ESRC PhD Students

Thesis: A pattern language for urban commons: A focus on participation in placemaking in cohousing case studies

Email: alfelstead2@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As an ESRC funded student I have the opportunity to study alongside PhD students across multiple disciplines and different universities, knowing that we all have something in common.

Thesis: Social media and community disaster resilience: a process-based study of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Email: aegricketts1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The funding gives me the support and freedom to explore my PhD topic, whilst maintaining a healthy work/life balance. 

Thesis: Survival through design: An examination of tiny housing as a unique and emerging sector within self-build projects

Email: aew579@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

A privileged opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to my discipline, and access to high quality conferences and peer networks.

Thesis: Public engagement and opportunities for ‘shared infrastructure’ in the UK

Email: ss18aer@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I am glad that my research is made possible through my ESRC funding, allowing me to work in an area I am passionate about and make a difference in the real world through my collaborative partnership with Arup.

Thesis: Rent extraction in a resource constrained future

Email: eebs@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It’s a huge privilege to be supported by the ESRC to dig deep into the topics that I’m passionate about – the urgent tasks of tackling on rentier power and reprogramming our economy for a finite planet.

Thesis: Decision-making of Polish homeless migrant workers around settlement, re-settlement or return in the post- Brexit era Britain.

Email: mppiliszewska1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I feel privileged and lucky to be awarded with a scholarship. The funding provides me with necessary resources to investigate the topic which I am passionate about and the opportunity to impact European policy and practice around homelessness among Central Easter European citizens in Britain and other EU countries.

Thesis: The Just City of the south: an assessment of contested planning projects in the City of Cape Town

Email: ioldsen-thorstraten1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Time to learn with and from others, explore, think critically, discuss and reflect.

Thesis: Reconnecting with energy: Using innovative research methods to overcome energy invisibility

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Thanks to the funding from ESRC I am participating in an outstanding research training programme. I have also got access to a network of institutions and individuals which provide excellent opportunities.

Thesis: Reclaiming the Intermediary City

Email: aaxinte1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Coming from a long and intense period of being actively engaged as an architect in projects on the ground, this scholarship represents an amazing opportunity allowing for the academic research side of my work to ‘catch up’ with the spatial practice for more rigorously evidenced and relevant future projects.

Thesis: Food Waste within Tanzania Avocado Supply Chains

Email: jcromwell1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being ESRC funded student means I can concentrate on my studies without worrying too much about paying my bills. As ESRC funded student there are numerous opportunities for me undertake public engagement activities to ensure my research have societal impacts. I was able to apply for further funding to undertake Kiswahili language training and to cover my overseas fieldwork cost, which would have been extremely difficult if I was not ESRC funded. Besides, being part of a network is a real plus and the training provided by the WRDTP is excellent.

Thesis: Responding to the Housing Crisis and Redefining the Housing Professional

Email: rmlucas2@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The support within the programme allows you to challenge and develop your thinking, explore new areas within a supportive and stimulating environment.

Thesis: Transport modelling using big data sources

Email: ts17pt@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It provides me with the opportunity to explore methodological topics that are outside my main domain of research and broaden up my knowledge. There is a sense of community and i feel that i can find support whenever necessary.

Thesis: Critical perspectives on environmental research with Indigenous peoples: A case study from Alaska

Email: ss18arm@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The academic freedom and support to explore topics that I am curious about but which have previously sat outside of my discipline has been a real highlight for me, and something that I think is rare in other programs. 

Thesis: Public Engagement in the Adaptive Water Utility

Email: fajia1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC scholar has been priceless. As a result of the ESRC funding, new opportunities have opened up for me and I have expanded my networks. More so, I have gained diverse knowledge, have developed existing and new skills of use in academic and non-academic environments, and I have been opened up to this world where I can make my own contribution to knowledge.

Thesis: A home for life? Understanding housing aspirations of older homeowners

Email: hlbrown2@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I am delighted to be in receipt of ESRC funding as this enables me to undertake my research project, be part of a wider network of Doctoral students and ensures I can access the best quality training.

Thesis: Contemporary forms of self-help and mutual aid to meet citizens’ basic needs: a bottom-up perspective from a post-industrial neighbourhood

Email: KEBlaker1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Without ESRC funding I would have been unable to take a break from my career to do research.

Thesis: Understanding the processes of scaling up community-led housing

Email: phughes4@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student has given e the opportunity to pursue doctoral study. Linking with a partner will add great value to the project, meaning I will produce findings that will both contribute to academic discussions of how community-led housing is understood as well as producing useable insights for policy.

Thesis: Modelling the dynamic urban form for sustainability assesstment in self-built neighbourhoods in Peru

Email: sempocoaguilar1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means the opportunity to learn in an interdisciplinary and international environment and to do so in an institution highly recognized for its research.

Thesis: Active alternatives to the commute – A case study of the Sheffield Travel to Work Region

Email: swbenten1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Without the funding it would be impossible for me to pursue research into active travel with GIS tools, and the flexibility in PhD study allows me to continue looking after my family. The training and support network are a great help in enhancing skills.

Thesis: How alliances across difference are made and sustained in British environmental activism

Email: smlangford1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It recognises the importance of my research gives practical support and facilitates networks to strengthen and broaden its impact.

Thesis: Memory, Food, Place

Email: bbblyton1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means having had the privilege to pursue a PhD in a field that continues to fascinate me, to challenge me, and to expand my horizons. I am immensely grateful for the support ESRC funding has given me including additional funding through its DLT and OIV schemes which gave me the opportunity to gain greater experience as well as to pursue Venetian and Catalan respectively.

Thesis: The dynamics of household low carbon vehicle ownership and use

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

A really great privilege.

Thesis: Transnational Real Estate Investment in a Semi-Periphery: Remaking Space in Post-Crisis Lisbon

Email: r.lima@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Besides providing me with the resources to pursue my doctoral research, being an ESRC-funded student has allowed me to pursue a wide range of trainings to enrich my studies and has connected me with a network of fellow researchers with similar interests across disciplines and universities.

Thesis: Explaining departures from new-right ideology in Conservative Party policy-making under Thatcher’s leadership, 1975-1990: the role of electoral and institutional constraints

Email: blw501@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC funding enables me to undertake research into critical areas of public policy while developing my academic and professional skills. I would not be able to pursue my studies as a PhD student and fulfil my research aims without ESRC funding.

Thesis: The Domestic Politics of Global Consumption

Email: e.pemberton@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The ability to conduct independent research with support from the ESRC is a huge honour and a considerable responsibility. Knowing how privileged I am to be in this situation is a humbling thought, that drives me to do the best work I can whilst I am fortunate enough to be supported by the award.

Thesis: Understanding the impact of enduring public sector austerity on local civil society-state relationships

Email: ldowrick@my.shu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student provides me with opportunities to develop my research through access to a range of training, support and development as well as through opportunities to link with other researchers.

Thesis: The civic university, ‘impact’, and pedagogy: through the lense of community-university partnerships

Email: m.a.oveson@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student means I have the privilege of studying something that is important to me and not having to worry about paying my bills. It means that I can focus all of my attention on my research and also provides me with a wide array of training and workshops across the DTP partners.

Thesis: Strengthening civil society: Linking theory, practice and policy to improve inter-organisational partnerships for international development

Email: rwesterveld1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Opportunity to access a community of academic colleagues and fellow researchers who work on fascinating topics, possibility (and chance!) to commit to a project that I am entirely passionate about for 3 years, sustained funding to carry out full-time social and applied research with civil society organisations towards social justice!

Thesis: Performing Representation in Sex Worker Rights Activism in Germany

Email: ssng@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by the ERSC means receiving the opportunity to carry out research that is both a contribution to academia and impactful for social progress.

Thesis: Transnational Corporations and Economic Development in Europe

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Access to an incredible wealth of resources and opportunities.

Thesis: Working together in a voluntary association: a conversation analytic study

Email: remr500@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

This is an incredible opportunity for me to research a subject I am passionate about using an incredibly interesting and useful methodology.

Thesis: Using storytelling to re-imagine human rights and development

Email: rek523@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Ruth Kelly is based at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York. Her research looks at how storytelling can help activists in Uganda re-imagine development and human rights, as part of a ESRC-funded collaborative studentship with international NGO ActionAid. Additional ESRC funding has supported ongoing collaboration with colleagues at Makerere University in Uganda. Since 2016, Ruth has been part of an AHRC-funded research network exploring art, archives and the political imagination with artists, activists, practitioners and academics from Bangladesh, Uganda and the UK.

Thesis: Towards a ‘Politics of Northerness’? An Investigation into the Politicisation and Framing of the North of England

Email: ss17rs@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I feel very proud in having the support of the ESRC for my research. Knowing that myself and my ideas have the backing of the ESRC is extremely pleasing and further motivates me in my work.

Thesis: Experiences of everyday hate in the lives of disabled people: intersectionality and resistance

Email: sslfb@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by ESRC has provided me with the opportunity to undertake my PhD fieldwork. My fieldwork has involved working with a number of organizations across the North-West of England, and so the additional funds have been fundamental. Alongside this, I have been able to attend and present at conferences, including an international conference in Copenhagen. This has allowed me to meet scholars from a range of disciplinary backgrounds and institutions.

Thesis: Becoming-Common of the Public. The development of urban commons within the municipalist project in Spain

Email: amendezdeandesaldama1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The intellectual luxury and pleasure to be part of an exciting environment that supports, accompanies and challenges my research project.

Thesis: Beyond Corporate Social Responsibility: exploring worker-driven alternatives to address forced labour

Email: remi.edwards@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being part of an exciting, vibrant and interdisciplinary community of researchers doing important work to address urgent social issues.

Thesis: In Their Own Image: Challenging Dominant Cultural Narratives through Community Filmmaking in West Yorkshire (a Collaborative Doctoral Project in partnership with Kirklees Local TV)

Email: rbramley1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I come from a working-class background, and I say that with a deep sense of pride; yet, I would never have been able to afford to do a PhD, nor would I have felt capable of doing one in the first place, without the ESRC’s support.

Personally having the backing of one of the largest and most celebrated research councils in the UK is a huge endorsement, and one which I often come back to in the inevitable moments of self-doubt that every PhD student must encounter at some point along the way.

I offer the ESRC my heartfelt thanks, and hope that whatever is produced by the end of this project, through academic rigour and working-class determination, is fitting of the faith they have placed in me.

Thesis: How do journalists use numbers when they cover humanitarian crises?

Email: hy10bl@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means I am part of a network that I can reach out to and that I have access to funding and training to develop my academic experience.

Thesis: An examination of the role of images in the spread of disinformation on social media

Email: hannah.guy@stu.mmu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Sometimes doing PhD research can feel isolating, but being an ESRC funded student helps me feel part of a community supported by other PhD researchers. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss my research both with students on my specific pathway and within the ESRC as a whole.

Thesis: Refining spatial models of consumer store and channel choice behaviours

Email: k.m.butterfield@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student means to be connected to a wider network of researchers, all of whom are making an impact within academia and industry. It’s an honour to have my work and ideas acknowledged by the ESRC, especially alongside my industry collaborators.

Thesis: Acquiring data visualisation literacy

Email: elpinney1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student has given me access to the support, training and guidance I’ve needed to do a good piece of research. It’s an opportunity I couldn’t have taken up otherwise.

Thesis: Can data visualization mobilise people to act? Exploring emotional responses and (potential) democratic participation through data visualization in two different national contexts.

Email: mefratczak1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

For me, being an ESRC funded student is an honour which gives me the possibility and motivation to work with the best scientists in my field of study.

Thesis: The role of social media abuse in gender-based violence: the challenge of vituperative communication in the age of new technology My PhD is considering the role of online abuse in gender-based violence, investigating the impact of abusive communication executed via new technology and how social media changes power relationships and interactions online, particularly in regard to participation in public life.

Email: sew566@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC student has opened up a world of possibility in training and research. It is a huge privilege to be able to meet and share ideas with other researchers engaged on the PhD journey, underpinned by the training and networking opportunities provided by the WRDTP.

Thesis: Exploring the digital literacy practices of newly arrived Syrian refugees: a spatio-visual linguistic ethnography

Email: edsv@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The ESRC bursary has given me the freedom to truly focus on my research project and to access a wealth of resources and knowledge.

Thesis: Short Stories of Young People with Restricted Growth of their Secondary Education in the U.K.

Email: aktenidis1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student is such a privileged position to find oneself. Firstly, ESRC has enabled me to pursue my dream, which was to do a PhD in Education, with the most suitable people (my supervisors), on a topic that I am so passionate about and genuinely interested in.
Moreover, ESRC has provided me with incredible opportunities to disseminate my findings (and communicate my work more broadly speaking) in various platforms e.g. conferences, lectures, public talks, both nationally and internationally.
Finally, ESRC has enabled my research to have an impact, to do something, to provoke some form of change.
For the above reasons, I do not exaggerate when I am saying that without ESRC I wouldn’t have made it so far and I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Thank you ESRC!

Thesis: How does speaking confidence effect students’ ability to participate in higher education, employment, and civic life, with particular reference to working class students.

Email: ed12b3h@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by the ESRC comes with many benefits. What I have found most invaluable so far is the access to a peer network of interdisciplinary researchers which provides collaborative opportunities, alongside the opportunities for world class training.

Thesis: School Readiness: Early years practitioners’ and parents’ perspectives on what constitutes a ‘good level of development’ in England

Email: jehbreese1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It is great to be part of a vibrant and growing community of social science researchers and to understand the importance of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research.

Thesis: A narrative analysis of NEET young people’s capitals, social ties and networks in Greater Manchester

Email: lmwrigley1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The receipt of ESRC funding enables me to focus on cutting edge research that has both impact in the community, academia and beyond. I have been able to utilise the world-class training the University of Sheffield and the wider White Rose DTP offers. This will hopefully equipt me with the skills, knowledge and competence to achieve real and impactful social change in education and young peoples communities.

Thesis: Experiencing Conflict On and Offline: A Peer-led Approach to Conflict Resolution Across Digital and Physical Spaces

Email: JTLenton1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student gives me the freedom to undertake meaningful research in an important (and interesting) area of study, while being a part of a growing interdisciplinary network of social science researchers, and having access to world-class support, development and training.

Thesis: The Marginalisation of White Working Class Girls in UK Widening Participation Policy

Email: b9028033@my.shu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The support of the ESRC means I am able to step away from full-time employment for a while in order to focus on what I believe to be an important research topic, and to engage with it in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without this dedicated time.

Thesis: Habitus or Reflexivity? The decision-making processes and experiential outcomes of higher education students at Manchester Metropolitan University

Email: richard.g.remelie@stu.mmu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I’m very excited to be an ESRC funded student because it means I can develop the project I’ve been working on since the second year of my undergraduate degree. What’s more, this scholarship enables me to achieve far more than just a single piece of research; I’m now part of a much bigger community where we each have access to a broad range of workshops, seminars, and resources. This means I can gain a much broader and more-informed perspective, and there is now far more potential in what I can do with my research. I am truly grateful for this position and I intend to make the very most of all that it affords me.

Thesis: “I am an island”: Exploring the Effect of Subjective Stability and Psychological Adaptations on the Later-Life Experiences and Outcomes of Care Leavers

Email: fai505@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded to conduct the research that has been so central to my life for a number of years now is a tremendous privilege and a responsibility I do not take likely. Not only has this funding changed my life personally by providing me with a stable home at the Uni of York for the next couple of years, but it has also provided me with the opportunity to impact the lives of care leavers.

Thesis: Undetermined as of yet

Email: b0017248@my.shu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means I can continue with the work I was performing previously, and take that research further, into directions that weren’t already considered. It means training so I can become a better researcher with a more rounded skill set than before, as well as being able to contact and discuss my studies with other students in the same area, as well as other areas that may introduce new ideas for my work. It also means I can dedicate my time to my studies, instead of having to juggle multiple activities.

Thesis: The Reading Comprehension Skills of Children Learning English as an Additional Language

Email: ns1084@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It is a privelege to be an ESRC funded PhD student; the ESRC has enabled me to carry out meaningful research and to disseminate the findings at relevant conferences. My studentship forms part of an ESRC White Rose DTC Network of three studentships and the opportunity to carry out research under the guidance of a supportive and knowledgeable team has been invaluable.

Thesis: How can the neuro-bio-sensory agency of young children with selective mutism be expressed through immersive, improvisational dance?

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

In the current economic, political and social climate where the future is unknown and the past is continually reinterpreted to privilege the few, the chance to study through ESRC to a level that will help make a difference in this climate for our future generations is a tremendous privilege and an important opportunity.

Thesis: How the third sector shapes widening participation policy and practice

Email: ruth.squire@student.shu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student gives me access to expertise from a whole range of disciplines. It encourages me to think big and to put the wider impact of my research at the heart of my PhD.

Thesis: Tiny Interactions in Gallery spaces: Babies, art and matter

Email: ruth.boycott-garnett@stu.mmu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It would be impossible to deliver some practice-led, collaborative research without the support I have received from ESRC. Being funded by the ESRC makes this research possible.

Thesis: An Exploration of the Early Mechanisms by which Socioeconomic Status Impacts Maths Ability

Email: eljames-brabham1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student gives me access to invaluable research training opportunities which are developing my skills as a researcher. The ESRC research training and support grant has enabled me to present my research at an international conference. Presenting my work at an international conference has been a great experience for finding new and exciting research which has inspired my research path and has helped to develop my confidence as a researcher.

Thesis: L2 Phonological development with written input: The influence of L1 Literacy experience on L1 Arabic acquisition of English

Email: louise.shepperd@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Due to the funding I have been awarded from the ESRC, I have given the opportunity to pursue a project that has been close to my heart for a number of years. As a 1+3 student, I was given the opportunity to develop my research skills and methodology for my project with an additional MA in Social Research. I was also awarded funding for Difficult Language Training, which enabled me to study Arabic in Amman, Jordan for 6 months. Being an ESRC funded student has undoubtedly meant that I am better equipped to conduct my research to the best of my ability.

Thesis: Understanding birth mothers’ experiences of the loss of a child to adoption

Email: eg777@York.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC funding has enabled me to undertake doctoral research into what I feel is an under-explored and very interesting area of social policy and social work practice, with the support of experienced academics and access to excellent facilities.

Thesis: Autistic Women’s University Experiences Focusing on Academic Achievement and Wellbeing

Email: slphillips2@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student means having opportunities to attend training to enhance my PhD study. It also gives me the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other social science PhD researchers outside my discipline.

Thesis: ‘Leaving No Girl Behind’? Interrogating Gender Norms and Adolescent Agency in Pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Email: ss18skk@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As an ESRC student I am able to contribute to my field using interdisciplinary approaches and bodies of academic knowledge. I feel confident that the skills I will develop during this programme will support my research to be innovative and impactful.

Thesis: A case-study in teacher motivation: a study into what factors can influence the levels of self-efficacy and motivation of newly-qualified EFL teachers

Email: ednad@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by the ESRC has been invaluable for so many reasons. Firstly, the funding has allowed me to devote myself completely to my studies, without having to worry about finding a job to support myself. This has meant that my PhD studies are my priority and I haven’t had to juggle competing demands for my time to the detriment of my research. The freedom to explore my topic without the additional pressure of employment has also meant that I’ve been able to immerse myself fully in postgraduate life, taking opportunities to assist with teaching on undergraduate modules, seek further professional development and qualifications, and learn new transferable skills through clubs and societies at the University of Leeds.

The support which is offered by the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership has also been hugely helpful during my studies -it’s great knowing that there are other students with whom you can share your journey and having a particular pathway means that there may be others doing somewhat similar topics and experiencing the same issues.

Finally, receiving funding has also boosted my confidence that my chosen topic is one which is timely, relevant, and interesting to a number of stakeholders. This thought has helped sustain my motivation and spirits during periods of doubt over the past three years. I’m eternally grateful to the ESRC for recognising the potential in my research and being instrumental in allowing me to pursue this topic.

Thesis: Attention, behaviour and wellbeing: Transforming achievement and social inclusion following primary-secondary school transition.

Email: smgibson1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As an ESRC-funded student, I believe the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership has unlocked a number of exciting opportunities to engage with interdisciplinary training and development activities.

Not only has this opened up my thinking to broader societal and methodological questions around my research, but it has also promoted interdisciplinary networking, which is supportive of future collaboration. As an early career researcher, I’m enthused by the prospect of developing this further over the coming years.

Thesis: Securitised Citizenship: Prevent and the making of Counter-terror Citizens

Email: a.kaleem@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The ESRC studentship I received in 2017 has enabled me to pursue my research on the Prevent Strategy. Along with the bursary, the training courses and workshops organised by WRDTP pathways have helped me develop my research skills and interact with other doctoral researchers who work on security issues. The ESRC funding and the accompanying support allows doctoral students to navigate the challenges of academic life with ease.

Thesis: Dying inside: deaths from natural causes in prison culture, regimes and relationships

Email: carol.robinson@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Without ESRC funding, I wouldn’t have been able to study for a PhD, doing research on a topic I care about which is contributing to how policy is implemented.

Thesis: Crime, Innovation and the Technology of Money

Email: ek628@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student provides me with the support and platform to share and expand my ideas. It gives me the opportunity to network and engage with leading academics in their fields while encouraging me to bridge the gaps between disciplines.

The funding further allows me to attend leading conferences and attend courses that will enrich the thesis. Overall, it has contributed both to broadening my understanding of my topic, but also to my personal and professional development; preparing for life after the thesis.

Thesis: UN Peacekeeping Missions and FONDATION HIRONDELLE: A historical and an empirical study of their different conceptions of the role of Radio in Post-Conflict DR Congo

Email: jkayumba1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Such an an invaluable privilege. In fact, a great opportunity to better equip myself and consequently have a greater positive impact in the lives of the most vulnerable ones of the globe. Will always be indebted to the ESRC.

Thesis: Tamerlane’s trip to Shanghai: analysis of Sino-Uzbek relations from 1991 to 2016

Email: fmaracchione1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded means gaining access to shared interdisciplinary knowledge and accessing a multilayered view on your research. In addition, the methodological preparation given by the 1+3 programme is unique.

Thesis: ‘No such thing as political violence’: a study of the British State’s urge to monopolise ‘politics’ in the Northern Irish Troubles

Email: malivesey1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC funding has given me the opportunity to explore a set of important questions about our society. I hope that, by studying these questions, I’ll be able to contribute to our understandings of the world around us.

Thesis: Reading – Right From Wrong – Investigating the role a Community Rehabilitation Company plays in supporting individuals who experience literacy difficulties.

Email: vbarritt1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It is a real privilege to have received ESRC funding to research an area I am so passionate about. It also provides access to high quality training events and opportunities to collaborate with other academics.

Thesis: Compliance with location monitoring (GPS) conditions in the criminal justice process

Email: lwrmj@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being a part of the ESRC peer network (of interdisciplinary researchers) has given me the opportunity to access world-class academic training and the ability to collaborate with scholars from various disciplines.

Thesis: A Social Constructionist Approach to Paedophilia, Child Sexual Abuse and Relevant Preventative Policy-Making: A Comparison between the UK and Germany

Email: msklavou1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student represents a unique and amazing opportunity for me to do research in an area that I am passionate about, whilst also getting to meet and exchange ideas with new people.

Thesis: A study into the impact of imprisonment on Pakistani families in the UK.

Email: lwta@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As an ESRC funded student I’ve been given opportunities to network beyond my institution and I’ve met some really interesting people. I’ve also been able to access world-class research training from leading academics and scholars. These opportunities have helped me prepare for a career after my PhD.

Thesis: Learning to be a ‘Relational Normative Great Power’? The Evolution of Institutionalized Cooperation and Norm Diffusion along China’s Belt and Road Initiative (2013-2021)

Email: twestphal1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded doctoral student means a great deal to me because it not only allows me to relieve financial stress and fully concentrate on my research but also gives me the opportunity to attend regular ESRC hosted events and interact with a large, interdisciplinary community of like-minded doctoral students.

The funding further allows me to attend leading conferences and attend courses that will enrich the thesis. Overall, it has contributed both to broadening my understanding of my topic, but also to my personal and professional development; preparing for life after the thesis.

Thesis: Military Ethos Initiatives, Counter-Terrorism and the rise of a youth-based vulnerability discourse in Great Britain

Email: Tmaormson1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I feel very grateful to be ESRC funded, and to know that I am part of a network of students and have access to training opportunities and resources that I might not otherwise. Being funded is also a big confidence booster – it’s nice to know that someone out there thinks your research deserves funding!

Thesis: A longitudinal study into the views of alleged perpetrators of antisocial behaviour on the success or otherwise of the related interventions

Email: kt776@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

An opportunity to make meaningful and positive change through research. The ESRC studentship funds high quality research that has the potential to make impact. This studentship gives me the chance to give voice to marginalised groups and explore a side of policy that is not currently understood.

Thesis: Understanding local-national-global interactions to pursue accountability to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping

Email: ss17sw@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student has opened doors for me to grow and develop as a scholar and a professional. I feel well supported, especially through training, additional funding sources and my collaborative partner-UNA UK.

Thesis: The Corruption-Terrorism Nexus in Think-Tank Expertise and Judicial Practice

Email: MINikolova1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The ESRC studentship has allowed me to focus on my research project while engaging with a network of amazing researchers working on issues related to security and justice.

Thesis: UK Mass Atrocity Prevention

Email: ss19gcm@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC has provided access to invaluable networks and opportunities, in addition to collaborative working with highly relevant and active organisations in the field.

Thesis: Constructing a Non-Eurocentric International Relations: Humanitarian Intervention Re-imagined

Email: bjvince1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Thanks to the ESRC I’m able to pursue a PhD in something I’m immensely passionate about, access relevant support and training to better my research, and pursue a career in academia. Being ESRC funded has also exposed me to other brilliant early career researchers within the interdisciplinary community doing extraordinary things.

Thesis: How the human brain learns to recognise faces.

Email: lydia.brown@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student means I can take up my offer a PhD place at the University of York which has been my dream for years. This funding allows me to progress in my academic career and give me an edge as I apply for post-doc positions afterwards.

Thesis: The Stable Ground of Nothingness: Aesthetics and Myth in Far-right Ideology and Identity

Email: benjamin.richards@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Funded to receive research training in one of the UK’s top social science training institutions

Thesis: The Role of Strategic Interactions in Innovation and Foreign Direct Investment for Small and Medium Enterprises

Email: bwang22@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I am so lucky for awarding the ESRC scholarship to do my passionate research as an international student.

Thesis: The organisational impact of the Living Wage

Email: ipi5cic@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Funding by the ESRC has enabled me to pursue a doctoral project primarily focused on exploring the role of the UK Living Wage on organisations and those workers who are lifted out of poverty because of it, an issue of central importance to tackling in-work poverty in Britain. Funding has also ensured that students like myself from working class backgrounds are more widely represented in academia, and a greater degree of vital research perspectives are disseminated to the wider world.

The funding further allows me to attend leading conferences and attend courses that will enrich the thesis. Overall, it has contributed both to broadening my understanding of my topic, but also to my personal and professional development; preparing for life after the thesis.

Thesis: Global telecoupling: Linking agri-commodity consumption to international Natural Capital

Email: cmm563@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being encouraged to do an interdisciplinary PhD relevant for real-world decision-making.

Thesis: Leading for Creativity: How Ambidextrous Leaders Facilitate the Followers’ Innovative Behaviours

Email: cmavros1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student gives me the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded individuals. It’s about discussing ideas and learning new things, while having the freedom to conduct your research in a suitable and supportive environment.

Thesis: The Transnational Urbanisation of the North Sea: Socio-Economic and Governance Challenges resulting from a Complex of Uses and Users

Email: d.A.page-2018@hull.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Everything. As an ESRC-funded student I am a part of an eminently diverse network of early-career researchers, who are working on distinctly heterogeneous projects, spanning manifold disciplinary insights and specialisations.

Thesis: Resilience in agricultural supply chain

Email: hsun19@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Means to be able to engage with a wide variety of research community from different discipline. ESCR provides excellent research training and personal development guideline.

Thesis: The impact of brand community on the development of brand engagement

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The support from the ESRC has enabled me to strive to reach my potential. The ESRC has provided me with comprehensive support and has enabled me to develop myself as a researcher.

Thesis: The role and function of in-work benefits: the understanding and response of business

Email: mickey.conn@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Having ESRC funding has enabled me to research a topic I’m passionate about and hope will have an impact on future government policy.

Thesis: The development of marketing literacy

Email: sheli.smith@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I’m grateful to be part of the ESRC community of researchers, as despite our diversity we all share a common goal of achieving real, societal change through our work. For me that’s championing socially responsible marketing by challenging perceptions, inspiring people and telling stories through my research.

Thesis: The changing socio-political economy of apprenticeships in England and Germany

Email: jl08mfr@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC-funded PhD researcher has given me the freedom to pursue my research interests in a more impactful, well-rounded and ambitious scale. As a comparative researcher, having the support of the ESRC to complete fieldwork abroad has been invaluable. I also completed an overseas institutional visit to Germany, working with a key expert in my field, which has also developed my research skills, ideas and wider academic networks. This combined with the excellent training opportunities, has provided me with a solid foundation to pursue a career in academia as well as further research projects in the future.

Thesis: Gender and Career Choice Exploring the Axiom of Disadvantage in Vocational Education

Email: jhm0j2b@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC funding has opened up the opportunity to focus on a subject area which is important to me and has significance in the economy and social justice. The support of the ESRC also provides networks and opportunities for engagement in broader academic and social debates which inform the research project.

Thesis: The experience of innovation implementation in organisations

Email: ss17lcm@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

When I was awarded the ESRC scholarship I felt extremely proud that such an institution saw the value of the work I was proposing, so much so they were prepared to fund it for three years. This conveyed a sense of social responsibility, which helped drive my PhD forward in difficult times. The ESRC creates a number of forums, in which it is possible to establish connections with other students from different disciplines and institutions. It also connects you a large network of training opportunities and dissemination events, ensuring you are part of bigger conversations about impact.

Thesis: The role of the early obesogenic home environment on appetite and weight during childhood

Email: ps16ark@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded PhD Student is a valuable experience. It has allowed me to meet and build connections with other ESRC funded PhD students in the same pathway. In addition, the ESRC run a wide range of training courses and events – I have found these to be a great opportunity to develop my interpersonal and professional skills.

Thesis: Policing Mental Health: A Realist Evaluation of Mental Health Triage

Email: amep501@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Policing Mental Health: A Realist Evaluation of Mental Health Triage

Thesis: For Whose Benefit? Mobilising Service User Involvement for the Co-Design of Public Service: The Case of Quality Improvement in the NHS

Email: akapadi1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I feel very fortunate to be an ESRC funded student for a number of reasons. There is the obvious merit of receiving financial support in terms of having course fees covered, receiving a maintenance stipend and research support training grant, which has been really helpful in allowing to me proceed with my research more comfortably, knowing that I have this support in place. Primarily, however, as a novice researcher, being an ESRC student has provided a number of wider opportunities to develop high-quality skills and allowed me to meet and network with other PhD students studying a diverse range of topics, which has aided both my personal and academic development. This support has allowed me to be more confident in myself as a researcher and in the research I am carrying out and, actually, contributed heavily to making the whole research process really enjoyable!

Thesis: Predicting Relapse after Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Email: bdlorimer1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded PhD student has provided me with the opportunity to further my skills as a mental health researcher and conduct research that has a meaningful, positive impact on people’s lives.

Thesis: Giving voice to children and young people in family-centered work: Co-producing an evaluation framework for the Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities Programme

Email: cgarner1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student gives me the freedom and support to carry out interesting co-production research with children and young people. I also work with the Race Equality Foundation as a partner organisation for my PhD, which gives me direct access to the Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities programme. I have benefited from the training available with WRDTP; the emphasis on group discussions and knowledge sharing facilitates collaborative learning and good networking opportunities. Being part of the Well-being, Health and Communities (WHC) pathway has given me a broader understanding of topics related to my field and the advantages of interdisciplinary working.

Thesis: The perseverative cognition hypothesis: testing the effects of worry/rumination on physical and behavioural health outcomes.

Email: D.J.McCarrick@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The ESRC, via the WRDTP, has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to develop my skills, knowledge, and expertise within psychological science. I am truly grateful to the ESRC and for the support the WRDTP offer through developmental workshops and events that enable me to unlock my potential as a postgraduate researcher at the University of Leeds.

Thesis: Self-Compassion in ADHD

Email: dmbeaton1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means opportunity. I not only have the chance to research something I am passionate about, but can also take part in training and attain knowledge in methods and topics that are beyond the scope of my PhD. This means I can develop into a flexible and rounded researcher, as well as becoming more knowledgeable in my specific topic.

Thesis: Does living in an eco-community make you happier?

Email: d.pilichou@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It means being supported academically and financially to pursue the research I am most passionate about. It wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Thesis: The neural representations of faces and objects in the brain

Email: gir504@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by the ESRC means that I am confident that I will receive an excellent research training and support, allowing me to learn and apply advanced neuroimaging methods, achieve more in my research domain and collaborate with world-leading scientists.

Thesis: Resilient responses to adverse childhood experiences in young adults.

Email: gkhales1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being funded by a reputable organisation is vindication for my hard work and determination. ESRC helps me to feel empowered to conduct and disseminate high quality research that can have a real-world impact.

Thesis: Online assisted cognitive behavioural therapy for targeted populations with inflammatory bowel disease

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC student means to me to receive funding for the research training in one of the Russell Group universities.

Thesis: Men’s constructions and experiences of loneliness, and their ramifications for policy and practice

Email: jmr564@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Opportunity. An opportunity to investigate a topic of personal interest, in a way that can provide real benefit to society, with good support both personal and financial.

Thesis: Socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in working memory.

Email: kate.mooney@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

My PhD in Health Sciences means I get to study and work in an area I’m passionate about. Being funded by the ESRC gives me access to interdisciplinary training, conferences, career developing opportunities, and a chance to network with other students.

Thesis: Inequalities in the use of breast cancer prevention services

Email: umkel@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC funding has given me the opportunity to learn and grow as a researcher in cancer prevention. The funding also provides me with the unique opportunity to work closely in an interdisciplinary environment to tackle issues in the social and health world.

Thesis: Statistical and individual-based simulation methods for causal inference in obesity research

Email: K.F.Arnold@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I’m grateful to the ESRC for funding cross-disciplinary research and methods development, and I intend to use the experience I’ve gained during my PhD as a springboard to a future career in quantitative research.

Thesis: Feature-Specific Patterns of Attention and Functional Connectivity in Human Visual Cortex

Email: kwn500@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student means benefitting from access to a wealth of training resources and expertise to take my PhD study in many more directions than I originally thought possible.

Thesis: Life After Death: Experiences of Sibling Bereavement over the Lifecourse

Email: l.towers@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It’s meant that I’ve been able to complete my PhD, whilst feeling supported. I’m proud to be able to say that I am an ESRC funded student because of the recognition associated with it.

Thesis: Developing a School-Based Measure of Fundamental Movement Skills

Email: ps13lhe@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It is an honour to receive funding from the ESRC. The opportunities afforded to ESRC PhD students will be invaluable for my personal and professional development throughout my PhD.

Thesis: An ethnographic study of retired Irish migrants in London

Email: mmcdaid1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

It has afforded me the opportunity to develop my research interests and pursue a PhD on a topic close to my heart. As well as having the opportunity to enjoy independent study, I have also had the support that comes along with ERSC funding from regional meet ups to development courses.

Thesis: How sociodemographic factors are associated with sensorimotor ability in children

Email: ps13mlw@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

The opportunity to engage with students from across other universities, and have access to a wide range of support, development and training.

Thesis: Queering Manchester’s Devolution in the Third Sector: Health as (a Social) Movement

Email: chelsea.murphy@stu.mmu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC-funded PhD researcher offers a meaningful opportunity to be part of the next generation of social scientists who are seeking to address the UK’s complex social and economic issues. The collaborative environment and PhD funding support offered by the ESRC is a great route towards using academic research to influence policy and practice.

Thesis: Investigating trade-offs between conservation and human well-being in tropical forests in Tanzania

Email: robin.loveridge@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

ESRC have supported me through both targeted technical training and the freedom to immerse myself in the culture of my study region through a 3 month language training extension’. This extra time to incubate ideas before launching into data collection helped be personal growth and shape the direction of my research.

Thesis: Exploring the Lived Experiences of South Asian Muslim Lone Mothers, Intersectionality and the Role Played by South Asian Women’s Organisations in their lives.

Email: sbaz1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being able to explore a topic which I am passionate about and a chance to always learn something new!

Thesis: Individual Differences in Loss Aversion and the Effects on Well-Being: A Multi-Methods Approach

Email: ATRowe1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being a part of a diverse interdisciplinary community of researchers that are driven towards understanding complex social issues from a more holistic perspective than can typically be found in their respective fields.

Thesis: Exploring Family Practices in the context of Domestic Abuse and State Responses.

Email: psehmar1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

I am doing a collaborative award and ESRC funding has enabled me to research an area of practice to help develop further theoretical insights for social work practice.

Thesis: Appreciative Inquiry: Supporting Manchester’s Chronically Ill Older Adults In The Community

Email: 13116894@stu.mmu.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As a first generation student, a PhD was something I never thought to be within my grasp. However, the ESRC have given me the opportunity to do something that I never would have been able to do otherwise. Having worked in health and social care for many years I knew there was much still to be done – particularly with older adults. This funded allows me to be able to more for the community than I would be able to do purely in my professional role.

Thesis: From Demons to Diagnosis? A genealogy of the diagnostic category of epilepsy.

Email: pt11st@leeds.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

As an ESRC funded student I have been given so much support and opportunities to help me to achieve my potential and flourish in my PhD and beyond. I am so grateful to be an ESRC student and I am looking forward to be able to make the most of all of the academic training, networking and career opportunities they offer to us.

Thesis: Biodiversity and Health. How does biological diversity and an understanding of it, affect the salutogenic benefits of urban green space?

Email: sfarris1@sheffield.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

For me, it is a great opportunity to grow up as a researcher, an excellent way to develop interdisciplinary skills and a chance to make a difference in improving society.

Thesis: Approved Mental Health Professionals and the compulsory detention of Black and Minority Ethnic service-users under the Mental Health Act: An Institutional Ethnography

Email: ra917@york.ac.uk

What does it mean to you to be an ESRC funded student?

Being an ESRC funded student has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to further develop my skills, knowledge, and expertise as a social researcher. I not only have the opportunity to positively impact people’s lives through my PhD research, but I am also able to network with fellow PhD students and participate in WRDTP training and development to gain a wide breadth of knowledge in areas that are beyond the scope of my PhD. Gaining this dynamic perspective means I can develop both personally and academically into a well-rounded researcher.