Fully funded 3 year PhD studentship
School of Psychology, Bangor University
PhD in the Neuroscience of Human-Robot Interaction
Prof. Emily S. Cross
Applications are invited for a three-year fully funded PhD studentship under the supervision of Prof. Emily S. Cross within the School of Psychology, Bangor University. The student will be a member of the School's thriving Social Neuroscience research group, which meets regularly to present and discuss planned and on-going projects as well as important developments in the field. The studentship will commence from October 2017 (though maybe possible to start sooner). This studentship is funded by the European Research Council and are part of the ERC Starting Grant ‘Social Robots', awarded to Prof. Cross, which runs between 2016 -2021.
Bangor's School of Psychology was established in 1963 and now has one of the largest student cohorts in the UK and a cosmopolitan feel due to the presence of staff and students from over 20 countries. It has consistently performed exceptionally well in the UK's annual National Student Survey and is currently ranked in the top 20 in the 2014 REF. Bangor is a friendly and affordable university town, with good transport links, located in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, situated between the picturesque peaks and valleys of Snowdonia National Park and the golden beaches of the Isle of Anglesey.
Project
The broad aim of the ‘Social Robots' project is to explore the brain and behavioural mechanisms underpinning experience-dependent plasticity during human-robot interactions. The advertised PhD project may involve fMRI, TMS, EMG or fNIRS with healthy young adult, older adult, or child populations, as well as longitudinal training interventions with sophisticated humanoid robots. The individual PhD project is flexible depending on candidates' interest and expertise, but should broadly relate to how long-term experience with artificial agents shapes social perception and interaction.
Requirements
Applicants are expected to have a first or upper second-class degree in experimental psychology or neuroscience and a relevant Masters qualification (if European-based), and/or a strong GPA from a 4 year undergraduate degree with some research experience (if North American/Australasian-based). Applicants should have excellent organizational skills, be highly motivated and creative, enjoy working in a vibrant collaborative research environment, and be able to communicate effectively, with evidence of strong scientific writing skills particularly important. Moreover, experience with human neuroscience techniques (fMRI, TMS, EEG) and programming skills (e.g. Matlab) are desirable, especially if interested in pursuing fMRI-based studies during the PhD.
Further information
Please visit the Social Brain in Action Laboratory website (www.soba-lab.com) for more information about the lab, as well as links to publications. More specific information about the Social Robots project can be found at www.so-bots.com. Informal enquiries should be directed to e.cross@bangor.ac.uk
Residency requirements
This studentship is open to UK, EU and International students. Interested students from outside the EU should contact Prof. Cross to discuss conditions for funding of International students.
General information
PhD students are expected to contribute to teaching in the department. The initial appointment for the position will be for a period of one year, with an extension of 2 years after positive evaluation of capabilities and compatibility. The appointment must lead to the completion of a PhD thesis.
General enquiries
For administrative advice about how to apply and eligibility, please contact Everil on e.mcquarrie@bangor.ac.uk
The online application form is available here: https://apps.bangor.ac.uk/applicant