[AISWorld] PhD Studentship in Responsible Research and Innovation in ICT

[Bernd Carsten STAHL]

De Montfort University – Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility

Faculty of Technology

STARTING OCTOBER 2012

A PhD research studentship covering stipend and tuition fee costs within the
Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, (Faculty of Technology)
working with an internationally recognised research team is available to
suitably qualified UK or EU students.

The project will determine ways of evaluating Responsible Research and
Innovation (RRI) theory and practice in ICT. Previous EU (ETICA,
www.etica-project.eu) and current UK (FRRIICT,
www.responsible-innovation.org.uk) funded projects conducted within the
Centre have identified emerging technologies, their ethical issues, and
methods for fostering good, ethical governance and practice in ICT research
and innovation, but it remains unclear under what conditions are such
interventions successful and effective?

Objectives of the PhD project are likely to include:
• Review of current theory and practice in RRI in different areas (e.g.
nanotechnology, synthetic biology, nuclear technology, geo-engineering,
health-related research)
• Definition of specific differences in RRI between ICT and other fields or
disciplines
• Development of criteria to allow for the evaluation of RRI activities and
initiatives
• Testing of these evaluation criteria

The thesis developed during this project will contribute to areas of
informatics and computer ethics that are concerned with methodological
innovation and evaluation. The outputs of the project will further academic
knowledge of how to evaluate particular ICT interventions in terms of RRI,
and how the results of such evaluations may potentially be communicated more
rapidly to policy makers.

The project will build on the findings of the ETICA and FRRIICT projects,
with an initial supervisory team from both the CCSR (Professor B. Stahl, Dr.
C. Flick) and the University of Oxford (Dr. M. Jirotka) that are currently
involved with the FRRIICT project.

Since 2008 the CCSR has led successful research application worth more than
£3 million in research funding, the majority of which was won in 2011. All
of the funded projects feed directly into research and policy discussions on
RRI in ICT. The Centre boasts an active research agenda and a significant
number of postgraduate students, with opportunities for the successful
student to become involved in a supportive, enthusiastic, and collegial
atmosphere aimed at fostering the highest quality of research and
significant impact of research output.
For a more detailed description of the studentship project please visit our
web site (http://ethics.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/ccsr) or contact Prof. Bernd
Stahl on +44 116 207 8252 or email bstahl at dmu.ac.uk

This research opportunity builds on our excellent past achievements and
looking forward to REF2014 and beyond. It will develop the university’s
research capacity into new and evolving areas of study, enhancing DMU’s
national and international research partnerships.

Applications are invited from UK or EU students with a good first degree
(First, 2:1 or equivalent) in a relevant subject.  Doctoral scholarships are
available for up to three years full-time study starting October 2012 and
provide a bursary of £13,770pa in addition to university tuition fees.

To receive an application pack, please contact the Graduate School Office
via email  to researchstudents at dmu.ac.uk .  Completed applications should be
returned together with a full CV and two supporting references.

Please quote ref:  DMU Research Scholarships 2012

CLOSING DATE:  April 27th 2012

The full wording of the studentship and information for applicants is
available here:
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AEE530/phd-studentship/ 



Bernd Carsten STAHL
Professor of Critical Research in Technology
Director, Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility
De Montfort University
Faculty of Technology, Department of Informatics
The Gateway
Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK
+44 116 207 8252
http://www.tech.dmu.ac.uk/~bstahl/