Lorraine Dixon

[£20,780 per annum bursary. University fees at the home rate and bench fees covered. International/EU students without Settled Status must pay the difference between home and international fees. Visas and associated costs not covered.] PhD Studentship: HEALS – Heat, Health, and Learning: Co-Designing Climate-Resilient Strategies for Primary Schools in Oxfordshire Oxford Brookes University invites applications for a fully funded, 3-year, full-time PhD studentship as part of the HEALS project. This research aims to address the growing risks posed by climate change-induced heatwaves to children’s health, wellbeing, and learning in Oxfordshire’s primary schools. The project will be supervised by Professor Rajat Gupta (Director of Studies), Professor Lorraine Dixon, and Dr Yuanhong Zhou, and is closely linked to the £7.4 million HEARTH programme, the National Research Hub on Net Zero, Health and Extreme Heat. The successful candidate will join the Low Carbon Building Research Group and collaborate with Oxfordshire County Council and local schools. The research will use a mixed-methods approach to assess overheating and indoor air quality risks in a representative sample of primary schools. Continuous monitoring of indoor temperature, carbon dioxide, and airborne pollutants will provide insights into how heat accumulates in classrooms and its effects on comfort, concentration, and wellbeing. The project will also explore the experiences of pupils and staff, and co-design practical, low-cost cooling and shading solutions such as improved ventilation and outdoor shading. The research will evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions in real school settings and assess their broader benefits for pupil wellbeing and learning. The findings will inform clear guidance and recommendations for schools and local authorities, contributing to climate resilience in educational environments. Funding: The studentship provides a bursary of £20,780 per annum, covers university fees at the home rate, and includes bench fees. International and EU students without Settled Status must pay the difference between home and international fees. Visa and associated costs are not covered. Eligibility: Applicants should hold a first or upper second-class honours degree from a UK Higher Education Institution or an equivalent qualification. International/EU applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 6.0 and no score below 5.5, issued within the last 2 years. The studentship requires up to 6 hours of teaching per week during semester time, including preparation and marking, and participation in a teaching skills course. Application Process: Apply directly via the Oxford Brookes University portal. Applications must include a cover letter, CV, details of two referees (at least one academic), a research proposal, degree certificates and transcripts, a scan of your passport, and evidence of English language proficiency if applicable. The deadline for applications is 20 February 2026. For queries, contact [email protected]. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to impactful research at the intersection of climate resilience, public health, and education, with strong institutional and local authority support.

[£20,780 per annum bursary, university fees at home rate covered, bench fees included. International/EU students without Settled Status must pay the difference between home and international fees. Visa costs not covered.] This fully funded PhD studentship at Oxford Brookes University offers an exciting opportunity to address the urgent challenges posed by climate change in primary schools across Oxfordshire. The HEALS project—Heat, Health, and Learning: Co-Designing Climate-Resilient Strategies for Primary Schools—aims to investigate and mitigate the impacts of extreme heat on the health, wellbeing, and learning outcomes of children and staff. With anthropogenic climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the UK, the risks to vulnerable populations, especially children, are growing. In Oxfordshire alone, over 205,000 residents live in high heat-risk areas, and approximately 130 schools are particularly exposed. The successful candidate will join the Low Carbon Building Research Group and collaborate closely with Oxfordshire County Council and local schools. The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, including continuous monitoring of indoor temperature, carbon dioxide, and airborne pollutants in a representative sample of primary schools. This will provide valuable insights into how heat accumulates in classrooms and its effects on comfort, concentration, and wellbeing. The project will also explore the experiences of pupils and staff, and co-design practical, low-cost cooling and shading solutions such as improved ventilation and outdoor shading. The effectiveness of these interventions will be assessed in real school settings, with the goal of developing clear guidance and recommendations for schools and local authorities. This studentship is closely linked to the £7.4 million HEARTH programme, the National Research Hub on Net Zero, Health and Extreme Heat, providing access to a vibrant research community and additional resources. The position includes a bursary of £20,780 per annum, coverage of university fees at the home rate, and bench fees. International and EU students without Settled Status must cover the difference between home and international fees, and visa costs are not included. Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree from a UK institution or an equivalent qualification. International/EU candidates must provide a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (minimum overall score 6.0, no score below 5.5) issued within the last two years. The studentship requires up to 6 hours of teaching per week during semester time, including preparation and marking, and participation in a teaching skills course. Applications should be submitted directly via the university portal and must include a cover letter, CV, details of two referees (at least one academic), a research proposal, degree certificates and transcripts, a scan of your passport, and evidence of English language qualification if applicable. For further information or queries, contact Prof Rajat Gupta at [email protected] or [email protected]. The application deadline is 20th February 2026, with interviews to be confirmed online. The successful candidate will start in September 2026.

[£21,805 per annum bursary. University fees and bench fees covered to the home rate; international students must cover the difference between home and international fees. Visa and associated costs are not covered.] This fully funded PhD studentship at Oxford Brookes University offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to climate resilience in primary schools across Oxfordshire. The HEALS project—Heat, Health, and Learning: Co-Designing Climate-Resilient Strategies for Primary Schools—addresses the growing risks posed by anthropogenic climate change, particularly the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the United Kingdom. These environmental changes threaten the health, wellbeing, and learning outcomes of children, especially in vulnerable school settings. The doctoral research will employ a mixed-methods approach to investigate how extreme heat impacts indoor conditions, health, and learning in primary schools. The student will collaborate with schools and local councils to monitor classroom temperatures, carbon dioxide levels, and airborne pollutants, providing valuable insights into how heat accumulates and affects comfort, concentration, and wellbeing. The project will also explore the experiences of pupils and staff, co-designing practical, low-cost cooling and shading solutions such as improved ventilation and outdoor shading. The effectiveness of these interventions will be assessed in real school environments, with the aim of informing clear guidance and recommendations for schools and local authorities. The research is closely linked to the £7.4 million HEARTH programme, the National Research Hub on Net Zero, Health and Extreme Heat, and will be conducted in partnership with the Low Carbon Building Research Group and Oxfordshire County Council. The studentship includes up to 6 hours of teaching per week during semester time, with additional preparation and marking responsibilities (no more than 20 hours per week), and participation in a teaching skills course. Funding includes a £21,805 per annum bursary, with university fees and bench fees covered to the home rate. International students are required to cover the difference between home and international fees, and visa costs are not included. The position is open to home, EU, and international applicants. Entry requirements include a first or upper second-class honours degree from a UK institution or equivalent, and a valid IELTS (or equivalent) with a score of 6.0 and no element lower than 5.5. Applicants must submit a cover letter, CV, two references (at least one academic), a research proposal, degree certificates and transcripts, passport scan, and valid English language qualification. International applicants must provide evidence of funding. Interviews will be held in person on 16 June 2026, and the successful candidate will start in September 2026. For further information or queries, contact Prof Rajat Gupta at [email protected] or [email protected]. Apply directly via the university portal using the provided link.