Healthy Reusables, Challenges & Opportunities in NHS settings

Key facts

• Opens: Thursday 27 April 2023
• Deadline: Wednesday 7 June 2023
• Number of places: 1
• Duration: 3.5 years
• Funding: Home fee, Stipend

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

from a UK university, or equivalent international qualifications, or qualifications and relevant experience that we consider to be equivalent.

Experience in subject areas includes:

• a good First or Upper-Second (2:1) honours degree in a relevant area and
• preferably a relevant master's degree
• communications
• psychology
• sociology
• journalism
• media
• environmental science
• social anthropology

The challenge

Reusable take out plastic packaging is emerging as a possible solution to eliminate single use plastic packaging yet there is a lack of understanding regarding consumer attitudes and perceptions. Initial insights identified a number of potential challenges for consumers including concerns about hygiene, COVID related risk perceptions and inconvenience. This project will explore the challenge of reusables within NHS settings (e.g. hospital catering).

The key research question for this project will focus on understanding current attitudes, perceptions, behaviours (including cognitive and affective factors) concerning reusable food and drink containers. A central element will be to explore people’s willingness to adopt solutions, based on perceived benefits and barriers to change specifically within an NHS setting. The student will have the opportunity to develop policy briefing reports and guidance for best practice for businesses to implement real-world change.

It is anticipated that methods will include a mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches involving visual analysis, interviews, rapid ethnography, and analysis of social media and we are open to creative methods and theories which reflect the candidates’ specialist area.

Funding partner

FSG are an innovative company who supply reusable alternatives to takeout disposables and are developing products and systems with a positive social, environmental, and economic impact. FSG work in universities and hospitals.

Funding details

The studentship covers home fees and a stipend for living costs of circa £18,000 (full-time) per annum for the duration of the project as listed above. The stipend will be in line with UK Research Council rates and an increase is expected but still to be confirmed.

International candidates can apply but would need to finance the difference between the home fee and the international fee approx. £11,316 for 2023/24, increasing slightly each year.

While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.

Professor Lesley Henderson

Professor Of Science Communication Journalism, Media and Communication

Professor Paul Flowers

Psychology

Apply

To be considered for this scholarship, eligible applicants must state “ SCDT Dimensions of Plastics PhD Studentship” along with the Project Title in the Funding section of the application and apply formally online. Applicants should apply for either 1 October 2023 or 1 January 2024 start date.

Please submit your application with the following documents by the close of 7 June 2023:

Applications will be ranked by a selection panel after the closing date and applicants will be notified if they have been shortlisted for interview. Interviews are expected to be held around mid-June 2023.

The successful applicants must be available to commence study full-time on 1 October 2023 .

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Number of places: 1

To read how we process personal data, applicants can review our 'Privacy Notice for Student Applicants and Potential Applicants' on our Privacy notices' web page .

• A 1000-word personal statement/proposal describing how your academic background and experience fits the project title you are applying for & how you would approach the research
• An academic curriculum vitae
• Academic transcripts of degrees
• Two academic references – name and contact details

Contact us

For informal enquiries regarding the projects please contact:

For any questions regarding the application process please contact: hass-pgr-applications@strath.ac.uk

• Professor Lesley Henderson, Professor of Science Communication, School of Journalism, Media & Communication at lesley.henderson@strath.ac.uk
• Professor Paul Flowers, Professor of Health Psychology, School of Psychology Sciences & Health at paul.flowers@strath.ac.uk

Research areas