Ageing Intervention Developments (AID)

Key facts

Join the Ageing Intervention Developments (AID) Lab if you are passionate about improving equity, social justice, and inclusivity for ageing persons within the construction industry and the built environment infrastructure.

The global population is ageing (including an ageing construction workforce), and the built environment infrastructure in many cities and communities are approaching their design life. I refer to this unprecedented phenomenon as “double ageing”. Double ageing presents us with challenges and opportunities. To tackle the challenges and harness the benefits of double ageing, we have created a collaborative and engagement research network called ‘Ageing Intervention Development (AID) Lab’. Our core aim is to bring together researchers, community, industry, policymakers, and other partners: create an interdisciplinary space to explore questions, engage in dialogues and develop interventions to inform decision-making outcomes in age-friendly cities, communities, and workplaces towards improving equity, social justice, and inclusivity for ageing persons within the construction industry and the built environment infrastructure.

Our vision (which directly feeds into our core research theme) is to create Ageing Intervention Developments (AID):

1) to promote an age-friendly construction industry where older construction workers feel safe, comfortable, and happy while improving productivity.

2) to promote an age-friendly built environment (our daily surroundings, such as workplaces, buildings, parks, roads, and pavement) that is inclusive and accessible to promote active ageing.

3) inspired by emerging technologies, such as wearable sensors (for human sensing), Artificial Intelligence, robotics, extended reality, and digital twins.

Our research explores theories within environmental psychology (e.g., human-environment interactions), psychophysiology, and social cognition. We use these theories to guide our understanding of how older adults “interact” and “respond” in complex systems. We monitor these interactions and responses through physiological indicators (e.g., heart rate, skin conductivity, brain activity), psychological indicators (e.g., stress), human behaviour (e.g., gait) and self-reflection.

Join us at AID Lab if you share our vision and want to make real world impact.

We are also looking for highly motivated students with the desire to contribute to research at AID Lab. PhD applicants are required to develop a research proposal that aligns with one or more of AID Lab’s vision and core research themes. Interested candidates may come from different disciplines, such as construction management, civil engineering, architecture, urban planning, geography, computer science, electrical engineering, psychology, health sciences, sociology, cultural studies, art and performance design, or related fields. We employ person-centred, community-based participatory research, and policy-level approaches to co-produce all aspects of our research project.

To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the University website. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN.

• For Application type please select Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate.

• The admission year for this project is 2027/28 Academic Year.

• You will need to select your Planned Course of Study from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select PHP Civil Engineering Full Time.

• The project start date for this project is 1 October 2027, please use this as your Proposed Start Date of Research.

• Please state clearly in the Research Information Section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is Ageing Intervention Developments as well as Dr Alex Torku as your proposed supervisor.

Please state clearly in the Finance section, the funding that you are applying for, if you are self-funding or externally sponsored.

More information on how to apply is available on our website here. You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project.

We will assess applications continuously as we receive them. We welcome and strongly encourage any potential applicants to contact the supervisor(s) for an informal discussion, prior to applying, and recommend submitting your application early.

If you are applying with external sponsorship or you are funding your own study, please ensure you provide your supporting documents at the point you submit your application:

Full Transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date including the grading scheme

Personal Statement outlining your interest in the project

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).

As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. The criteria for entry for some research degrees may be higher, for example, several faculties, also require a Masters degree. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

This is a non funded PhD project. Applicants are expected to be self funded or to secure external funding.

You can find out more about our Funding Opportunities on our Postgraduate Research Opportunities website.

Important: Please note that all costs associated with your arrival at Leeds (visa, Immigration Health Surcharge, flights etc) would have to be met by yourself, or you will need to find an alternative funding source.

For further information about this project and AID Lab, please contact Dr Alex Torku by email to a.torku@leeds.ac.uk

For further information about your application, including how to apply, please contact PGR Admissions by email to phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk

• Type of research degree: PhD
• Application deadline: Monday 31 May 2027
• Project start date: Friday 1 October 2027
• Country eligibility: International (open to all nationalities, including the UK)
• Funding: Non-funded
• Supervisors: Dr Alex Torku
• Schools: School of Civil Engineering

Research areas