Latest Vacancies

As part of our recent 125^th anniversary celebrations, Bangor University launched a five year programme of postgraduate expansion. As part of thisexpansion, Professor Neil Walsh invites applications for a three-year full time PhD Research Studentship in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences commencing September, 2012.

Context

The School is amongst the very best sport related subject departments in Britain.It is internationally renowned for the quality of its research and has some of the world’s leading researchers in Sport and Exercise Science. The School was placed in the top 10 in the UK for Sports Science in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise where 80% of our research activity was judged as international or world-leading. The School is situated in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Menai Straits and less than half an hour’s drive from the
mountains of Snowdonia.

Value

Each holder of a PhD studentship receives an annual maintenance grant of £13,000 (for 2012/13). For the following two years (2013/14; 2014/15) the stipend will reflect Research Councils UK guidance. PhD studentship holders also receive an annual research allowance of up to £1,500 (for approved expenditure). Studentship holders do not pay fees. No additional allowances are payable. Successful studentship applicants will be expected to supply around 100 hours per year of teaching/research assistance focused on a supervisor / research team as part of their development as an academic of the future.

Candidate Requirements

Successful applicants will normally have a First Class Honours Degree or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline, the ability to work independently with support of a supervisor and the enthusiasm to contribute to a stimulating research environment in the Extremes Research Group.

Apply: The application deadline is 21 May 2012.

For more information and details of how to apply, please visit:

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/sshesnw12.php.en

For further postgraduate opportunities at Bangor University please visit: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate.php.en

Individual differences and performance under pressure: disentangling the similarities and differences between reinforcement sensitivity theory and narcissism

Bangor University

As part of our recent 125th anniversary celebrations, Bangor University launched a five year programme of postgraduate expansion. As part of this expansion, Drs. Ross Roberts, Stuart Beattie, Tim Woodman, and Professor Lew Hardy invite applications for a three-year full time PhD Research Studentship in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences commencing September, 2012.

Project Details

This studentship will examine the role of narcissism and reinforcement sensitivity theory in relation to performance under pressure, and will examine some of the mechanisms that explain why these theoretical perspectives can account for individual differences in performing under pressure. The student will have the opportunity to shape the exact direction of the research programme in collaboration with the supervisory team.

Context

The School is amongst the very best sport related subject departments in Britain. It is internationally renowned for the quality of its research and has some of the world's leading researchers in Sport and Exercise Science. The School was placed in the top 10 in the UK for Sports Science in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise where 80% of our research activity was judged as international or world-leading. The School is situated in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Menai Straits and less than half an hour's drive from the mountains of Snowdonia. The School is well resourced for the scientific study of sport, health and exercise with an extensive range of laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment. Our physiology laboratories are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. We are committed to the all round academic and professional development of our research students.

Value

Each holder of a PhD studentship receives an annual maintenance grant of £13,000 (for 2012/13). For the following two years (2013/14; 2014/15) the stipend will reflect Research Councils UK guidance. PhD studentship holders also receive an annual research allowance of up to £1,500 (for approved expenditure). Studentship holders do not pay fees. No additional allowances are payable. Successful studentship applicants will be expected to supply around 100 hours per year of teaching/research assistance focused on a supervisor / research team as part of their development as an academic of the future.

Candidate Requirements

Successful applicants will normally have a First Class Honours Degree or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline, the ability to work independently with support of a supervisor and the enthusiasm to contribute to a stimulating research environment.

Apply

The application deadline is 24 May 2012.

For more information and details of how to apply, please visit:

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/sshesrr12.php.en

For further postgraduate opportunities at Bangor University please visit:

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate.php.en

Bursary - £13,590

PhD studentship / Graduate Teaching Assistantship

Description: Applications are invited for a PhD Scholarship/Graduate Teaching Assistantship to investigate the effects of intensive training, and nutrition, on immune function and infection incidence.

What will the work include: This studentship will involve a series of investigations with the assessment of immune markers in saliva and blood, and clinically relevant infection markers as well as symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) following acute exercise and during intensive training periods. The initial studies will focus on the acute and chronic effects of various types of training and subsequent studies will investigate nutritional countermeasures to reduce exercise-induced immunodepression and infection risk.

Requirements:

Essential

• A good first degree (1^st or 2:1) in Sports Science, Physiology, Human Biology, or another related discipline
• An advanced knowledge and understanding of one or more of the above disciplines
  • A strong grasp of research methods
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

Desirable

• MSc degree in a relevant area
• Experience of laboratory techniques in Exercise Physiology/Exercise Testing
• Experience of analytical techniques commonly used in Exercise Immunology would also be a distinct advantage.

Funding Details:

The Centre for Sports Studies is offering one Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA).  Students engaged as Graduate Teaching Assistants hold a unique position in the University; they are both registered students in receipt of a scholarship award and employees of the University.

The GTA will cover tuition fees at the Home/EU rate plus a combined maintenance grant and salary, equivalent to the maintenance grant offered by the UK Research Councils (£13,590 in 2011-12).

The GTA will be offered for one year in the first instance, renewable for a maximum of three years subject to satisfactory academic performance.

How to apply:

Please apply for this PhD studentship (GTA) via our website at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply/index.html. Please ensure your application includes a 250-500 word plan outlining your ideas on this research topic.

Applicants should also send a CV and covering letter to the address below (please also make sure that you state the topic that you are applying to in the letter):

Nicola Johnson, Centre for Sports Studies, University of Kent at Medway, Medway Building, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4AG.

A hard copy of these can be sent by mail or a scanned copy can be sent to N.S.Johnson@kent.ac.uk

An annual stipend of £15,590 (Research Council recommended rate plus £2000 for London costs), payment of tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and research costs.

Applicants from outside the UK/EU are eligible to apply for the studentship on the understanding that the difference in the cost of tuition fee is payable by the candidate. Current full time UK/EU and International fees are £3,732 and £10,340 respectively.
PhD studentship for a period of three years subject to satisfactory annual review.

In collaboration with ASICS, the global professional footwear and sports equipment manufacturer, the University of East London are inviting applications for a PhD studentship. Based in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience at the UEL Stratford campus, successful applicants will work within established research groups and become members of an active and dynamic academic community.  

This PhD research programme will investigate the impact of sports footwear on biomechanical characteristics of the foot and lower limb with specific focus on the structure and function of the foot. Biomechanical evaluation of shod sporting activities can advance understanding of function and performance and inform pathways to injury. Through application of advanced motion capture technology, this work will develop appropriate measurement protocols for the evaluation of shod foot during functional activities and advance understanding of the impact of sports footwear on biomechanical function.

Requirements
Applicants must have a good honours degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) or an MSc in a discipline relevant to the research project and will have experience of working with people in a sports/exercise context. Applicants must also have good communication skills and a high level of written english, a minimum IELTS Academic English score of 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components is required.

The holder of the studentship will be expected to:

• Complete their doctoral studies and submit their dissertation in a timely fashion
• Prepare papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals
• Participate in and contribute to research activities of the School and activities relevant to their sponsors
• Undertake up to 6 hours of academic support activity per week.

Interviews Week commencing the 25^th June 2012.

Contacts Dr. Stewart Morrison (s.c.morrison@uel.ac.uk); Dr. Mary Cramp (m.c.cramp@uel.ac.uk)

An annual stipend of £15,590 (Research Council recommended rate plus £2000 for London costs), payment of tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and research costs.

Applicants from outside the UK/EU are eligible to apply for the studentship on the understanding that the difference in the cost of tuition fee is payable by the candidate. Current full time UK/EU and International fees are £3,732 and £10,340 respectively.

PhD studentship for a period of three years subject to satisfactory annual review.

In collaboration with ASICS, the global professional footwear and sports equipment manufacturer, the University of East London are inviting applications for a PhD studentship. Based in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience at the UEL Stratford campus, successful applicants will work within established research groups and become members of an active and dynamic academic community.  

This PhD research programme will address a range of questions relating to young people's perceptions of ASICS apparel across a range of social groups and sporting activities. Perceptions of sport identity and competence will be explored based on the connection to ASICS. One of the aims is to identify factors that influence athlete's preference in the choice of sports footwear.

Requirements
Applicants must have a good honours degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) or an MSc in a discipline relevant to the research project and will have experience of working with people in a sports/exercise context. Applicants must also have good communication skills and a high level of written english, a minimum IELTS Academic English score of 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components is required.

The holder of the studentship will be expected to:

• Complete their doctoral studies and submit their dissertation in a timely fashion
• Prepare papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals
• Participate in and contribute to research activities of the School and activities relevant to their sponsors
• Undertake up to 6 hours of academic support activity per week.

Interviews Week commencing the 25^th June 2012.

Contacts Dr. Marcia Wilson (m.wilson@uel.ac.uk); Dr. Mary Cramp (m.c.cramp@uel.ac.uk) 

Bursary - self-funded     1 year full-time/2 years part-time

The Sport, Performance and Exercise Consortium at the University of Abertay Dundee welcomes applications from students to register for a Master of Science by Research in the following areas:

Topic: Altered kinematics and their relationship to individual differences in load carriage economy

Supervisor: Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

Topic: Cross fit – how does it compare to traditional training methods?

Supervisor: Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

Topic: Interpersonal perception in sports coaching; the coach-athlete relationship

Supervisors: Dr Ross Lorimer CPsychol (Ross.Lorimer@abertay.ac.uk)/ Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

Topic: Perceptual regulation of performance during high intensity exercise

Supervisors: Dr Shaun Phillips (S.Phillips@abertay.ac.uk)/ Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

Topic: Health behaviours of young adults during the transition from school to University

Supervisors: Dr Ann-Marie Knowles (A.Knowles@abertay.ac.uk)/ Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

Topic: Adaptations to high intensity interval training for health or performance

Supervisors: Dr John Babraj (J.Babraj@abertay.ac.uk)/ Professor Ray Lloyd (r.lloyd@abertay.ac.uk)

The Sport, Performance and Exercise Consortium also welcomes individual applications in other research areas. Our Master of Science by Research degrees are 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time and are self-funded (MSc fees are £3600).

Please contact the relevant supervisor for further details on how to apply.

Surrey Sports Park is one of Europe’s premier sites for elite sport. A Surrey University owned multi-million pound venue, Surrey Sports Park houses some of the best facilities in the country, attracting its own national and international sporting events bringing world class athletes to Surrey. Due to an increase in strength & conditioning service provision Surrey Sports Park is looking to recruit a number of Strength & Conditioning Interns to support this delivery in a number of areas including, although not restricted to:

• University of Surrey Performance Sports
• Individual athletes including those on the University of Surrey’s High Performance Athlete Support Scheme (HPASS) and/or TASS
• Netball - Surrey Storm (Fiat Netball Superleague and Netball Talent League)
• Basketball - Guildford Heat (British Basketball League)
• Football - Sutton Utd. (currently Conference South)
• Youth S&C - including Reed School and a number of Gifted and Talented athletes from local schools/colleges

In your application, please identify which user group(s) you are interested in working with.

FURTHER DETAILS

Salary:            N/A although contribution towards CPD will be made in addition to in-house training and other incentives

Start date:      July/August 2012

Duration:        9-12 months

Hours: Variable (note that a minimum of 10 hours per week will be required for some positions whereas full-time positions will be available for others). Hours per week to be discussed upon interview but may include working at some weekends, evenings and public holidays

Location:        Surrey Sports Park

Reports to:    Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach

Main Purpose of the Job: To assist with the delivery of strength & conditioning services to athletes and teams at Surrey Sports Park

Qualifications:

• Final year degree or Master student/graduate in Sports Science/S&C or related area

Or

• Relevant certification and experience with evidence of CPD

Knowledge and Experience:

• Some experience of S&C delivery to athletes
• An understanding of sports science and sports medicine and their performance impact
• Up to date and relevant S&C knowledge
• An understanding of recording and monitoring training loads
• Knowledge of Olympic weightlifting techniques is desirable
• Basic IT skills with good knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel

Application and selection process:

Please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter that describes yourself, the user group(s) you wish to work with and your reasons why you would like the role to (email is preferable):

James Wild – Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach   j.wild@surrey.ac.uk

Surrey Sports Park, University of Surrey, Richard Meyjes Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7AD

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 1^st June. Shortlisting will take place as soon as possible following the closing date. You should assume you have been unsuccessful if you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date. Selection for the roles will be decided during the interview process. For an informal discussion or if you have any questions, please contact James Wild on the contact details given above.

 Supervisors:  Dr Carla Meijen and Professor Sam Marcora

 Description:

Applications are invited for a PhD Scholarship/Graduate Teaching Assistantship examining the use of psychological strategies in endurance performance.

Only limited research has focused on the use of psychological skills strategies in endurance performance. The aim of this project is to review the psychological determinants of endurance performance and to examine the effectiveness of a psychological skills intervention on improving endurance performance.

 What will the work include:

Initial work will focus on a systematic literature review of the psychological determinants of endurance performance. Further studies will examine the effectiveness of various psychological strategies on performance. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we are aiming to measure both psychological and physiological responses to psychological skills interventions.

 Requirements: 

• A good first degree (1st or 2:1) and/or Master’s degree (at Merit or Distinction) in Psychology or Sports Science, or another related discipline
• An advanced knowledge and understanding of one or more of the above disciplines
• A strong interest in sport psychology
• A strong grasp of research methods
• Excellent written and oral communication skills 


 Funding Details:

The Centre for Sports Studies is offering one Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA).  Students engaged as Graduate Teaching Assistants hold a unique position in the University; they are both registered students in receipt of a scholarship award and employees of the University.

The GTA will cover tuition fees at the Home/EU rate plus a combined maintenance grant and salary, equivalent to the maintenance grant offered by the UK Research Councils (£13,590 in 2011-12).

The GTA will be offered for one year in the first instance, renewable for a maximum of three years subject to satisfactory academic performance.

How to apply:

Please apply for this PhD studentship (GTA) via our website at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply/index.html. Please ensure your application includes a 250-500 word plan outlining your ideas on this research topic and its title.

Applicants should also send a CV and covering letter to:

Nicola Johnson, 
Centre for Sports Studies, 
University of Kent at Medway, 
Medway Building,
Chatham Maritime, 
Chatham, 
Kent ME4 4AG.

A hard copy of these can be sent by mail or a scanned copy can be sent to N.S.Johnson@kent.ac.uk

The deadline for applications is 1 June 2012

For further enquiries about this project please contact the Sports Studies’ office by email sportsstudies@kent.ac.uk or telephone 01634 888858 or Dr Carla Meijen by e-mail (C.Meijen@kent.ac.uk ) or telephone (01634 888816).      

Using multi-dimensional and personalised physical activity profiles to improve health in ‘at risk’ adults

The primary aim of the project is to determine whether personalised social marketing of physical activity profiles is more effective at increasing physical activity and reducing risk than standard care (in men and women identified as at risk via the NHS Health Check).  To achieve this, the first phase will comprise working with patients to understand what personalised physical activity information they would like, and in what format.

We envisage the successful candidate will initially support this development work and then use this as a basis to build a parallel and complementary programme of research.

The successful candidate should:

1. Fulfil the entrance requirements for a Department for Health MPhil/PhD.
2. Have a strong understanding of physical activity energy expenditure and associated research methods (including statistical methodologies).
3. Have a background and interest in either behaviour change or personalised marketing.

Terms and conditions and details of other Awards can be found on the Graduate School website.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply online http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/how-to-apply/research-programmes/
to study for the MPhil/PhD in Health, and will also need to complete a funding request form http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/how-to-apply/apply-for-research-postgraduate-funding/

In your application, you should outline your motivation for wanting to undertake research and a brief outline of your initial thoughts on the area of research (maximum 500 words). 

Informal enquiries should be addressed to Dr Dylan Thompson (d.thompson@bath.ac.uk)  and further information on this studentship can be found at http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/news/news_0054.html

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 12:00 (noon) (GMT) on 14 June 2012.

The Mi·PACT project is funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative, and is a collaboration between the Universities
of Bath, Teesside and the University of West of England.

Supervisor – Dr Stuart Beattie

Project Details – Examining how and when self-efficacy may exert negative effects upon task engagement, effort and performance

Over the past eight years Dr Stuart Beattie (and colleagues) has been examining potential confounds in the self-confidence/efficacy literature. More recently, his attention has turned to examining the possible negative effects that self-efficacy may have upon performance. This PhD will further develop this line of research by examining under what circumstances self-efficacy can have a negative impact upon motivation and performance and what underlying mechanisms (interactive effects) play a part. This line of research will closely follow recent debates in the self-efficacy literature.

 Candidate Requirements

The successful candidate will normally have a First Class Honours Degree and/or a Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline. The ability to work independently and enthusiastically with the support of a supervisor is essential. Knowledge of multilevel modelling (HLM) and regression techniques would be advantageous but not essential as full training will be provided. The successful candidate will also be expected to work with other PhD students and staff members within the Institute of Psychology of Elite Performance and receive free BASES SE supervision (if applicable).

Applications are accepted from UK/EU and International Scholars (additional fees must be covered by international applicants).

Value and Requirements

The holder of the PhD studentship will receive an annual maintenance grant of £12,000. Home/EU studentship holders do not pay fees. A conference grant of up to £400 per year will also be covered.  Successful studentship applicants will be expected to supply around 100 hours per year of teaching/research assistance focused on a supervisor / research team as part of their development as an academic of the future.

The School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences

The School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences was founded in 1978. The School has excellent facilities and is situated in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Menai Straits and less than half an hour’s drive from the mountains of Snowdonia. The School is amongst the very best sport related subject departments in Britain. It is internationally renowned for the quality of its research and has some of the world’s leading researchers in Sport and Exercise Science. The School was placed in the top 10 in the UK for Sports Science in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise where 80% of our research activity was judged as international or world-leading. The School is well resourced for the scientific study of sport, health and exercise with an extensive range of laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment. We are committed to the all-round academic and professional development of our research students.

Enquiries – Informal enquiries should be directed in the first instance to:

Dr Stuart Beattie
School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences
Bangor University
Bangor, Gwynedd  LL57 2PZ

Tel: +44 (0) 1248 383963
E-mail: s.j.beattie@bangor.ac.uk

For further information about the IPEP Research Group, visit our website at: http://ipep.bangor.ac.uk/

For further information about the School, visit our website at:
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/sport

For further details on research training in the School, look at our Guidelines and Code of Conduct for Research Training:
http://pages.bangor.ac.uk/~pes004/postgrad/guidelines.htm

Application Procedure

The application deadline is 15 June, 2012. (Short-listed applicants will be required to attend an interview).

To apply, please complete an on-line University Postgraduate Application Form available at:

https://bannerssb.bangor.ac.uk/EN-GB/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon

In addition to the application form and its requirements, applicants are required to provide:

Statement (100-500 words) on your relevant research skills (listing all your relevant skills, such as computer skills, relevant prior experience, the title and a brief description of your graduate study);

Detailed Research Proposal, requested by the on-line application form, please ensure that this is 500-1000 words and provide a brief literature review of the most recent research on the negative self-efficacy debate and future considerations.

Deadline – The on-line application form and accompanying documents must be submitted by 15 June, 2012

Bangor University

SCHOOL OF SPORT, HEALTH AND EXERCISE SCIENCES

Calum Arthur, Lew Hardy, and James Bell invite applications for a three-year full time PhD Research Studentship in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences commencing September, 2012.

Project Details

This studentship will examine personality and human performance in extreme environments. This will likely include the examination of personality factors such as psychopathy, response modulation hypothesis, and reinforcement sensitivity theory. Whilst the general area of the PhD is set out (i.e., personality and extreme environments) it is expected that the student, in collaboration with the research team, will shape the specific direction of the PhD. 

Context

The School is amongst the very best sport related subject departments in Britain. It is internationally renowned for the quality of its research and has some of the world's leading researchers in Sport and Exercise Science. The School was placed in the top 10 in the UK for Sports Science in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise where 80% of our research activity was judged as international or world-leading. The School is situated in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Menai Straits and less than half an hour's drive from the
mountains of Snowdonia. The School is well resourced for the scientific study of sport, health and exercise with an extensive range of laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment. Our physiology laboratories are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. We are committed to the all round academic and professional development of our research students.

Value

Each holder of a PhD studentship receives an annual maintenance grant of £12,000 plus Home/EU fees. No additional allowances are payable. Successful studentship applicants will be expected to supply around 100 hours per year of teaching/research assistance focused on a supervisor / research team as part of their development as an academic of the future.

Candidate Requirements

Successful applicants will normally have a First Class Honours Degree or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline, the ability to work independently with support of a supervisor and the enthusiasm to contribute to a stimulating research environment.

Applications are accepted from UK/EU and International Scholars (additional fees must be covered by international applicants).

Apply

To apply, please complete an on-line University Postgraduate Application Form available at: https://bannerssb.bangor.ac.uk/EN-GB/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon

The application deadline is 15 June 2012

Please direct informal enquiries to Dr Calum Arthur c.arthur@bagnor.ac.uk

Tel. 01248 382343

For further information about the IPEP Research Group, visit our website at: http://ipep.bangor.ac.uk/

For further information about the School, visit our website at: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/sport

For further postgraduate opportunities at Bangor University pleasevisit: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate.php.en

Applications are invited for the above studentship in the School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, commencing October 2012.

It is increasingly recognised that bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) affords sustained long-term reduction and control of body weight in patients who are morbidly obese. Despite this, significant variability exists in long-term patient outcomes. In particular, following successful weight loss, weight regain is evident in a large proportion of patients and this appears to occur between 18 – 24 months post operatively. This phenomenon is likely to be the result of a combination of issues including reduced healthcare professional contact, the re-adoption of deleterious health behaviours and emotional changes.

The endocrine society has recently recommended that bariatric patients receive lifestyle intervention and long-term follow-up in order to reduce the likelihood of delayed weight regain following surgery. Despite this, we currently do not know which specific intervention strategies are the most effective and are therefore limited in our ability to provide post-surgical support for bariatric patients.

Through prospective cohort and intervention trials the successful PhD candidate will examine the lifestyle behaviours of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and test the efficacy of defined ‘lifestyle’ intervention strategies.

Please note that the successful candidate will spend a significant proportion of their time conducting research at the Leicester General Hospital.

Applicants for this position should have a good first degree in sports science (emphasis on physiology, nutrition and/or physical activity), physiology, human biology, nutrition or related disciplines.  An MSc in one of these areas is also highly desirable. Experience of exercise testing, physical activity monitoring, nutrition/dietary assessment and working with clinical populations would be highly advantageous. In addition, applicants should have excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as confidence in research methods.

Applications are invited for the above studentship in the NIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Loughborough University (BRU). The successful applicant will be based in the highly acclaimed School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University commencing October 2012.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to address several research questions concerning the measurement of sedentary behaviour as well as to investigate how new technologies and devices can be adapted to assist motivation for and self-monitoring of behaviour change.

Accurate measures of sedentary behaviour are essential to help us better understand the link between sedentary behaviour and health and enable us to identify trends in at-risk populations such as obese and ethnic groups.  Regarding sedentary behaviour, a great deal of progress has been made in recent years through the development of movement assessment devices that ‘objectively’ measure how much movement an individual undertakes throughout the day. However, there is limited research testing the algorithms of these monitors in diverse populations (e.g. clinical populations).  We anticipate that the successful candidate will seek to examine and refine the measurement algorithms currently used. In addition, the extent to which developed measurement technologies can be fully harnessed as motivational behaviour change tools for patient populations to decrease their sitting time has not been adequately addressed.  The PhD student will engage the bio-engineering expertise available within BRU to investigate how measurement technologies can be adapted for motivation and self-monitoring in diverse clinical and non-clinical groups. 

Applicants should have a good first degree in health or exercise science, epidemiology or other relevant disciplines.  An MSc is one of these areas is highly desirable. In addition, applicants should have excellent oral and written communication skills as well as confidence in research methods.  Additionally, some experience of research in measurement of health behaviours or health behaviour change is desirable.

Informal enquiries about the project should be made to Professor Stuart Biddle (S.J.H. Biddle@lboro.ac.uk).

Information about the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and details about the application process can be found at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/postgraduate-research/studentships.html

Bangor University, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences

PhD Research Studentship – Juvenile patellofemoral pain syndrome
Dr Tom O’Brien, Dr Jeanette Thom and Dr Jeremy Jones invite applications for a three-year full time PhD Research Studentship in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences commencing September, 2012.

Project Details
This studentship will examine the aetiology of juvenile patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), so that those at risk can be identified early and disease development/progression can be minimised. Key outcome measures (e.g. biomechanical and muscular) will be assessed for maturation-induced variations within a healthy large cohort, and compared to clinical group to identify characteristics of those at risk. Follow up assessment will also occur in both the healthy cohort after a year and in PFPS patients after treatment.

Context
The School is amongst the very best sport related subject departments in Britain. It is internationally renowned for the quality of its research and has some of the world's leading researchers in Sport and Exercise Science. The School was placed in the top 10 in the UK for Sports Science in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise where 80% of our research activity was judged as international or world-leading. The School is situated in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Menai Straits and less than half an hour's drive from the mountains of Snowdonia. The School is well resourced for the scientific study of sport, health and exercise with an extensive range of laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment. Our physiology laboratories are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. We are committed to the all round academic and professional development of our research students.

Candidate Requirements
Successful applicants will normally have a First Class Honours Degree or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Sports Science, Biomechanics or Physiotherapy). The ability to work independently with support of a supervisor, have the personal and communication skills to engage children within the research project and the enthusiasm to contribute to a stimulating research environment is essential. Knowledge of biomechanical techniques would be advantageous but not essential as full training will be provided.

Applications are accepted from UK/EU and International Scholars (additional fees must be covered by international applicants).

Apply
To apply, please complete an on-line University Postgraduate Application Form available at: https://bannerssb.bangor.ac.uk/EN-GB/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon

Please direct informal enquiries to Dr Tom O’Brien thomas.obrien@bangor.ac.uk, Tel: 01248 382343

For further information about the School, visit our website at: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/sport

For further postgraduate opportunities at Bangor University please visit: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate.php.en

In addition to the application form and its requirements, applicants are required to provide:
Statement (100-500 words) on your relevant research skills (listing all your relevant skills, such as computer skills, relevant prior experience, the title and a brief description of your graduate study); Detailed Research Proposal, requested by the on-line application form, please ensure that this is 500-1000 words and provide a brief literature review of the most recent research on the PFPS in juveniles and future considerations.

A Doctoral Studentship is available in the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at Aberystwyth University. In addition to funding for EU / UK level tuition fees (£3932.00) for a PhD degree, a stipend to cover living expenses will be provided (£13590.00). Successful candidates will be expected to contribute an average of eight hours per week of teaching and administrative assistance to staff, mainly in the form of supervising laboratory classes and grading work.

All topics within the existing research strengths of the sport and exercise physiology team will be considered. Applicants with an interest in the role of exercise on body composition, bone health and disease status are particularly invited to apply. Related topics are also welcome including disability sports, seasonal training effects, and health based exercise interventions.

The following are essential:

• B.Sc. Degree with first or upper second class honours, or Bachelors degree with equivalent GPA, in Sport and Exercise Science, Physiology, or related subject.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Good written and spoken English - an IELTS test is not required (International English Language Testing System), but evidence of ability at IELTS Level 7 or above in spoken English should be demonstrated if the applicant is not a native English speaker.

The following are desirable:

• Previous experience of teaching or presenting to groups
• Work experience related to sport and exercise science, the fitness industry, or physiology

Informal enquiries are welcomed by Dr Joanne Wallace at jyw@aber.ac.uk  (+44 1970 628681) or Dr David Tod at dvt@aber.ac.uk    (+44 1970 628567). More information on the Department’s research activities can be found at  http://www.aber.ac.uk/sportexercise/. The closing date for applications is Friday, June 29, 2012. Interviews will be held on July 12. The standard application form for research programmes should be completed (including two references), and is available from the University’s website (http://www.aber.ac.uk/pga/web/apply.htm). Please attach a two page outline of your research ideas indicating how they develop on current literature and identify possible methods you would employ. Please also submit a CV and a 500 word personal statement explaining why you would like to do a PhD. and any experience relevant to teaching and research.

Applications may be submitted online. If unable to complete an online application, return completed application forms, research outlines, CVs, and personal statements to: Postgraduate Admissions Office, Student Welcome Centre, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, ABERYSTWYTH SY23 3FB, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1970 622270, Fax: +44 (0) 1970 622921, E-mail: pg-admissions@aber.ac.uk  Website: www.aber.ac.uk/pga/