The Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, is offering two 3-year fully funded PhD studentships to be supervised by Professor Vincent Reid, Dr. Kirsty Dunn and Dr. Michelle To.
The projects are part of the Mobile Technology for Infant Social-Cognitive Neuroscience (MOTION) Interdisciplinary Training Network for Innovative Infancy Research, a European Commission ITN project exploring infants’ and toddlers’ actions, gaze direction, and brain activity as they actively explore the world around them. ITNs are international collaborative research and training networks involving several University and private sector partners.
Lancaster University is particularly responsible for developing the following projects:
(1) Effects of eye gaze on neural responses in naturalistic settings: This project will concentrate on EEG and fNIRS data to facilitate our understanding of links between lab results and effects found in real world situations for social engagement. Specifically, we will assess how infants detect eye contact and gaze cues to locations in space. Aspects of visual development, such as peripheral vision will be explored in this context.
(2) Interactive brains in uncontrolled environments: This project will use linked EEG and eye-tracking systems to investigate the processing of social stimuli via naturalistic means. We will aim to synchronise the measurement of eye-gaze and neural activity between caregiver and infant in order to investigate the nature of infant engagement across multiple aspects of social-cognitive development.
You will be based at Lancaster University, as part of your training you will have the opportunity to spend several months at one or two of the other network partners.
You will have Masters-level training in Psychology, Cognitive Science, or Cognitive Neuroscience. As the empirical component of the project involves working with children and/or infants, you should have prior experience of working in child development context, or a demonstrable interest in developing such skills. Because the projects involve working with minors, you will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS; police) check prior to their appointment.
Important mobility constraints apply: You cannot have resided in the UK for more than 12 months in the past 36 months. The position must be taken up no later than 1 October 2018.
Applications should be submitted through
lancaster.ac.uk/psychology/study/phd, clearly stating that they are to be considered for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD positions. The initial closing date for the positions will be June 20th, but applications will continue to be considered until suitable candidates have been appointed.
Informal enquiries can be sent to v.reid@lancaster.ac.uk or k.dunn@lancaster.ac.uk or m.to@lancaster.ac.uk
Procedural enquiries concerning application to the Department of Psychology PhD programme should be directed to Clare Race postgraduate.psychology@lancaster.ac.uk.
