PhD Studentships in Creativity and Behavioural Science at Kingston University

Kingston University is offering 15 fully-funded PhD studentships as part of a university-wide competition, with a special focus on creativity and behavioural science. Professor Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau, a leading academic in behavioural science, is personally mentoring up to three candidates interested in developing competitive proposals that explore creativity through the lens of behavioural science. Research topics may include decision-making, neurodiversity in problem-solving, motivation in creative practice, and human-AI collaboration in creative tasks. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that go beyond traditional surveys or interviews, utilizing methods such as eye-tracking technology, interactive experiments, and data science to uncover patterns in creative breakthroughs. Research can be conducted in real-world contexts, including organizations, healthcare, and sustainability, to test creative insights and interventions. Potential research questions include: How does neurodiversity shape innovative problem-solving? Can we predict who will reach 'insight' moments and when? What role does motivation play in sustaining creative practice? How do humans and AI collaborate effectively in creative tasks? To apply for mentoring, candidates must submit a 1-2 page draft research proposal to Professor Vallée-Tourangeau by January 31, 2026. The proposal should clearly state the research question, proposed methodology, relevance to current creativity and behavioural science research, and the significance of the work. Shortlisted candidates will receive up to three hours of personal mentoring to refine their proposals before submitting to the university competition by March 4, 2026. The mentoring process is intended to strengthen well-developed ideas, not to generate initial concepts. Both fully-funded and self-funded candidates are welcome to apply. Industry partners interested in sponsoring research on creativity, innovation, or behavioural change are also invited to discuss potential collaborations. For more information, visit the Kingston University studentship competition page.