DECIPHer: Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health ImpRovement

The Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Centre is a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Its overall aim is:

"to undertake methodologically innovative multidisciplinary research with a focus on the development and evaluation of complex interventions and policies to achieve sustainable improvements in the health and well being of children and young people"

The Centre is collaborative between the Universities of Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea, and has a large number of partnerships with other academic, governmental, NHS and non-governmental organisations. The main DECIPHer website is at www.decipher.uk.net

There are five key scientific programmes, and the Department of Social Medicine will lead on "Multiple risk behaviours in young people and their underlying causes". We will also be involved in the other programmes, particularly "Health promoting schools and other youth settings" and "Environmental determinants of health".

Three studentships are available (2 in Bristol and 1 in Cardiff) on a wide range of topics including your own choice in the fields of: social sciences, dentistry, medicine, law, economics, health information, public health, geography, statistics, qualitative and quantitative health services research, psychology and sociology. The studentships include funding for either three (PhD) or four (Master’s plus PhD) years for a full maintenance grant (part-ESRC funded, part university) of £13,290 per annum and a Research and Training Support Grant. The studentships are open to UK and EU candidates. To be eligible for the full award, EU Nationals must have been in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the course for which they are seeking funding, including for the purposes of full-time education. EU Nationals who do not meet the above residency requirement are eligible for a fees-only award, provided that they have been ordinarily resident in the EU for at least 3 years prior to the start of the course.

Applicants are expected to have gained an undergraduate degree at upper second class honours (2:1) or above.

More information

You must contact Lynnette Thomas, Director of Operations - DECIPHer on +44 (0)29 20874739 or thomaslm7@cardiff.ac.uk in the first instance to discuss your interest.

For further information please visit  www.decipher.uk.net

The closing date for applications is Friday 30th July 2010. Late applications may be considered after this date. Interviews will be conducted in September 2010.