*Application Deadline Extended to Friday, 15 April 2022*
The Science Foundation Ireland funded Centre for Research Training in Advanced Networks for Sustainable Societies (ADVANCE CRT) has an open call for PhD applications and a number of these scholarships will be based in Maynooth University.
The ADVANCE CRT is a government funded Centre for Research Training focused on Future Networks and the Internet of Things with applications in sustainable and independent living. ADVANCE is training up to 120 PhD students, recruited in four annual cohorts of 30 students across the five partner universities, beginning with the academic year 2019/20. This is the fourth call for PhD students from ADVANCE. The deadline to apply is Friday, 15 April 2022.
Sociology Project
Professor Aphra Kerr of the Sociology Department at Maynooth University is one of the named supervisors and she is proposing a research project on the topic of ‘From principles to practice: can we design a trustworthy social robot? The aim of this PhD is to understand how organisations and researchers are translating high level trustworthy principles into practice and the technical, social, cultural and economic barriers to doing so. How can we design trustworthy social robots without sacrificing user privacy, human dignity or raising other ethical or societal issues?
See more information on the project in the call booklet available at https://www.advance-crt.ie/apply/ [page 85/6]. For more on Aphra’s research, see here: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-social-sciences/our-people/aphra-kerr .
Students who have a background in Sociology (esp. Science and Technology Studies, Technology & Culture,), Media, Communication, Digital Policy or Digital/Data Ethics, or related social science fields, and who wish to develop their interdisciplinary skills are encouraged to apply.
Funding
Accepted PhD students will receive a stipend of €18,500 (tax free) and a tuition fee contribution of €5,500 per annum for up to 4 years. Additional funding is available to support equipment, materials, training, travel expenses and other costs associated with research.
Application Criteria:
- Students need a 2.1 honours undergraduate degree to apply. A student with an MA qualification or who is currently studying for an MA should also have a 2:1 or be on course to achieve this grade.
- Non-native English speakers are required to hold a valid IELTS certificate demonstrating at least a score of 6.5 overall with a score of not less than 6 in all parts.
- You will need to submit the following through the ADVANCE CRT website~:
- Statement of Motivation (max. 2 pages) addressing the following: why you wish to undertake a PhD with the Advance CRT (with reference to your future career plans), the proposed research topic, and the reasons for selecting the nominated supervisor and project. You should also indicate any experience of interdisciplinary research.
- Your CV (max. 3 pages)
- Transcripts of all your degrees and proof of English language ability
- Any supporting documentation for your application (optional).
All shortlisted applicants will be interviewed.
Candidates are expected to commence in September/October 2022.