Lars Chittka
11 months ago
This scholarship has expired. You can find similar scholarships from the section below or browse our scholarships listing pages.
PhD Position: Cognition in Insects (CSC Scholarship) Queen Mary University of London in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Neuroscience
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
Deadline
Expired
Country
United Kingdom
University
Queen Mary University of London
Suggested scholarships
Keywords
About this position
This PhD position at Queen Mary University of London, supervised by Professor Lars Chittka, offers an opportunity to explore cognition in insects through a China Scholarship Council (CSC) joint scholarship programme. The project scope is broad, encompassing any area within Prof Chittka’s expertise, such as insect cognition, social learning, communication, vision, neural computation, insect emotions, consciousness and its welfare implications, and pollination biology. The research investigates how the tiny insect brain achieves complex tasks like long-distance navigation, collision avoidance, face recognition, concept learning, numerical skills, tool use, and high memory capacity.
The lab leverages principles of energy-efficient computing in miniature brains, with potential applications in computer science and artificial intelligence. Both bottom-up and top-down attentional processes are studied, alongside neural-computational modeling to understand visual information processing in bees. The research environment is dynamic and international, with advanced technology and computing equipment. Students receive training in automated behavioural monitoring, psychological analyses, statistics, and scientific writing, benefiting from a supervisor with a strong track record of mentoring successful PhD students.
The scholarship covers full tuition fees (Queen Mary) and living expenses plus a return flight (CSC) for eligible Chinese applicants. Candidates must hold or expect a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s in a relevant field (biology, neuroscience, psychology), and meet English language requirements. Applications must be submitted online by January 28, 2026, with all required documentation.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, and successful applicants will receive a conditional offer letter before applying to CSC for the scholarship. For more information, visit the lab and university web pages or contact admissions.
Funding details
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
What's required
Applicants must be citizens and permanent residents of the People’s Republic of China, hold a Chinese passport, and be applying for CSC funding. Candidates should have or expect to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant area such as biology, neuroscience, or psychology. Knowledge of behavioural experiments (especially with insects) or computational neuroscience methods is advantageous but not required. Applicants must meet the IELTS requirements for their course and upload evidence before the CSC application deadline, ideally by March 1, 2026. All required documentation, including CV, personal statement, English language certificate, academic transcripts, degree certificates, and references, must be submitted by the application deadline.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the provider.
Professors
Professor at School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
United Kingdom
Research Interests
Behavioral Neuroscience
Entomology
Animal Behavior
Insect Behavior
Swarm Intelligence
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the provider.