School of Environment, Education and Development, the University of Manchester with Manchester City Council (collaborative partner)
ESRC CASE studentship
Sustainable transport and socio-spatial change in neighbourhoods: the impact of Greater Manchester’s Metrolink
This full-time, 3-year PhD studentship, starting in September 2014, is funded by the ESRC CASE studentship scheme. CASE studentships involve a PhD student working in partnership with an organisation to undertake a study designed to be relevant to the organisation. This creates an invaluable opportunity for students to undertake a PhD that bridges academic and professional concerns, having a direct impact in a professional context whilst also producing a PhD thesis.
The project
Improving accessibility and developing a socially cohesive society are two of the central tenets of city planning. Modern cities and towns embody an extremely complicated and vibrant development process in which infrastructure plays an important mediating role between flow, movement and exchange. When infrastructure is built and properly conceived as a network, it not only adds value to the user but can also be transformational at a wider societal scale. However, the relationship between infrastructure and socio-spatial change is not always well understood, especially for major transport projects in Britain.
The Manchester Metrolink was first opened in 1991, connecting Altrincham (in the South) and Bury (in the North), and is currently owned by Transport for Greater Manchester. The network has recently been extended and now consists of six lines. Further extensions are underway. One argument for extending Metrolink is that it can trigger positive socio-economic change across the conurbation by improving the spatial connectivity and accessibility of different neighbourhoods, which will help to revitalise the most deprived communities in the city and alleviate traffic congestion. The spatial implications, in terms of benefits and cohesion, of transport infrastructure planning are particularly pertinent in Manchester as it is ranked the fourth most deprived local authority in England.
This proposal aims to address the long standing policy issue of developing a more integrative methodology to understand the impacts brought about by major transport infrastructure projects on the socio-spatial dynamics within and between neighbourhoods in the metropolitan setting via the Greater Manchester Metrolink case study. It will draw upon existing secondary data and use qualitative methods to explore some of the reasons behind tram usage and its wider socio-economic consequences.
The student will be jointly supervised by Professor Cecilia Wong, Professor Kevin Ward and Dr. Brian Webb from Cities@Manchester of the University of Manchester, and by Mr. Dave Whyte from Manchester City Council.
Person Specification:
• Students already with a Masters degree (at high merit level) or currently undertaking a Masters degree and are expecting to graduate during the 2013-14 academic session are eligible to apply.
• Candidates should demonstrate a committed interest and experience in a relevant research field such as Urban Planning, Geography, Transport Studies and other social science subjects.
• Eligible candidates will be UK/EU honours graduate students with a good 2.1 from a recognised University, who show evidence of exceptional ability; they must have completed research methods training as part of an ESRC recognised Masters (or demonstrate research training to an equivalent standard) in a relevant social sciences discipline.
• Candidates must satisfy the ESRC's academic and residential eligibility requirements and be UK (full award) or EU citizens (fees only). Further information on ESRC residential eligibility rules, please see
http://www.nwdtc.ac.uk/documents/Standard%20Studentship%20Application%20Guidance%20for%20Staff.pdf
Financial support
The studentship covers academic fees (£4,104), provides a stipend (£14,210) and a research training support grant (£750) per annum (amounts tbc). Additional fieldwork support may be available from the University.
Further information
Please contact Professor Cecilia Wong at [log in to unmask]
Application
• A full CV: including two named referees (one of whom should be your most recent academic tutor/supervisor);
• A copy of your first degree and Master’s degree transcripts (or anticipated grade if masters in ongoing);
• A letter of application (not exceeding 2 pages) outlining your suitability for the CASE studentship and how you would anticipate approaching the research;
• Send by email to Professor Wong by 5pm GMT on 12 February 2014.
Interviews are scheduled to take place week beginning 17 February 2014. The successful applicant will be required to submit a full application for PhD Planning and Environmental Management at The University of Manchester.
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