Dr Holmboe’s research focuses on the development of executive functions during infancy and early childhood. Executive functions (EFs) are a set of cognitive abilities that allow us to guide our behaviour and make adaptive decisions in everyday life. They provide us with the ability to control our thoughts and actions, solve problems, and multi-task. Without EFs we would be largely controlled by immediate circumstances and habitual responses.
EFs are particularly challenged in young children, who struggle to maintain and manipulate information in working memory, inhibit strong response tendencies and shift between different perspectives and actions. They are also compromised in children with developmental disorders and those with academic and social difficulties. Between 3 and 5 years of age EF skills improve rapidly. However, relatively little is known about EFs before this age.
To address this issue, Dr Holmboe is running a large-scale longitudinal project (following the same children over time) aimed at investigating the earliest development of executive functioning across infancy and toddlerhood (200 children to be assessed at 10, 16, 24 and 30 months of age). The study’s task battery includes a combination of eye-tracking tasks, touchscreen games and object play, alongside neuroimaging and physiological measures. There is scope for several different PhD projects within this large-scale study. Projects can focus on specific cognitive domains, such as inhibitory control or working memory, or on the neural substrate underlying these skills. There is also the potential to investigate associations between infant EF abilities and later outcomes.
MSc by Research (MScR) is a 1-year research degree that provides an intensive lab-based training and a preparation for PhD study. You will carry out your studies as part of your research group – like a PhD student does. Towards the end of the year, you write up a thesis on your research and are examined on this. This degree suits students wanting to gain maximum research experience in preparation for PhD applications.
We are keen to recruit a diverse range of students and to ensure our research is open to all. We particularly welcome applications from groups traditionally under-represented in life sciences research. Please check the University webpages for the current tuition fee information. Most MScR projects also require a bench fee. This varies depending on the research and your project supervisor can tell you the bench fee for the project.
Please get in touch with Dr Holmboe ([Email Address Removed]) if you are interested in doing a PhD on early EF development and would like to discuss potential projects.
How to Apply
You should apply to the Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences selecting the programme Psychology MSc by Research.
Please ensure you upload all supporting documents as per the admissions statement (which applies to both PhD and MScR programmes): PhD Psychology | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
Clearly indicate the supervisor's name and project title in the relevant section of the application form.
The system will not allow you to submit your application without uploading a document to the research statement section. Where this is an optional requirement, please upload a blank Word document which is headed “No research statement required”.
Applications are accepted all year round. However, the preferred entry points for study are September / January / April / July.
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