@northumbria.ac.uk

Information about the IMI Research Group

The IMI Research Group staff (Prof McLeod, Prof Wainwright, Dr Alison Pickard, Dr Honglei Lei, Dr Petia Sice, Sue Childs, Elizabeth Lomas) bring research expertise in digital information systems management and user dimensions. First, they research important information and records management and information modelling issues viz. around capturing, managing, migrating, preserving and providing access to the digital memory (the 'infinite archive') in the arts/design disciplines. Without research and proactive intervention there is a significant risk of loss of cultural heritage and the archive for future research. For example: how will individuals, organizations and cultural heritage bodies maintain and preserve the history they contain? What are the forms of knowledge and the nature of the art/design memory in the digital world? What are the information behaviours of users in the arts/design context, how are objects shared for information and knowledge, how are communities engaged?

We examine complex issues arising from the interactions between people, information, organizations and technology. Our aim is to inform the development of theory, policy, good practice and information governance for the benefit of a range of audiences e.g. information users, practitioners/professionals, academics and organizational communities. Our work and outputs have impacted on academia, professional practice and society more widely. We have attracted significant grants from funding councils, such as the AHRC and EPSRC, and from JISC, Eduserv, the MLA, the National Lottery Heritage Fund/British Library and a wide range of health organizations (e.g. NHS trusts and charities). Recent projects include:

We have an innovative, creative and critical approach to research with strengths in participative and cooperative research using mixed methods including ethnographies, Delphi studies, action research, case studies, community consultations, surveys, systematic literature reviews, modelling, design science and historical research.