*PHD STUDENTSHIP OPPORTUNITY * *QUALMAP: QUALITATIVE GEOSPATIAL METHODS FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION*
*ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership - Environmental Planning Pathway - A collaboration between Cardiff University and the Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire.* *Closing date: *12pm noon, Tuesday 9th May 2017 The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), University of Gloucestershire and the School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, supported by the ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership for Wales (Wales DTP), invites applications for a funded PhD studentship. This particular studentship is offered under the Environmental Planning Pathway of the ESRC Wales DTP, and is a ‘collaborative studentship’ which involves liaison with a non-academic organisation, often at many key stages of the research programme. Interviews will take place (either face-to-face or via Skype) during the week commencing 22nd May, and the successful applicant can expect to hear by mid-June 2017. Applications are invited from exceptional candidates with a first class or strong upper second class honours degree, or appropriate Master’s degree. The University of Gloucestershire, Cardiff University and the ESRC Wales DTP value diversity and equality at all levels and we encourage applications from all sections of the community. We welcome applications for both full and part-time study, and studentship is available as either ‘1+3’ (i.e. one full-time year of research training masters followed by three years of full-time doctoral study, or the part-time equivalent), or ‘+3’ (i.e. three years of full-time doctoral study or its part-time equivalent), depending on the needs of the applicant. *BACKROUND* There have been numerous calls to develop and implement more inclusive approaches for engaging with individual citizens and communities, particularly around issues relating to the landscapes of their neighbourhoods and localities. Such calls argue for a widening and diversification of participation in environmental management in order to enhance the co-production of knowledge and policy, and they highlight the crisis of legitimacy in rural land use decision-making and the need to understand the social dimensions of everyday engagements with landscapes and greenspaces. Decision-making processes for the management of rural landscapes are often reliant on the use of quantitative data that is analysed and visualised within a Geographical Information System (GIS), but this approach is limited in its ability to capture and represent social and experiential engagements with the environment. A methodological gap therefore exists in analysing and spatially representing this qualitative data alongside more traditional, dominant, quantitative data in environmental decision-making processes. This studentship positions itself within a new area of research, Qualitative/Mixed-Methods GIS, or ‘QualGIS’, which is concerned with developing ways of integrating such qualitative data more effectively within a geospatial decision-making framework. This type of data may be collected using ethnographic techniques such as focus groups and interviewing, as well as multimedia approaches and hybrid methods that embed sketches, mental maps, audio, video, or photographs, often to represent non-cartographic forms of spatial knowledge, such as emotion and context-dependent experience of place. Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) is the collaborative partner for the PhD and, as a member of the Upper Thames Catchment Partnership ( http://www.ccri.ac.uk/upperthames/) contributes to this pioneering initiative, supported by Defra, set up to develop ways to meet the needs of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and other strategic priorities. The partnership includes a range of stakeholders tasked with discussing and implementing ways of adapting, protecting and improving the quality of water, reducing flood risk and protecting wildlife whilst benefiting the social and economic well-being of communities within the Upper Thames river catchment. As a result, there exists strong engagement with a number of local communities and landowners. The QUALMAP studentship project will work with the GRCC to involve local communities in the preparation of neighbourhood plans and in undertaking catchment walkovers to determine the current state of the water-related infrastructure. Building on previous QualGIS research, QUALMAP’s involvement in the Upper Thames project will be to evaluate the potential of GIS tools for capturing, integrating, and analysing geo-referenced qualitative data within a GIS framework, which is sensitive to and works with scientific norms and the challenges and constraints of participatory planning and decision-making. Such data could be captured from neighbourhood planning meetings, catchment management workshops and/or in the field using mobile devices. *AIMS * 1. To evaluate a GIS software ‘toolkit’ for capturing, integrating and analysing qualitative data in a geospatial framework, to improve collaborative environmental planning and management. The toolkit may comprise of existing ‘off-the-shelf’ GIS software, or it could be a bespoke set of software tools developed as part of the project. 2. To evaluate the different outputs arising from the development of the QualGIS toolkit and their impact on participatory landscape planning and natural resource management processes; 3. To critically examine and question the role of GIS in participatory natural resource management processes, drawing on current thinking in human geography to contribute to the debates around GIS and power, ethics and knowledge production. *KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS* 1. How can qualitative data be captured and analysed alongside quantitative data within a digital geospatial framework, in a way that produces better knowledge and understanding for environmental decision-making? 2. Can QualGIS tools and methods be built-in to participatory processes in a way that is sensitive to on the ground considerations of rigour? 3. In what ways can we use QualGIS to rethink how we ‘do’ participation? *TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS* This PhD will require a mix of qualitative and quantitative skills, but the specific techniques and methods employed on the project will ultimately depend on the final research proposal, and the successful applicant can approach the work from a direction best suited to them. For example, students with a social science/human geography background that have well-developed qualitative research skills may favour a process-oriented approach to the project, using existing geospatial software tools to evaluate the potential of QualGIS in environmental decision-making. On the other hand, there exists an opportunity for more technically-minded GIS/computer science-based applicants to focus on developing new software tools to integrate and analyse qualitative data within a digital geospatial framework. Whichever route is taken, the successful candidate will need to embrace a mixed-methods approach and demonstrate a strong interest in participatory environmental management. Those who are considering applying but are concerned about their lack of technical skills or experience in particular research methods, may wish to consider the ‘1+3’ studentship option where a one-year master’s degree in research training is taken (at Cardiff University) prior to the 3 year PhD. Applicants will require some understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of Qualitative/Mixed-Methods GIS, Critical GIS and Participatory GIS/PPGIS, or at least demonstrate a keen interest in these research areas and a willingness to fully engage with the key debates. A background in social sciences and/or environmental management is also desirable, but not essential, and the successful applicant will benefit from the experience of researchers at CCRI and Cardiff in building their knowledge in relevant areas. The student will also need to establish a good working relationship with the various agencies and groups involved in managing the Upper Thames catchment, and develop a thorough understanding of the data collection and decision-making processes. The student will be supported in broader skills training via the University of Gloucestershire and Cardiff University (thesis writing, writing for publication, presentation skills, enterprise skills etc.) and will benefit from cross-disciplinary research undertaken at both universities. The training is designed to ensure that the student becomes a well-rounded interdisciplinary scientist who is comfortable working independently and in teams. *SUPERVISION* These studentships are ‘collaborative’ awards. Applicants should take careful consideration of the working title and description of the project, and may wish to contact the named members of staff for a discussion prior to applying. *WHAT THE STUDENTSHIP WILL COVER* Studentships commence in October 2017 and will cover your tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (currently £14,296 p.a. for 2016/17 for full-time students, updated each year); and includes an additional Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of up to £750 for three years for full-time students (pro rata for part-time students). There are other opportunities and benefits available to studentship holders, including an overseas fieldwork allowance (if applicable), internship opportunities and overseas institutional visits. *ELIGIBILITY* ESRC studentships are highly competitive, candidates should have an excellent academic background in the social sciences, holding a 1st or strong upper 2nd class degree; applications from those also holding a relevant research training Masters degree (or an equivalent background in research training) will be considered for a +3 award. Full awards (fees plus maintenance stipend) are open to UK Nationals and EU students who can satisfy UK residency requirements. *EMPLOYMENT* Full-time ESRC studentship award holders cannot hold either a full-time job, or a permanent part-time job, during the period of their award. Part-time ESRC studentship award holders cannot hold a full-time job. *1+3 OR +3?* The awards are available on either a 1+3 or +3 basis. A 1+3 studentship provides funding for four years (or part-time equivalent), completing a research training Masters in the 1st year, followed by 3 years research funding for a PhD. A +3 studentship provides funding for the three years PhD research study only (or part-time equivalent). *ASSESSMENT* The closing deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on Tuesday 9 May 2017. Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place during the week commencing Monday 22nd May. After interview, a final short-list of applicants will be put forward to the ESRC Wales DTP Doctoral Panel at which final decisions with regard to studentship awards will be made. Successful applicants can expect to hear by mid-June 2017. *HOW TO APPLY* Send a completed application pack to Dr Robert Berry ([email protected]) by the deadline of 12.00 noon, Tuesday 9 May 2017. Incomplete applications or applications received after this specified time will not be accepted. The application pack must contain the following three documents: *1. University of Gloucestershire Studentship Application Form* *2. Curriculum Vitae:* It should be no longer than two pages. *3. Research Proposal:* For collaborative studentships, the proposal should build directly on the outline description that has been supplied. The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including references. We suggest that you use the following five headings in your research proposal: • Your reflections on the title, aims and purpose of the research; • An overview of some key research literature relevant to the study; • Your proposals for developing the design and methods of the study; • A description of potential outcomes of the project for understanding, knowledge, policy and practice (as appropriate to the topic); • References *CONTACTS:* Supervisors: Dr Robert Berry, CCRI ([email protected]); Dr Scott Orford, Cardiff University ([email protected]); Chris Short, CCRI ( [email protected]).
