Funded PhD Opportunity at University of Edinburgh

A fully funded PhD position is available to work with Dr Susan Lechelt and Professor Melissa Terras in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, on a project titled “Toward A Digital Commons for Supporting Creative Practitioners’ Journeys through the Technology Ecosystem”. The project will be supported by an industry partner; CodeBase.

Project details:
There is a need to better understand what specific support structures are needed to enable creative practitioners to engage and upskill with technology. This PhD research will explore whether and how a “digital commons” can be a promising approach. Information commons are a way of supporting knowledge sharing and digital commons are an instantiation of these: typically online, community-run repositories of shared information and resources. Digital commons are known to support community building, knowledge exchange and education. This research will address whether and how they can also support digital skills and practical, industry-specific skills.

Experience in the fields of human-computer interaction, interaction design or creativity studies, prior experience working with digital tools and methods, and the use of qualitative research methods including thematic analysis will be of benefit to the project. Experience of the creative industries, or an interest in creative practice, would also be beneficial.

Funding details:
The studentship is funded by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) and will provide a tax free stipend of £18,622 PA for 3.5 years, PhD tuition fees and nominal budget to support research and professional development activities. Both Home and International students are eligible for funding.

Applications are due 12th June 2023.
The anticipated start date is 01 October 2023.

Full details of the project and information about how to apply are available here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/informatics/postgraduate/fees/research-scholarships/research-grant-funding/phd-ahrc-sgsah-cda-studentship-toward-digital
Please feel free to e-mail Susan Lechelt at susan.lechelt@ed.ac.uk for informal questions about the opportunity.

Location: Edinburgh City

For further information, please contact susan.lechelt@ed.ac.uk (Susan Lechelt), or visit https://www.ed.ac.uk/informatics/postgraduate/fees/research-scholarships/research-grant-funding/phd-ahrc-sgsah-cda-studentship-toward-digital