2 PhD studentships with the SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre I’DGO(Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors) Consortium.

Applications are invited for 2 full-time PhD studentships in the SURFACEInclusive Design Research Centre at the University of Salford. Eachstudentship is attached to research being carried out by the EPSRC-fundedI’DGO Consortium (see www.idgo.ac.uk).

The Consortium, including WISE (Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments)research unit at Oxford Brookes University, and OPENspace - the researchcentre for inclusive access to outdoor environments, at Edinburgh College ofArt / Heriot-Watt University, has won funding for a second phase of researchbeginning January 2007.

I’DGO has a continuing aim to identify effective ways of ensuring theoutdoor environment is designed inclusively, to improve the quality of lifeof older people.As an I’DGO PhD student, you will contribute to the aspects of the I’DGOresearch being carried out by SURFACE - i.e. investigating the implicationsof the design, siting and laying of tactile (blister and corduroy) pavingfor older people.

The research will involve: literature reviews, focus groups with olderpeople, on-site observation of older people using tactile paving, interviewswith older people whilst using tactile paving in local environments, andmeasurement of tactile paving at 54 case study sites.

You will be expected to contribute to the collection of the fieldwork data,analysis of the data, presentation of findings at seminars and conferencesand writing of reports and research papers. The studentship requires dailyattendance at the University and a 35 hour working week on the main project.

As well as contributing to the main research, you will identify an aspect ofresearch for individual study for the purposes of gaining a PhD degree. Thedata for the PhD research will be collected alongside the data for the mainproject. The selected topic for the PhD may be directly related to the mainproject, or more broadly to the discipline of inclusive design. Initialideas on the proposed topic area for a PhD should be submitted with thestudentship application.

Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree or master’s degree. Abuilt environment background (for example planning, landscape, geography,architecture or urban studies) is welcomed but not mandatory. An interest ininclusive design and an aptitude for research are essential.

The studentship is suitable for UK and EU students and provides full tuitionfees and living costs at the standard EPSRC rate (living costs of*£12,300*a year, tax-free). An international studentship may besupported dependingon the quality of the applicant.

The EPSRC guidelines for postgraduate studies are available at: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk

The studentship provides funding for a period of three years, commencingearly 2007. Interested applicants should submit (either by post or email) acurriculum vitae and a one page outline of proposed PhD research to

Professor Marcus Ormerod,
SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre,
The Built and Human Environment Research Institute,
The University of Salford,
4th Floor, Maxwell Building,
Salford, M5 4WT.

Applicants should ensure that they obtain confirmation of receipt of theirapplication.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor Marcus Ormerod,m.ormerod@salford.ac.uk. Further information on SURFACE is available atwww.surface.salford.ac.uk, and on the Research Institute for the Built andHuman Environment at www.buhu.salford.ac.uk

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 2nd February 2007