Including community re-use and repair groups in circular economy digitalisation.
- Application deadline: 15 December, 2024
- Fully-funded 3.5 year PhD, based at the CAM-DTP (University of Cambridge/Anglia Ruskin University), sitting in the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University.
The PhD’s focus:
🔧 Community re-use and repair groups (e.g. informal freecycling groups, pop-up repair or re-use events) help citizens to extend the lifetimes of their products, fostering an inclusive ‘circular economy’ by slowing cycles of consumption, and therefore reducing emissions and waste.
📲 New digital tools introduced by policymakers, such as Digital Product Passports, are designed primarily for businesses. Policy documents suggest that due to their informal or non-profit status, community re-use and repair groups will be excluded from full circular economy data. Their needs have been overlooked in research and policy on emerging circular economy tech – including platforms, and AI.
🤝🏼 The PhD project seeks to address this gap, e.g. by undertaking participatory research with re-use and repair groups to bring their unique needs and novel insights into design and policy.
Additional headlines:
- To be based at ARU’s Global Sustainability Institute (Cambridge campus), which has an international reputation for interdisciplinary, action-focussed Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) research for sustainable societies.
- Part of a wider cohort of Social Science PhDs across the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University, with access to training across institutions.
- Open to applicants from a wide range of disciplinary/professional backgrounds (including but not limited to colleagues in sustainability, transitions / transformations, participatory / critical design, HCI, STS, media / comms).
- 3.5 year tax-free annual stipend at the UKRI rate of £19,237, plus fees paid for UK-based applicants. Those applying from elsewhere will need to secure additional funding to cover fees (further info. available).
- Can be taken up full-time (3.5 yr) or part-time over a longer period. Emphasis on widening participation: applicants can flag up relevant considerations (e.g. caring responsibilities, or health needs).
- Candidates are supported to undertake a 3-month Innovation Fellowship as part of the studentship.
- More information at: https://www.aru.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research/cam-doctoral-training-partnership-phd-studentships
For further information:
- This PhD Scholarship will be supervised by Lara Houston and Chris Foulds. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact us on lara.houston@aru.ac.uk and chris.foulds@aru.ac.uk for an informal chat.
- We will also be holding a MS Teams online drop-in session on Monday November 4, at 12-1pm UK time; please email us to register for this. We will have guidance documents available to help you put your application together.