Artificial Weather: Mining the Language and Visual Culture of Weather and Climate Modification (CreativeAI Studentship) The University of Manchester in United Kingdom

This CreativeAI Studentship at The University of Manchester offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural and social dimensions of weather modification and geoengineering. Traditionally, scholarship in this area has focused on the actions of government, military, and scientific actors, but this project aims to shift the perspective toward participatory interventions and the vernacular imagination of weather and climate modification. By employing advanced computational methods such as natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision, the research will analyze large archives of visual and textual data, including discussions on platforms like Reddit and Telegram. The goal is to provide insight into how actual, planned, or imagined human interventions in Earth's climate and weather are represented and debated in digital media, moving beyond elite framing to understand broader social discourse.

The project is situated within the Faculty of Humanities Doctoral Academy, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, and is supervised by Dr LS Scholz, Dr GG Grisot, and Dr V Jankovic. It draws on interdisciplinary fields including environmental science, geography, computer science, and linguistics, and is ideal for candidates with backgrounds in digital humanities, computational humanities, cultural analytics, humanities data science, sociolinguistics, history, cultural studies, or geography. The research will contribute to a deeper understanding of weather modification as both a cultural and technological phenomenon, examining whether human intervention in climate can be conceived as an esoteric concern and how it circulates in digital media.

The CreativeAI studentship provides full funding, including tuition fees, research support, and a stipend (£20,780 for 2025/2026), commencing in September 2026. Applicants must hold a Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above and a Master's degree in a relevant subject with strong academic performance. Essential skills include intermediate or advanced proficiency in Python or R, with desirable experience in NLP and/or computer vision. English language proficiency must be demonstrated through IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE scores, or by completing a degree in a majority English-speaking nation within the last five years.

The application deadline is March 30, 2026. To apply, submit your application online for the PhD Digital Humanities, Cultures and Media, indicating your intention to apply for the CreativeAI Studentship and including all required supporting documents: academic transcripts, CV, supporting statement, writing sample, and two academic referees. Formal interviews are expected to take place the week commencing May 11. The University of Manchester is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and career paths.

For further information or to discuss the project, contact Dr Luca Scholz at [email protected]. Reference works relevant to the project include Arnold & Tilton (2023), Buck (2019, 2023), Fleming (2010), and Nerlich & Jaspal (2012).