PhD Studentship in Mind and Material Culture

University of Sussex, via the Department of Informatics and the Department of Philosophy, is recruiting two Doctoral Researchers for a studentship in Mind and Material Culture under the supervision of Professor Andy Clark. The studentships are linked to a large Synergy Grant project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) titled “Material Minds: Exploring the Interactions between Predictive Brains, Cultural Artefacts, and Embodied Visual Search.”

The Sussex wing of the project is led by Professor Andy Clark and investigates how material structures of settlements, buildings, roads, and artefacts shape patterns of thought and attention, linking perception, attention, and action (including eye-movements) with cognitive change and learning. The PhD project will be supervised by Professor Clark and is expected to focus on Cognitive Science or Philosophy of Cognitive Science. Applicants may be based in either the Informatics or Philosophy Department based on skill set and interests.

Selection is based on meeting the eligibility criteria listed by the University of Sussex, including a 2:1 degree or equivalent in a related field. The University of Sussex states that successful applicants are expected to participate fully in the project, including workshop organization, paper presentations, and academic writing, and may also undertake limited amounts of project-relevant teaching.

The award provides a tax-free stipend at a standard rate of £15,609 per year for 3.5 years, and a research training grant of £2,000 for the 3.5-year duration, with fees waived for 3.5 years at the UK, EU, or International rate. During the course of the project, there are opportunities for travel and exchange because project partners are based in Spain and Germany, and there may also be opportunities for hands-on roles in field work and visual neuroscience experiments.

• Stipend is available to: UK / EU / Overseas.Fee waiver is available to: UK / EU / Overseas.Eligible candidates must have a 2:1 degree or equivalent in a related field.Primary research focus is expected to be: Cognitive Science or Philosophy of Cognitive Science.Experience with programming is not required, but would be an advantage.Experience with research on predictive processing and active inference is not required, but would be an advantage.Successful applicants are expected to participate fully in the project (including workshop organization, paper presentations, and academic writing).

• Tax-free stipend: £15,609 per year for 3.5 years.Research training grant: £2,000 for the 3.5-year duration.Fees waived for 3.5 years (at the UK, EU, or International rate).

1. Apply online for a full time PhD in Cognitive Science using the University of Sussex step-by-step guide (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply).
2. On the application form, clearly state that you are applying for the Material Minds Doctoral Scholarship, under the supervision of Professor Andy Clark.