Time is running out to apply for PhD in Systems Thinking and Sustainability Engineering

Jan. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- Engineers and scientists often focus on technical solutions to sustainability problems. However, unforeseen issues can arise and engineers can sometimes receive negative community reactions to their designs, finding themselves embroiled in conflicts over their technologies.

A systems approach asks engineers, scientists, stakeholders and local communities to work together to look at the bigger picture; explore different perspectives on the sustainability issues being tackled; appreciate the potential interactions between ecological, social, economic and technological aspirations; and collaborate to design new ways forward, with technical fixes being only part of the solution.

The Universities are collaborating on a research programme to see whether a new approach to sustainability engineering – a systems approach – can prevent these kind of problems from arising.

Students will spend their first year in Hull, where they will undertake research training, gain a deeper appreciation of the literature relevant to their research, and further develop their research proposal. They will then spend their second year in Melbourne undertaking fieldwork or an in-depth study on a sustainability issue of their choice, before returning to Hull to finish writing up in their third year.

Applicants wishing to undertake systemic action research projects, quantitative studies, qualitative research and/or purely theoretical explorations are all encouraged to apply. Please see the Hull University Business School guidelines for completing a PhD application:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/hubs/research-degrees/how-to-apply.aspx

The application form is a generic one for all the University of Hull’s PhD programmes, so interested applicants should specify ‘Hull/Melbourne PhD on Systems Thinking and Sustainability Engineering’ in the box asking which programme they are interested in.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Current Scholarships:

There are currently 4 Business School Scholarships:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/student/money/scholarshipsandbursaries/businessschool.aspx

and 7 University Scholarships available:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/student/graduateschool/phdscholarships.aspx