Fully Funded PhD/MSc Studentship - Regulation and Public Attitudes Towards Genetics and Genomics
Date Released: 15 June 2005This studentship will explore the relationships between public attitudes and regulatory developments in genomics. Full details of studentship.
A PhD studentship is available at the ESRC Centre for Genomics and Society (Egenis) in collaboration with the Department of Politics at Exeter University. The studentship will provide additional Masters Degree funding, if necessary, but a candidate who already has an ESRC-recognised Masters Degree can apply for the three-year PhD studentship. The studentship covers all fees and payment of a standard ESRC maintenance grant for UK residents (currently £12,000 per annum). The studentship will also cover research expenses of approximately £750 per year.
The student will explore the relationships between public attitudes and regulatory developments in genomic technologies (such as GM food and pre-natal testing). They will also look at how the relationships between public attitudes and regulatory development are influenced by the media. The methods will be primarily quantitative and will make use of existing datasets (such as Eurobarometer, the British Social Attitudes survey and the ESRC Genomics Survey). New datasets will be created on media coverage and on regulatory structures. Where appropriate, interviews with policy makers will also be conducted.
We are seeking to recruit a student who has, or expects to obtain, a good undergraduate or Masters Degree and who wishes to pursue research in the social sciences. The student should have interests in regulation, new technologies, and public attitudes towards these technologies. The student will be part of a lively interdisciplinary research centre which currently has 14 members of staff and 13 postgraduate students all working on social issues arising from genomics.
The student will contribute to the understanding of the relationship between public attitudes and regulatory developments in new technological fields. They will produce policy-relevant findings on the regulation of technologies that give rise to public concern. This interdisciplinary research will enable them to contribute to various disciplines including political science, the study of public attitudes, and the emerging field of social studies of genomics.
The student will be based at the University of Exeter, but they will also be affiliated with the ESRC Genomics Survey at the University of Surrey, where they will be able to benefit from this group’s experience in analysis of data on public attitudes. In Exeter, the student will be a member of both Egenis and the Politics Department, being able to draw on the expertise in the social implications of genomics in the former and on the expertise in regulation and public policy in the latter. The supervisors are Dr Oliver James (Senior Lecturer in Politics) and Dr Jane Calvert (Research Fellow in Egenis). Supervisory assistance will be provided by Richard Shepherd (Professor of Psychology, University of Surrey), the head of the ESRC Genomics Survey.
Candidates for awards must have a relevant connection with the United Kingdom as outlined in the ESRC Research Studentships Guidance Notes for Applicants 2005 (http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/index.aspx)(External Link).
Further particulars are available from Cheryl Sutton (c.a.sutton@exeter.ac.uk, phone 01392 262053).
For informal enquiries about the studentship contact Jane Calvert or Oliver James (o.james@exeter.ac.uk).
For more information about Egenis see: www.exeter.ac.uk/egenis(Link)
For information about the politics department see: http://www.shipss.ex.ac.uk/politics/(Link)
For information about the Genomics Survey at Surrey University see: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/SHS/genomics/(link)
To apply
Please send or email:
1) A covering letter stating why you are interested in this particular studentship (maximum 2 pages)
2) A full CV (including the names of two referees)
To: c.a.sutton@exeter.ac.uk (Link)
Or:
Cheryl Sutton
Egenis Office
Amory Building
Rennes Drive
Exeter
Devon
EX4 4RJ, UK
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