PhD in Behaviour Change for Brain Health Supported by AI Imagery at Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University’s School of Social Sciences is offering a fully funded PhD studentship for the project 'Behaviour change for brain health supported by AI imagery.' This opportunity is open to UK students and is funded by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with a start date in January 2026. The project aims to explore how AI-generated imagery can be used to promote behaviour change for brain health, particularly in ageing populations. The research will be supervised by Professor Alan Gow and Dr Kelly Wolfe at Heriot-Watt University, and Professor Mario Parra Rodriguez at the University of Strathclyde, in collaboration with an industry partner and the university’s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies. The project will adapt an interactive, image-based platform—originally designed for people living with dementia—to support older adults in the community, focusing on behaviour change and risk reduction for cognitive decline. The studentship provides a multidisciplinary environment, access to advanced research training, and a supportive academic community. Applicants should have at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree in psychology or a related field (such as computer science or human-computer interaction), with a Master’s degree desirable. Non-native English speakers must meet the university’s English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, no component below 6.0). The studentship covers tuition fees and provides an annual stipend of £20,789 for 3.5 years. The application deadline is 4 December 2025, with interviews scheduled for 15 December 2025. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Professor Alan Gow for informal discussion and must submit a CV, transcripts, degree certificates, a covering letter, and a research proposal as part of their online application.