Applications open for QMU PhD Bursary Competition 2016
Applications are invited for QMU’s annual PhD Bursary Competition from today - Monday 1st February 2016.
Research topics must relate to QMU's areas of specialism, and must be built around one of the University’s Research Centres.
Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research
Clinical Audiology, Speech and Language Research Centre
Centre for Applied Social Sciences
Institute for Global Health and Development
Centre for Person-centred Practice Research
Centre for Communication, Cultural and Media Studies
Successful applicants from previous years include Robbie Cramb and Cornelia Heyde.
Robbie Cramb, 28, Edinburgh
BA (Hons) Film and Media
MA Culture and Creative Enterprise
Robbie started his PhD research in September 2015 and is focusing on ‘Cultural policy in the UK games industry: Subsidy, Risk and Cultural Value’, full time over three years.
His research aims to investigate how the UK video games industry has been constructed as a legitimate site of cultural policy and the difficulties the industry face that the government hopes to resolve with the introduction of tax relief.
Commenting on his experience of the QMU PhD Bursary Competition, Robbie said: “I found out about the Competition through my lecturers and the QMU website. I made the decision to apply as it was the most financially viable way to move forward on my desired career path while also enabling me to pursue my research interests.
“I’d been working on my application and proposal for over a year before I was accepted. In fact I applied the year before, but unfortunately I failed to win. By the time I’d made my second application, I’d completed my MA and was more informed and better able to articulate my research goals within my application. Overall, I think my further academic experience and knowledge, a lot of hard work and the countless drafts and redrafts were key factors in aiding my success in the Bursary Competition.
“The PhD Bursary was extremely helpful in ensuring that I was both serious and ready to begin full-time research. It is also essential to many aspiring PhD students as without the bursary provided by the university it would be extremely difficult to undertake the role for the length of time required.
“For those passionate about their field of study, the Bursary is an extremely important aid and an excellent pathway to gaining your doctorate.”
Cornelia Heyde, 32, Berlin, Germany
BA English and Russian Studies (Potsdam University, Germany)
MSc Clinical Linguistics (European Masters programme)
Cornelia started her PhD in October 2012. She initially started her research on a full time basis until April 2015 and is now completing her PhD part time.
Cornelia’s research is at the interface between clinical linguistics and the methodological development of ultrasound tongue imaging for the investigation of speech of different populations. Using ultrasound she investigates how tongues are coordinated on the example of stuttered speech.
Commenting on her experience of the QMU PhD Bursary Competition, Cornelia said: “I found out about the QMU PhD Bursary Competition through a website for linguists called the Linguistlist.
“I was aware that QMU has a strong international reputation for speech science and I was keen to undertake doctoral studies in the UK. I already had an international Masters degree from EMCL (European Master’s in Clinical Linguistics), but I think my practical experience with patients and data handling also stood me in good stead when entering the competition.
“The PhD Bursary allowed me to focus entirely on my research. It gave me the opportunity to attend a number of international conferences across the UK, Germany France and Hong Kong, where I was able to share knowledge and experiences with other linguistics experts and academics. I was also able to have one of my research articles published in the Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics Journal in November 2015.
“I would very much recommend the QMU PhD Bursary Competition to other students who would appreciate a large degree of autonomy and the chance to work with world-leading researchers.”
The closing date for applications is Friday 1st April 2016.
For further information please contact the Graduate School Team, E: graduateschool@qmu.ac.uk
Notes to Editor
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